BIO: Samuel C. Simpkins, Wyoming Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, PA & NY

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Chaffee, Amasa Franklin. History of the Wyoming 
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
New York: Eaton & Mains, 1904, pages 397-399.
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  Simpkins, Samuel C., was born at Atlantic City, N.J., on September 
18, 1854, and was the son of Rev. Isaac Simpkins, pastor of the First 
Methodist Episcopal Church of that city for some years. He moved from 
Atlantic City with his parents to Waterford, N.J., in the year 1861. On 
September 3, 1863, his father died, leaving five children, of whom 
Samuel was the oldest. Samuel and his younger brother, David, began 
work at once in a planing mill and a glass factory, and their combined 
earnings amounted to only sixteen dollars a month. With this their 
mother kept the family together. In the year 1864 they moved to a small 
place near Philadelphia, known then as Tansboro, but which has since 
been changed to Wilson. Here with two brothers, David and John, the 
subject of this sketch secured work in a glass factory, and in addition 
to his work in the glass factory Samuel sold papers morning and 
evening. This gave them an income of forty dollars a month. In the 
spring of 1865 the family moved to Fislenville, N.J., a little town of 
about six hundred inhabitants, but now a beautiful borough of four 
hundred inhabitants, named Clayton.
  In 1867 Mrs. Simpkins married a Mr. Aaron Daniels, but in three 
months after she was again left a widow. Mr. Daniels died of Apoplexy 
of the heart and was buried April 10, 1867. From that time the 
children, five in number, have been scattered in different parts of the 
country and have seen but very little of each other. David went to 
Brighton, N.J.; Morris to English Creek, near Atlantic City; and Anna, 
the only sister, to Port Morris, N.J. John and Samuel remained at 
Clayton.
  On September 13, 1871, Samuel was apprenticed to the firm of Moore 
Brothers, to learn the glass-blower's trade. On December 18, he was 
converted and joined the Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church in Clayton, 
during the pastorate of the Rev. George H. Hitchens. In the following 
spring he was elected superintendent of the Sunday school, which 
position he held for eight consecutive years. On November 12, 1872, he 
was appointed as class leader for the young people's class, and held 
the position while he remained there.
  On January 22, 1873, he was married to Mary E. Jackson, of Clayton, 
N.J. 
  In the year 1880 he moved to Salem, N.J., and became a member of the 
old historic Walnut Street Church. In 1882 was licensed to preach the 
Gospel by the Rev. C. E. Hill, presiding elder of the Bridgeton 
District of the New Jersey Conference. He at once began to prepare 
himself for this work, and after five years of preparation was about to 
become a member of the New Jersey Conference when he decided that he 
would be unequal to the requirements of a charge. He therefore secured 
a position in the glass factory at Hawley, this State, and began work 
at his trade. In February, 1888, Rev. J. V. Newell, pastor of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church at Hawley, and a member of the Wyoming 
Conference, without consulting Rev. Mr. Simpkins, recommended him, with 
the concurrence of the Quarterly Conference, to be admitted to the 
traveling connection as a member of the Wyoming Conference, and on 
April 18, 1888, he was admitted to the Conference.
  His pastorates have been as follows: 1888-89, Canaan; 1890-94, 
Moscow; 1895-99, Peckville; 1900-03, Hawley.