Enoch Simpson of Dry Fork Creek
Contributed by Erick Montgomery
Enoch Simpson was the progenitor of the Simpson Family from northeastern
Sumner County, Tennessee in the vicinity of Bethpage, Rock Bridge, Oak Grove and Mount Vernon. He was born in
Caswell County, North Carolina on 1 November
1797, son of Aaron and Charlotte (Wisheart) Simpson. His parents with their
family joined a large migration of Simpson relations and moved from Fairfax County, Virginia to Caswell County,
North Carolina, shortly before Enoch's birth.
Enoch grew up on his father's plantation along Stony Creek in southwestern Caswell County near the Orange County,
NC (now Alamance County) border.
On 29 December 1818 in Caswell County, North Carolina, he married his
first wife, Elizabeth Carter, daughter of Joseph and Ann (Mallory) Carter of
Caswell County. Elizabeth was born in Caswell County on 16 April 1797. She was
the mother of six children: Aaron Sanford, Mary Ann, William C., Nancy E.,
Katherine Odie and Elizabeth Simpson.
After the birth of their first child in 1819, Enoch and Elizabeth
(Carter) Simpson followed his brother, Roger Simpson, to Giles County, Tennessee and
settled on Richland Creek. It was here that their second and third children
were born. However, in the winter of 1824-25, they moved again, this time to
Sumner County, Tennessee, settling on Deshea Creek. The reason for the second
move may have been precipitated by the relocation of Elizabeth's parents from Caswell
County, North Carolina to Sumner County at about the same time. In the early
1830s, the Simpsons moved again, this time to the Dry Fork of Bledsoe Creek,
taking up a farm formerly owned by Robert and Elinor McKissack. They expanded
the original one room log house by adding a frame room to the north, connected
by a breezeway, and a board and batten kitchen wing to the east. This house
still stands today on the east side of Rock Bridge Road.
Elizabeth (Carter) Simpson died in 1839, and family tradition says that
she was buried with her family in the Carter Cemetery near Bransford, Sumner
County, Tennessee. The cemetery has not been located, and may have been destroyed.
Enoch Simpson was married to his second wife, Martha Jane (Johnson)
Turner on 21 March 1841 in Sumner County. Martha was born 6 July 1821 in Sumner County, a
daughter of Austin and Ann Elizabeth (Corley) Johnson. She had first been
married to James H. Turner on 5 October 1837 in Sumner County, and had one son,
John Austin Turner (29 January 1839 - 9 September 1853). James H. Turner died
in 1840. He was the younger son of John Turner (d. 1835) of Sumner County, and
was a brother of Rebecca Turner, wife of Benjamin Johnson, and Frances
Turner, wife of Richard C. Johnson. Benjamin and Richard C. Johnson were uncles
of Martha (Johnson) Simpson. James H. Turner was also a brother of Eliza
Turner, wife of William M. Carter, who was a brother of Elizabeth (Carter)
Simpson.
Martha (Johnson) Simpson was the mother of four children by Enoch
Simpson: Thomas Benton, Penelope Elviria, Magdalena Frances and Joseph Roger
Simpson. These children were born and raised in the Simpson House on Rock Bridge
Road in Sumner County. Martha's brother, Richard E. Johnson married her stepdaughter,
Mary Ann Simpson, and her sister, Mary Frances Johnson married her stepson,
Aaron Sanford Simpson. Thus, her children's first cousins were also their own
half-nieces and nephews. Living in the Simpson household from time to time in
addition to Martha's immediate family members were her half-sisters, Barodill
Johnson and Margaret Ann Johnson. Margaret Ann Johnson, remembered as
"Aunt Mag," never married and remained with the Simpson Family for
the remainder of her life, and is buried in the Simpson Family Cemetery across
Rock Bridge Road from the Simpson House.
