Early Settlements, Simpson Township, Johnson County, Missouri >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** Stephen Bleirus is said to have been the first settler. He settled about 1830 on Haw branch in the eastern part of section 29. He was described as an "unpolished pioneer, full of vivacity, who cared little for how the world moved, and was generous and kind." One of the first settlers of Simpson township was James Simpson, from whom it derives its name. He was a native of Virginia and settled in what is now Simp- son township with his mother, Mrs. Sarah Simpson, a widow, in 1832. Simpson was a wealthy man for those times and when he and his mother came here they brought with them a number of negro slaves. Mr. Simpson entered something over a section of government land where he followed farming and stock raising on an extensive scale. He was one of the first to introduce fine stock in his neighborhood, which he brought from Kentucky. Simpson was a bachelor. He was a great reader and his library and hunting dogs were his principal sources of amusement. He was not the type of pioneer hunter who pursued the chase in the prosaic way but he always kept a pack of greyhounds and hunted the deer and other wild animals in his own original and exciting way. He died in 1861 and his mother departed this life the same year. Most of the families in this neighborhood were said to be related to the Simpsons in various degrees of kinship. Among them were the Browns, Ramseys, Youngs, Shepherds, Collins, Fosters, Herndons, Roberts, Roaches, Han- leys, Cheathams, Offetts, Profitts, Mulkeys and Colberns. William Simpson, a brother of James, was a negro slave dealer in Kentucky and was murdered by robbers prior to the Civil War. James B. Simpson, a nephew of James Simpson, was a captain in the Confederate army during the Civil War. At the close of the war he returned to Johnson county and kept a hotel in Warrensburg for a time. He died in Columbus town- ship. Judge John Thornton settled here in 1834. He entered government land and built a log house, spending the remainder of his life here. He died in 1845. He was a substantial citizen and served as one of the county judges. J. M. Wood came here in 1834. He died in 1851 and was buried in the Thornton cemetery. He married a daughter of Judge Thorn- ton. His two living sons are R. H. Wood, former county judge, now living in Warrensburg, and W. W. Wood, former circuit judge, now living in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. Charles Proctor Collins came here from Kentucky in 1835. He was born in Logan county, that State, in 1809. Shortly after coming here he entered a thousand acres of land upon which he built a log cabin, which remained as a relic of pioneer days for a num- ber of years. He was a strong character and a typical frontiersman. Alexander Greer settled here in 1838 and he and his brother, Jerome, started a store on the Blackwater near what was then Davis' mill. How- ever, they soon disposed of this business and engaged extensively in the stock business and at the time of his death, April 10, 1881, Alex- ander Greer was one of the well-to-do men of the county. He was a native of Berkeley county, Virginia, born August 25, 1810. His wife was a Miss Clay, of Allegheny county, Maryland, to whom he was married in 1837. They were the parents of fifteen children, ten daughters and five sons. At the time of his death he owned three thousand acres of land. Other early settlers were George P. Angel, who came in 1836, from Logan county, Kentucky, and entered considerable land; James S. Brown, who built in 1842; Rev. Amos Horn, Baptist minister and first county judge; James M. Foster, Sr.; John Anderson, half brother of W. H. Anderson, who was the father of Dr. James I. Anderson; James H. Narron and W. H. Narron. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: <> Penny Harrell ====================================================================