lady named Wisdom, whose deatli two years later lelt iiiiu a widower, with
one child, John Thomas, as the fruit of their brief union. In 1848 he wbh
married to Miys Nancy Cooper, a srand-dauKhter of Colonel Cooper, the
companion and ally of Daniel Boone in the settlement of Kentucky, and
who afterward settled in Missouri and built what was known as Cooper's
Fort, in Howard county, a famous citadel of the pioneers in the early In-
dian wars. In 1846, as soon as the skies be^an to clear, accompanied by
his wife and three children John T., Sylvester C. and Sam L. - he set out
on the memorable journey across the plains, borne, with all his household
goods and gods, by slow but true and patient oxen. He acted as captain of
his company, numbering about one himdred and fifty souls, on the long
and weary route, and they crossed the Cascades in October, by the Barlow
road, arriving at Foster's, on this side, the 15th of the month, nearly six
months from the time they left Missouri. Inured to hard labor from his
earliest boyhood, and bold, aggressive and persevering by nature, Mr. Simp-
son was little daunted by the frowning aspect of fortune on his arrival iu
Oregon: a wilderness to encounter, a young family to care for, no money in
his pocket and little food in the larder; but, having found shelter for his
household, shouldered his ax and sought and found a job of rail-makuig in
order to secure the necessaries of life. The winters of '46 and '47 were
spent at Oregon City. Early in the spring of the latter year he removed to
French Prairie and engaged in husbandry. Thence, in 1848, he went to
Clackamas City and gave his attention to lumbering and merchandising,
succeeding well in both branches of business. Then came the Whitman
massacre and the Cayuse war. Mr. Simpson promptly volunteered and
served imder Colonel Gilliam, and participated iu the first general battle at
Well Springs. While residing at Clackamas City he was elected to the
Second Territorial liegislature as a member of the House. About this time
the rush to California began, and Mr. Simpson made a sailing voyage to
San Francisco, then a cluster of dirty tents and rude shanties, taking with
him a cargo of lumber, which he sold at fabulous figures. On his return he
sold out his business in Clackamas City and moved to Parke^s^^lle, where
he also engaged in merchandising and the manufacture of lumber. During
the time he built and launched at Fairfield — a little town on the river, in
Marion county — the second large steamer ever constructed above the Falls—
the Oregon. While at Parkersville he was elected to represent Marion
county in the House, and afterwards in the Council of the Territorial Leg-
islature. To follow up his legislation at this point, we note that he was a
Representative from Polk at the outbreak of the war, and assisted in the
election of B. F. Harding to the United States Senate. In the Legislature
of 1872 he was a Representative from Benton county and strongly cham-
pioned the cause of the successful Senatorial candidate, Hon. J. H. Mitchell.
Beyond this his business and olficial experience has been varied and ex-
tensive. He served several years as post sutler and Indian trader at Fort
Yamhill, during the time that the present General Phil. SJieridan was at-
tached to the post as a Second Lieutenant and Post Quartermaster. He
was afterward appointed Indian Agent for the Siletz Reservation, where he