Enoch Simpson attained a degree of prosperity while living in Sumner
County, Tennessee. He accumulated a total of 1209 acres that was part of his
estate. He owned twenty slaves that worked his plantation and performed various
skilled labor, including masonry and carpentry. His inventory reveals that he
was probably in the hardwood lumber business and raised general crops on his
farm. He was also a physician, and renowned in his day for having a cure for
cancer, which in reality was only a painkiller. For this reason, he was often
referred to as Dr. Enoch Simpson.
His death occurred in 1 August 1860, according to family tradition, by
bushwhackers who opposed slavery on the eve of the Civil War. He requested to
be buried beside his first wife, Elizabeth (Carter) Simpson rather than in what
became the Simpson Family Cemetery across the road from his house. Martha
(Johnson) Simpson continued to live in the Simpson Home for the rest of her
life, which ended 26 April 1905. She was buried in the Simpson Family Cemetery n'ext t
o her eldest son, John Austin Turner.
Descendants of Enoch Simpson:
1.
Aaron Sanford Simpson, son of Enoch and Elizabeth (Carter) Simpson, b. 20
Nov. 1819 Sumner Co., TN. D. 10 Nov. 1879 Sumner Co., Tenn. Believed to be
buried in an unmarked grave in the Pond Cemetery, Sumner County, TN. Married 29
Apr. 1841 Sumner Co., TN to Mary Frances Johnson, daughter of Austin and Ann
Elizabeth (Corley) Johnson, b. 13 Sept. 1824 Sumner Co., TN. D. 31 Jan. 1897
Sumner Co., TN.
Children:
1.1. Joseph Enoch Simpson, b. 6 Nov. 1842 Sumner Co., TN. D. 6 Aug.
1862. Buried at Lookout Mountain, GA. Confederate soldier.
1.2. William Simpson, b. 15 Nov. 1844 Sumner
Co., TN. D. 7 Jan. 1909. Buried Mount Vernon Cem., Sumner Co., TN. Married 1st
3 Aug. 1865 Sumner Co., TN to Emily Jane Brizendine, b. 31 Aug. 1846. D. 16 May
1868. William Simpson married 2nd 26 Nov 1868 Sumner Co., TN to Mary Louisa
Equels, b. 25 Nov. 1848. D. 11 Dec. 1880. Buried Mount Vernon Cem., Sumner Co.,
TN. William Simpson married 3rd 20 Mar. 1881 Sumner Co., TN to Leona Alice
Doss, b. 20 July 1858. D. 16 July 1932. Buried Mount Vernon Cem., Sumner Co.,
TN.
1.3. James W. Simpson, b. 6 July 1847
Sumner Co., TN. D. 28 May 1928 Sumner Co., TN. Buried Pleasant Hill Cem.,
Sumner Co., TN. Married 1st 8 Aug. 1867 Sumner Co., TN to Mary C. Bradley, b.
11 Aug. 1848. D. 9 Dec. 1909. Buried Pleasant Hill Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
Married 2nd 20 June 1911 Sumner Co., TN to Mary Elizabeth Ralph
("Bettie"), b. 1866. D. 1939. Buried Beech Cumberland Presbyterian
Cemetery, Sumner Co., TN.
1.4. Elizabeth J. Simpson, b. 3 Dec. 1849 Sumner Co., TN. D.
11 Jan. 1854 Sumner Co., TN.
1.5. Thomas P. Simpson, b. 22 June 1852 Sumner Co., TN. D. 10 June
1854 Sumner Co., TN.
1.6. Ann Eliza Katherine Simpson, b. 21 Dec.
1855 Sumner Co., TN. D. 24 Nov. 1924 Sumner Co., TN. Buried Tucker Family Cem.,
Sumner Co., TN. Married about 1870-1872 to John Wright Tucker, b. 26 June 1847.
