Who was John Simpson Jr.'s First Wife?
This page was written and Contributed by Rhoda Taylor Fone
This is all very complicated and I really don't know the answer. As for John Simpson and Elizabeth Naylor,
yes, there is a marriage record in St. Paul's Parish:
"John Simpson of Overwharton Parish and Elizabeth Naylor of Brunswick Parish, August 6, 1735."
John, Jr. married Silent in 1740 so if
he was the one who m. Elizbeth Naylor, she died after only 5 years of
marriage. Our John, Jr. was born about 1680 and would have been about 55
years old in 1735, a bit advanced in age for a first marriage but not
impossible, of course. Well, to get really confusing, I suppose he
could have married three times but I rather doubt it.
Some researchers believe that John Simpson who married Elizabeth Naylor is the
one who died in Culpeper Co., VA in 1776 leaving a will that named his wife
Elizabeth and several children. Scott Simpson is from this Culpeper line
and has done extensive research to try and prove his theory. He notes
that: "The will of my John Simpson left slaves named Charles and
Jo to his wife Elisabeth (Culpeper County Will Book B, page 189). . ."
and "In the division of the estate of John Naylor (recorded Feb. 6,
1735/36), his daughter Elizabeth received slaves named "Man Joe," "Woman
Sary," and "Boy Charles" (King George Deed Book 2, page 7)."
This, of course, doesn't prove that the John Simpson who d. 1776 in Culpeper
was the same one who m. Elizabeth Naylor in 1735, but it can be seen as a possible
clue.
As for our John, Jr. having a wife Mary, I have tried to make it clear that
some claim this but that I am uncertain about it.
There was also a John Simpson who died in King George Co. about 1744/5 leaving
a will naming wife Mary, several children and his brother William. I
don't have her maiden name but after he died she remarried to William
Lampton. There are indications that this John Simpson was son of Samuel
Simpson who d. in King George Co. in 1731/2. In Samuel Simpson's
will he named sons John, William and George.
It would seem likely that John, Jr. did have a wife before Silent. He
would be about 60 years old when he married Silent and again, pretty darn old
for a first marriage. Wish I had it all figured out but unfortunately,
any first marriage for our John, Jr. is still a confusing subject.
Deposition of John Simpson Jr.
From a deposition that his son John Simpson,
Jr. gave in 1748, it appears pretty certain that John Simpson, Sr. was at one
time a servant to George Brent. The deposition of John Simpson, Jr. states as
follows:
FROM: SIMPSON CONNECTIONS by Robt. H. &
Twilah M. (Seefeld) McFarland: From a deposition given by John Simpson, Jr. in
1748: "John Simpson of Stafford Co., Planter, aged about 69
years...deposeth & saith that he hath been informed...that he was born
within 10 miles of Woodstock in the County aforsd & while he was a child
this Depont's father & mother removed to live on the sd plantation of
Woodstock & continued there until he was about 15 or 16 years of age when
he removed about a mile from thence & continued there till he came of full
age & married & hath lived ever since until this time within 20 miles
of the said plantation. That this depont perfectly well remembers Geo. Brent,
Gent., dec'd, who lived at Woodstock when this deponents father & mother
removed there...That this depont always understood & was informed by his
father, in Particular WHO SERVED HIS TIME WITH THE FIRST NAMED GEO. BRENT that
the sd. Geo. was born in England & came from thence to Va."
Deposition of Ann Gist
Ann Gist's depositon was taken at the
home of her SON, John Gist. The information in Tyler's Quarterly, Vol. 21, No.
1, pp. 60-61 mistakenly stated that John Gist was her husband.
Deposition of Ann Gist, age about 80 years or thereabouts, taken 23 May 1769,
Loudoun Co., VA:
"She sayeth that John Simpson of Stafford County who died about twelve
years ago was eldest son of John Simpson who was a Scotsman and Father to this
deponent. That the next two eldest Brothers of John Simpson and Sons of John Simpson
Scotsman died about 50 years ago (as well as she remembers) and that she
understood that Henry Thompson by his last will and Testament bequeathed 300
acres of land on Powells Creek then in Stafford County to the three eldest sons
of the said John Simpson Scotsman. That the Brothers and Joint Legatees with
the first mentioned John Simpson died without claiming any part of the Bequest
and that the surviving Brother John Simpson by Deed gave the said 300 acres to
James Halley, the present Defendant."
The other important deposition is that of Catherine (Jeffries) Halley. This
deposition is important as it proves that Richard Simpson was a younger son of
John Simpson (Scotsman), and that John Simpson, Jr. was married to Catherine
(Jeffries) Halley's mother--Silent (Bryant), the widow Jeffries. (Note: the
information in Overwharton Parish Register that John, Jr. m. Silent Johnson is
wrong. There are records to prove that her maiden name was Bryant and that she
was widow of Thomas Jeffries when she married John Simpson, Jr.)
From: Prince William County, Virginia Land Causes, 1789-1793, by Ruth & Sam
Sparacio:
Deposition of Catherine Halley "of lawful age" taken in Fairfax
County, Virginia 7 August 1790:
She says that she well remembers that John Simpson did intermarry with this
Deponent's Mother and that she lived with him for many years, during which time
she frequently heard the said John Simpson say that he had two brothers, one by
the name of Thomas, the other George, and that they were both dead and Richard
Simpson was the youngest brother and the only one then living.
John Simpson Jr.
Known Children of John Simpson, Scotsman:
1. John Simpson, Jr., b. Ca. 1680, Stafford Co., VA; d. Ca. 1756, Stafford Co.
Married (1) Mary [unknown]???. [Note: it is generally believed John, Jr. had a
first wife named Mary but we are still uncertain about this.] Married (2)
Silent (Bryant) Jeffries, widow of Thomas Jeffries. It appears John Simpson,
Jr. had no children but in his very short will he does name Alexander Simpson
and it is possible he could have been his son.
