Samuel M. Simpson

SOURCE: "History of Champaign County, Illinois with Illustrations," 1878

SURNAMES: SIMPSON, MERRICK, PEDDICORD, JAMES

 

SAMUEL M. SIMPSON, a view of whose farm, in Ludlow township, is shown on another page of this work, is like a large number of the best citizens of Champaign county, a native of the state of Ohio. He was born in Montgomery county, on the 24th of May, 1836. His father, was Samuel Simpson, and his mother's name, before marriage, was Anna MERRICK. His parents were formerly residents of New Jersey, and emigrated from that state to Montgomery county, Ohio, in the year 1832. Mr. Simpson was raised in that part of Ohio, attending the ordinary common schools and gaining a fair English education. He was nearly nineteen years old, when his father, in the year 1855, removed from Ohio to Illinois, with a view to trying farming on the broad prairies of the western country. Mr. Simpson came with him and settled at Clinton, in DeWitt county.

He was married, in that county, in April, 1860, to Hester PEDDICORD, the mother of his two oldest children, William Milzor and Mary F. Her death occurred in the year 1864, and in 1866, he was married the second time, to Angeline JAMES, the daughter of David W. JAMES, a prominent resident and old citizen of Greene county, Ohio, where Mrs. Simpson was living at the time of her marriage. By this union, Mr. Simpson has three children, Frank S., David Manford, and Charles H. He was living in DeWitt county, till the year 1869, engaged in farming there, but at that date, determined to remove to Champaign county. Coming to Ludlow township, he settled in section 20 (township 22, range 9). His location was on the raw prairie, and he began improving the farm on which he now resides. He is an active and progressive farmer, and since his residence in the township, has put a fine body of land under cultivation, and erected substantial buildings and improvements. On another page may be seen an illustration of his residence and farm property.

He has been a good citizen of the township, and has filled several local positions. In his political preferences he was originally a member of the Democratic party. He voted first for president in 1860, and then cast his suffrage for Stephen A. Douglas, the candidate of the Union Democracy, who best represented the position he then occupied on the issues of the day. He remained an adherent of the Democratic till recently. He now acts as an Independent, and is in favor of some reform in the financial policy of the government, believing that, in the past, the management of the national finances has been conducted in the interest of the rich, and with too little attention to the welfare of the producing classes.