D. ca. 1930.
1.7. John Wesley Simpson, b. 1 Dec. 1858
Sumner Co., TN. D. 10 Dec. 1934 Sumner Co., TN. Buried Mount Vernon Cem.,
Sumner Co., TN. Married 9 Nov. 1877 Sumner Co., TN to Amanda Emmadine Ashlock,
b. 7 Nov. 1851. D. 9 Sept. 1931. Buried Mount Vernon Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
1.8. Emily Frances Simpson, b. 4 June 1860
Sumner Co., TN. D. 14 Apr. 1934 Sumner Co., TN. Buried Mount Moriah Cem.,
Sumner Co., TN. Married 27 May 1915 Sumner Co., TN to Asa Wilson Ausbrooks, b.
9 Dec. 1857. D. 3 May 1935.
1.9. Martha L. F. Simpson, b. 16 Oct. 1863 Sumner Co., TN. D. 11
Aug. 1865 Sumner Co., TN.
1.10. Jasper Edmond Simpson, b. 2 Aug. 1866 Sumner
Co., TN. D. 8 July 1938 Sumner Co., TN. Buried Sherron Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
Married 1st 29 Oct. 1899 Sumner Co., TN to Chanie S. Sherron, b. 8 Nov. 1875.
D. 4 June 1906. Buried Sherron Cem., Sumner Co., TN. Jasper E. Simpson married
2nd 20 June 1909 Sumner Co., TN to Callie Donia Neal, b. 31 Oct. 1881. D. 10
Dec. 1931.
1.11. Mary Etter Morgan Simpson, b. 29 Dec. 1869 Sumner Co., TN. D. 20
Nov. 1879 Sumner Co., TN.
2.
Mary Ann Simpson, daughter of Enoch and Elizabeth (Carter) Simpson, b. ca.
1821 Sumner Co., TN. D. ca. 1877 Sumner Co., TN. Married 1st 16 Aug. 1842
Sumner Co., TN to Richard E. Johnson, son of Austin and Ann Elizabeth (Corley)
Johnson, b. ca. 1821 Sumner Co., TN. D. 19 Jan. 1862 in the Battle of Fishing
Creek, KY. Mary A. (Simpson) Johnson married 2nd 11 May 1870 Sumner Co., TN to
James Escue, b. 27 Apr. 1807. D. 14 Dec. 1883.
Children of Richard E. and Mary Ann (Simpson) Johnson:
2.1. Emily Elizabeth Johnson, b. ca. 1843 Sumner Co., TN. D. 1910 Sumner
Co., TN. Buried Pleasant Grove Cem., Sumner Co., TN. Married
7 Nov. 1862 Sumner Co., TN to
William W. Rippy, b. 18 Sept. 1842. D. 22 May 1909. Buried Pleasant Grove Cem.,
Sumner Co., TN.
2.2. Robert Foster Johnson, b. 11 Aug. 1845
Sumner Co., TN. D. 3 Oct. 1921 Sumner Co., TN. Buried Escue Family Cem., Sumner
Co., TN. Married 7 June 1870 Sumner Co., TN to Rachel Lucinda Escue, b. 13 Apr.
1843. D. 23 Nov. 1921.
2.3. Mary Jane Johnson, b. 12 June 1847
Sumner Co., TN. D. ca. 1924 Sumner Co., TN. Buried Pleasant Grove Cem., Sumner
Co., TN. Married 2 Nov. 1862 Sumner Co., TN to Benjamin Rush Heath, b. 11 Aug.
1841. D. 12 June 1917.
2.4. Martha Ann Johnson, b. ca. 1849.
Married 19 Aug. 1867 Sumner Co., TN to Andrew I. Thornberg Heath, b. 29 Jan.
1837. D. 15 Jan. 1924. Both buried Sherron Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
2.5. William Austin Johnson, b. 3 Apr. 1852
Sumner Co., TN. D. 2 Feb. 1930 Sumner Co., TN. Buried Mount Vernon Cem., Sumner
Co., TN. Married 1st 18 July 1880 Sumner Co., TN Sarah H. Brazil. W. A. Johnson
married 2nd 21 Feb. 1870 Sumner Co., TN to Mary Ann Harper, b. 1 Mar. 1846. D.
