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Below is a family biography included in The History of Benton County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889. These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary. Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more. There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.
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William H. Simpson, son of John and Rachel (Fite) Simpson, was born in Knox County, Tenn., October 26, 1830. The father was a native of Virginia, born in 1785, was reared in that State and came to Tennessee among the pioneer settlers of that State. He lived in Knox and McMinn Counties to the very exceptional age of one hundred and one years, retaining strength of both mind and body up to the last, and could ride on horseback to within a year of his death, which was caused by apoplexy, January, 1886. He was a farmer all his life. The mother was born in North Carolina in 1800, and died in McMinn County, Tenn., in 1860. The father was a member of the Baptist Church eighty-five years, a member of the Masonic fraternity eighty years, and was probably the oldest Mason in the United States at the time of his death. The mother was also a member of the Baptist Church. They reared six children: Margaret, widow of a Mr. Monroe, of Tennessee, living on the old homestead; Andrew J., died during the war; Rebecca, who is living on the old homestead in Tennessee; Julia, wife of W. McKisey, and James M., who also resides on the old homestead in Tennessee. William H. Simpson remained with his parents until twenty-one years of age, and in January, 1855, he married Miss A. J. Triplett, who was born in Tennessee in 1838, and who bore him seven children: Alexander N., William O., A. Tennessee (deceased), John L., Ollie A., Sterling P. and Maud. After marriage Mr. Simpson ran a wagon-shop in Tennessee for two years, and in 1856 he moved to Texas, where he remained until 1866, when he came to his present farm, which is situated two miles from Siloam Springs, and consists of 280 acres, 220 under cultivation. March 14, 1887, Mr. Simpson had the misfortune to lose his faithful companion. She was a member of the Baptist Church, as is also Mr. Simpson. He is a master Mason, having been a member of that lodge for twenty-eight years, and has always been a Democrat in his political views.
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This family biography is one of 240 biographies included in The History of Benton County, Arkansas published in 1889. For the complete description, click here: Benton County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps
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