Biography of John M. Simpson, Franklin Co, AR *********************************************************** Submitted by: Date: 16 Aug 1998 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************** SOURCE: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford, Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889. John M. Simpson, a native of Rutherford County, Tenn., was born June 26, 1828, and is a son of John and Sarah (Bickle) Simpson, the former of whom was born in North Carolina in 1800, and when six years of age removed with his parents to Tennessee, locating in Rutherford County. They afterward went to Cannon County, of the same State. The father of our subject was a farmer and blacksmith, and died in Tennessee in 1869, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The mother was born in Virginia in 1802, and of her eight children, six are still living. John M. Simpson was reared in Coffee County, Tenn., and received a common-school education. In 1846 he went to Izard County, Ark., returning to Tennessee two years later, where he remained until 1869, and the following year located on his present farm in Franklin County, Ark., which he has well stocked. He is a blacksmith by trade, to which he devotes considerable attention. In 1849 he married Eliza E. Messick, and their children are: John A., Eliza E., Elizabeth C., Cordelia L., George F. and Sarah L. Mrs. Simpson died December 2, 1885, a member of the Baptist Church.