22 July 1922. Buried Mount Vernon Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
2.6. James A. Johnson, b. Apr. 1853
Sumner Co., TN. D. after 1910 Sumner Co., TN. Married 1st 3 Mar. 1876 Sumner
Co., TN to Mary Smith. James A. Johnson married 2nd 3 July 1887 Sumner Co., TN
to Etta Carman.
2.7. Jesse S. Johnson, b. ca. 1858 Sumner Co., TN. Married 29 Nov.
1877 Sumner Co., TN to Sarah J. A. Keen, b. ca. 1860.
2.8. Nancy Johnson, b. ca. 1860 Sumner Co., TN.
3.
William C. Simpson, son of Enoch and Elizabeth (Carter) Simpson, b. 3 May
1824 Sumner Co., TN. D. 17 May 1904 Sumner Co., TN. Married 17 Dec. 1850 Sumner
Co., TN to Permelia C. Durham, daughter of Thomas and Mary (West) Durham. Both
buried Mount Vernon Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
Children:
3.1. Martha Ellen Simpson, b. 7 Dec. 1851 Sumner Co., TN. D. 3 Jan.
1924 Sumner Co., TN. Buried Mount Vernon Cem., Sumner Co.,
TN. Never married.
3.2. India Lonnetta Simpson, b. 2 Feb. 1853/1854. D. 8 Jan. 1863
Sumner Co., TN. Buried Bethpage Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
3.3. Mary Elizabeth Simpson
("Mollie"), b. 6 Aug. 1863 Sumner Co., TN. D. 2 Apr. 1939 Sumner Co.,
TN. Married 19 Dec. 1882 Sumner Co., TN to Alfred Newton Reddick, b. 2 Mar.
1861 Sumner Co., TN. D. 6 Oct. 1939 Sumner Co., TN. Both buried Mount Vernon
Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
3.4. Clara Lee Simpson, b. 1867 Sumner Co.,
TN. D. 4 Jan. 1940 Sumner Co., TN. Buried Mount Vernon Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
Married 1st 17 Aug. 1884 Sumner Co., TN to W. T. Piland. Clara Lee (Simpson)
Piland married 2nd 19 Feb. 1899 to her first cousin, John William West, son of
James Wilburn and Katherine Odie (Simpson) West.
3.5. Eubera M. Simpson, b. 1 Mar. 1871
Sumner Co., TN. D. 23 June 1901 Sumner Co., TN. Married 19 June 1889 Sumner
Co., TN to John F. Harper, b. 12 May 1867. D. 7 May 1954. Both buried Mount
Vernon Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
4.
Nancy E. Simpson, daughter of Enoch and Elizabeth (Carter) Simpson, b. ca.
1826 Sumner Co., TN. D. after 1870 when she lived in Grayson Co., TX. Married
22 Oct. 1842 Sumner Co., TN to William W. West, son of John (Jr.) and Polly
(Allen) West, b. ca. 1821 Sumner Co., TN. D. between 1860 and 1870 in Grayson
Co., TX.
Children:
4.1. Mary West, b. ca. 1843 Sumner Co., TN.
4.2. Martha J. West, b. ca. 1845 Sumner Co., TN.
4.3. James M. West, b. ca. 1851 Sumner Co., TN.
4.4. Katherine West, b. ca. 1862 Grayson Co., TX.
5.
Katherine Odie Simpson, daughter of Enoch and Elizabeth (Carter) Simpson,
b. 25 June 1828 Sumner Co., TN. D. 1 May 1860 Sumner Co., TN. Buried West
Family Cem., Sumner Co., TN. Married 30 Dec. 1846 Sumner Co., TN to James
Wilburn West, son of John (Jr.) and Polly (Allen) West, b. 4 Dec. 1823 Sumner
Co., TN. D. 14 Jan. 1874 Sumner Co., TN.
Children:
5.1. Amanda Frances West, b. 29 May 1848 Sumner Co., TN. D. 13 July 1919
Sumner Co., TN. Married 20 Dec. 1877 Sumner Co., TN
to John Luther Smith Pond, b. 23 Feb.
