BIO: Norman L. SIMPSON, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Dave Wilson Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************************** __________________________________________________________ McElroy, James Thomas Jr., McElroy's Family Memories, Huntingdon, PA: (Author), 1930, page 197. __________________________________________________________ NORMAN L. SIMPSON Mount Union, Pa. Lineman and Electrician: He was born at Everett, Bedford County, Pa., April 19, 1894. A son of Asa McClellan Simpson, who died in 1926, at the age of sixty-three years. He married Marie Mellott, who died in 1913. Norman L. Simpson began his early schooling at the Riverside School in Bedford County, Pa.; also attended the grade schools of Mount Union, Pa. He has traveled extensively in every state of the Union, Canada, England and France; followed his trade in Florida; was a lineman throughout the West. He is a World War veteran. He volunteered his services May 11, 1917, at Altoona, Pa. in the U.S. Signal Corps; went to Columbus Barracks; placed in 10th Recruit Company; drilled for three months; thence to Signal Corps training school at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; was placed in Depot Company 1; was made Corporal at Fort Leavenworth; was placed in B detachment; from there went to War College to instruct switchboard and semaphore for two months; was placed in Company C, Fifth Field Battalion, Signal Corps, at Leavenworth, Kansas; was then given intensive trench, flash and sound drilling, for a period of three months; thence to Camp Merritt, N.J.; boarded transport (Agamena), an interned German ship; sailed for France; landed at Brest, France, twelve days later; spent three days at Napoleon Barracks at Brest; boarded train and went to Chateau Villain; erected an emergency hospital; was then assigned to Third Division of Regular Army; placed in headquarters Co., 4th U.S. Inf., where signal instructions were given to infantrymen in signal work; after a period of two months, division was mobilized and sent to front at Chateau Thierry; in action on July 3rd, 1918; he received two gun shot wounds; was sent to evacuation hospital; received treatment; returned in two days to company, and was with company during the battles of the Marne, Champagne-Marne, St. Mehiel, Meuse-Argonne, where he was gassed on the fifth day of October and was sent back to base hospital No. 66, at Neuf Chateau, where he remained during the rest of the war. He then was placed in Casualty Company No. 479, and was sent to St. Anyanon, to wait for shipping facilities, to be sent back to the U.S.A. He sailed from St. Naisaire, France, on German interned boat (Princess Matoka), and landed at Newport News, where he was discharged, with a permanent disability form gunshot wound and being gassed. Discharged March 29, 1919, with a service of fourteen months in France. He had four brothers, who did their bit; all volunteers; Roy, sacrificed his life and is buried in Arlington Cemetery; the Simpson-Hunt American Legion Post bears his name. Other brothers are: Marshall, who is a lineman at Lewistown, Pa. He served in the 17th Field Artillery, Second Division; C.V. is an electrician at Fort Worth, Fla.; he served in the U.S. Marine Corps; was in war zone; Frank, also a lineman served in the World War; saw active service. Three brothers died in infancy. Mr. Simpson and his wife are Lutherans. He has been clerk on the election board, Second Ward, Mount Union, Pa. He is a member of the I.O.O.F., No. 677, Mount Union, Pa., and the Simpson-Hunt American Legion Post, Mount Union, Pa. He was married to Brace Burmaster, a daughter of Bernard and Emily Burmaster. Her father was a musician, and was chief musician on Dewey's flagship at Manila Bay. he was also in the Chinese Boxer uprising. He is deceased, but the mother is living. Mr. and Mrs. Simpson have one son, Norman McClellan, nine years, at school, and one daughter, Alice Mae, seven years, also at school.