Ansel P. Simpson (1841-1907)

SIMPSON, GREGORY, SHIELDS, BROWN, GIBSON, COLLIN

Posted By: Anne Hermann (email)
Date: 11/17/2009 at 15:44:10

Jackson Sentinel
December 12, 1907

Died.

SIMPSON. – Ansel P. Simpson was born at Schroon, Essex county, in the state of New York on the 7th day of August, A. D. 1841, and died at his home in Maquoketa, Iowa, on the 5th day of December, 1907. He is survived by his wife, one daughter, Carrie E., wife of F. C. Gregory, two granddaughters, one brother, Henry Simpson of Spencer, Iowa, and three sisters, Mrs. Amy Shields of Glens Falls, N. Y., Mrs. Marian Brown of Burlington, Iowa, and Mrs. Wm. M. Gibson of Maquoketa, Iowa. He was one of a family of eight children and grew to manhood in his native town. He was among the first to respond to his country’s call and on July 24th, 1861, enlisted in Company E, 22nd Regiment New York Infantry Volunteers for a term of two years. He served his full term and received an honorable discharge.

On the 1st day of January, 1864, he was married to Leila J. Collin at Sandy Hill, N.Y. He moved to Iowa in the month of December, 1867, and settled on a farm south of Maquoketa where he engaged in farming for about eighteen years, then purchased a home in the city of Maquoketa where he moved and where he continued to reside up to the date of his death. He was an honest, upright, honorable citizen and was several times selected by the citizens of his ward to represent them in the City Council and discharged his duties faithfully and honorably. He had never visited his old home and as the time for the holding of the national reunion of the survivors of the war of the Rebellion at Saratoga, September, 9th, 1907 drew near, he became anxious to not only attend the reunion but to visit the home of his childhood. Accordingly in company with his wife and granddaughter, Leila Van Ostrand, his sister, Mrs. Gibson and husband, he made the trip. It was a trip made up of the most touching, tender heart to heart reunions of human experience, the reunion of friends of childhood and early manhood; the reunion of his military company, his old comrades in arms, and the reunion with his sister and family and other kindred and friends, all of which he seemed to heartily enjoy and which greatly impressed and moved him.

Symptoms of a decline in his health developed soon after his return and on the morning of November 23rd, 1907, he was stricken with paralysis of the brain from which he never was able to rally, but lingered in the hands of skilled physicians and nurses until the morning of December 5th, when he passed into the great beyond to await the last reunion of loved ones.

Funeral services were held at the M. E. church conducted by the G. A. R. and Woman’s Relief Corps. Rev. A. T. Foster of that church delivered the sermon and the remains were laid to rest in Mt. Hope cemetery.