1836. D. 8 Mar. 1905. Both buried Pond Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
5.2. Sarah Ann West, b. 24 Aug. 1849 Sumner
Co., TN. D. between 1920 and 1929 in Sumner Co., TN. Buried West Family Cem.,
Sumner Co., TN. Never married.
5.3. Emily Jane West, b. 23 June 1853 Sumner
Co., TN. D. 9 May 1901 Sumner Co., TN. Buried West Family Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
Married 17 Jan. 1881 Sumner Co., TN to Rodney Alexander Durham, b. 12 Sept.
1853.
5.4. John William West ("Jack"),
b. 14 Mar. 1857 Sumner Co., TN. D. Feb. 1911 Sumner Co., TN. Buried West Family
Cem., Sumner Co., TN. Married 17 Jan. 1881 Sumner Co., TN to his first cousin,
Clara Lee (Simpson) Piland, daughter of William C. and Permelia C. (Durham)
Simpson.
6.
Elizabeth (A. or M.) Simpson, daughter of Enoch and Elizabeth (Carter)
Simpson, b. ca. 1830 Sumner Co., TN. D. before 1860 Sumner Co., TN. Married 27
Feb. 1850 Sumner Co., TN to Alfred M. Stuart, b. ca. 1824 in Tennessee.
Children:
6.1. Sarah Stuart
6.2. Amanda Stuart
7.
Thomas Benton Simpson, son of Enoch and Martha Jane (Johnson) Simpson, b.
19 Feb. 1842 Sumner Co., TN. D. 1 Sept. 1922 Sumner Co., Tenn. Married 23 Aug.
1863 Sumner Co., TN to Frances Logan Graves, daughter of Benjamin F. and
Harriet C. (Young) Graves, b. 20 Oct. 1840 Sumner Co., TN. D. 8 June 1896
Sumner Co., Tenn. Both buried Simpson Family Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
Children:
7.1. Nora Simpson, b. 28 June 1864 Sumner Co., TN. D. 17 July 1866./p>
7.2. Eva Simpson, b. 21 Apr. 1866 Sumner Co., TN. D. Nov. 1866.
7.3. Harriet Simpson ("Hattie"),
b. 26 Feb. 1868 Sumner Co., TN. D. 8 Apr. 1943 Sumner Co., TN. Married 11 Sept.
1890 Sumner Co., TN to Milton Elzia Dobbs, b. 5 Mar. 1868. D. 1 Feb. 1954. Both
buried in Rock Bridge Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
7.4. Infant son, b. & d. 19 Apr. 1870.
7.5. Benjamin Enoch Simpson, b. 11 Aug. 1871
Sumner Co., TN. D. 24 Sept. 1937 Sumner Co., TN. Married 22 Oct. 1902 Sumner
Co., TN to Lesbia Hazelton Hunter, b. 1 Sept. 1882 Sumner Co., TN. D. 21 July
1937 Sumner Co., TN. Both buried in Mount Vernon Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
7.6. Thomas Orville Simpson, b. 14 July 1874
Sumner Co., TN. D. 27 June 1916 Sumner Co., TN. Married 16 June 1897 Sumner
Co., TN to Martha Artelia Hunter, b. 26 Sept. 1881 Sumner Co., TN. D. 1960
Maury Co., TN. Both buried Bethpage Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
7.7. Martha Frances Simpson, b. 3 Aug. 1876
Sumner Co., TN. D. 3 Nov. 1925 Sumner Co., TN. Married 15 Nov. 1893 Sumner Co.,
TN to John Thomas Hawkins, b. 10 Nov. 1871 Sumner Co., TN. D. 3 Oct. 1953
Sumner Co., TN. Both buried Rock Bridge Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
7.8. Edna Penelope Simpson, b. 11 June 1878
Sumner Co., TN. D. 13 Dec. 1961 Sumner Co., TN. Married 21 Nov. 1900 Sumner
Co., TN to Robert Edward Lee, b. 31 Oct. 1875 Sumner Co., TN. D. 21 July 1965
Sumner Co., TN. Both buried Rock Bridge Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
7.9. Margaret Verona Simpson, b. 2 July
1881 Sumner Co., TN. D. 27 Oct. 1941 Sumner Co., TN. Buried Bethpage Cem.,
Sumner Co., TN. Married 7 July 1915 Sumner Co., TN to Dr. Thomas Edward Wright,
b. 7 Apr. 1885 Sumner Co., TN. D. 11 Dec. 1949 Jefferson City, TN. They were divorced
12 May 1931.
7.10. Sarah Catherine Simpson, b. 1 Dec. 1883
Sumner Co., TN. D. Sumner Co., TN 15 Mar. 1937. Buried Bethpage Cem., Sumner
Co., TN. Married 1st 19 Mar. 1903 Sumner Co., TN to Clarence Edward McWhirter,
b. 4 Mar. 1882. They were divorced. She married 2nd J. W. Parkes in Oklahoma.
8.
Penelope Elviria Simpson, daughter of Enoch and Martha Jane (Johnson)
Simpson, b. 24 Nov. 1846 Sumner Co., TN. D. 4 July 1928 Sumner Co., TN. Buried
Simpson Family Cem., Sumner Co., TN. Married 28 Nov. 1866 Sumner Co., TN to
Robert Barr Wright, son of Robert Anderson and Susan P. (Barr) Wright, b. 14
Dec. 1841 Sumner Co., TN. D. 16 Dec. 1917 Sumner Co., TN. No children.
9.
Magdalena Frances Simpson, daughter of Enoch and Martha Jane (Johnson)
Simpson, b. 15 Jan. 1849 Sumner Co., TN. D. 6 Mar. 1929 Sumner Co., TN. Buried
Simpson Family Cem., Sumner Co., TN. Never married.
10. Joseph
Roger Simpson, son of Enoch and Martha Jane (Johnson) Simpson, b. 23 Apr.
1854 Sumner Co., TN. D. 20 Oct. 1920 Sumner Co., TN. Married 22 Jan. 1877
Sumner Co., TN to Cintha Ann Wright, daughter of Robert Anderson and Susan P.
(Barr) Wright, b. 14 June 1852 Sumner Co., TN. D. 31 Mar. 1911 Sumner Co., TN.
Both buried Simpson Family Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
Children:
10.1. Julius Trousdale Simpson, b.
19 Dec. 1877 Sumner Co., TN. D. 29 Mar. 1909 Sumner Co., TN. Buried in Simpson
Family Cem., Sumner Co., TN. Married 1 Jan. 1905 Sumner Co., TN to Bessie Ann
Neel, b. 26 Aug. 1889 Sumner Co., TN. D. 8 Jan. 1917 Sumner Co., TN.
10.2. Martha Belle Simpson,
b. 16 Dec. 1880 Sumner Co., TN. D. 2 June 1925 Union Parish, LA. Married Noel
Kilpatrick.
10.3. Susie Ann Simpson, b. 23 Dec. 1883 Sumner
Co., TN. D. 23 July 1939 Sumner Co., TN. Married 3 Aug. 1911 Sumner Co., TN to
William Howard Elliott. Both buried Simpson Family Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
10.4. Nellie Barr Simpson, b. 9 Mar. 1886 Sumner
Co., TN. D. 13 Apr. 1943 Sumner Co., TN. Buried Rock Bridge Cem., Sumner Co.,
TN. Married 19 Dec. 1926 Sumner Co., TN to John Thomas Hawkins, widower of her
first cousin, Martha Frances Simpson, daughter of Thomas Benton and Frances
Logan (Graves) Simpson.
10.5. Infant daughter, b. 14 Sept. 1889 Sumner Co., TN. D. 16 Nov. 1889.
Buried Simpson Family Cem., Sumner Co., TN.
