James F. Simpson family papers
Collection
Identifier: L355
Scope and Contents
This collection includes correspondence, newspaper clippings, real estate and insurance papers, photographs, family history, and account books from James F. and Josephine Simpson and their children, including Inez L. Terradell, in Switzerland County, Indiana, California, the United States, and France, ranging from 1810 to 1942, regarding life, business, Switzerland County, and Civil War veterans, pensions, battles, and reunions. Notable items include barbed wire from Fort Pompelle in France (circa 1932-1933) and 6th Indiana Regiment flag fragments (circa 1861-1864).
There are also oversize James F. Simpson's military and sheriff appointment documents, a June 26, 1889 issue of the Vevay Times, several newspaper clippings, a broadside for an "old citizens meeting" near Lamb, Indiana on September 19, 1908, and an undated page of sheet music, ranging from 1862 to 1908 (OBC053).
There are also oversize James F. Simpson's military and sheriff appointment documents, a June 26, 1889 issue of the Vevay Times, several newspaper clippings, a broadside for an "old citizens meeting" near Lamb, Indiana on September 19, 1908, and an undated page of sheet music, ranging from 1862 to 1908 (OBC053).
Dates
- 1810-1942
Creator
- Simpson, James Franklin, 1833-1909 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
James Franklin Simpson was born on August 13, 1833 to George (1780-1860) and Lorania B. (Stiles) Simpson (1811-1856) in Connecticut. His family moved to Switzerland County, Indiana by the time he was 16 years old. Simpson married Josephine O. Fish (1835-1913) on October 5, 1856 in Switzerland County and they had eleven children, including: George F. (1858-1922), James R. (1859-1922), Charles, Eugene W. (1861-1923), Alice Amanda (1866-1892), Laura Amelia (1869-1955), Sarah, Harry A. (1871-1911), Sada (also Sade and Sadie) (-1929), Robert C. (1877-1935), and Inez Lynn (1880-1952). He worked as a master blacksmith before enlisting in the Union Army on September 20, 1861 as a sergeant. During the U.S. Civil War, Simpson swiftly rose in rank, finally becoming the captain of Company H, 6th Indiana Regiment in December of 1863. He mustered out at Chattanooga, Tennessee on September 22, 1864. After the war, he continued to work as a blacksmith for many years annd became proprietor of a general store in Lamb, Indiana until he retired. Simpson was appointed as sheriff of Switzerland County in 1884 and 1886. Simpson was a Mason and member of the Grand Army of the Republic, holding the position of commander for many years. Simpson died on May 4, 1909 and was buried in Slawson Cemetery in Bennington, Indiana.
Inez Lynn Simpson was born on August 8, 1880 to James F. and Josephine (Fish) Simpson in Enterprise, Spencer County, Indiana. She was a writer and several of her songs, poems, and plays were published. Simpson married Damon Amigo Terradell on May 16, 1904 in Howard County, Indiana. They lived in Columbus, Ohio and moved to Pismo Beach, California in 1924. Her husband Amigo owned a garage and service station there. After his retirement about 1937, the couple moved to Rivera, a suburb of Los Angeles. Inez Terraell was a member of the International Pen Women and the First Baptist Church of Rivera. Amigo Terradell died after a stroke on June 1, 1949 and was buried in Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, California. Inez Terradell died on April 11, 1957 in Los Angeles, California and was buried in Rose Hills Memorial Park.
Sada (also Sadie or Sade) Simpson was born about 1874 to James F. and Josephine O. (Fish) Simpson in Indiana. She married Lewis A. McKay on _ and they had two daughters: Marjorie Maxine (1902-1990) and Zella Josephine "Dixie" (1906-1990). Sada McKay died on February 16, 1929 at St. Vincent Hospital in Los Angeles, California while visiting her sister, Laura Baxter. Dixie McKay married Fred Keithley in 1929.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." 1850 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." 1860 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." 1870 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." 1880 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." 1900 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." Indiana, U.S., Death Certificates, 1899-2017. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." Indiana, U.S., Marriage Certificates, 1960-2012. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." U.S., Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." Web: Indiana, U.S., Civil War Soldier Database Index, 1861-1865. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Inez L. Simpson." 1900 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Inez L. Terradell." 1910 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Inez L. Terradell." 1920 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Inez L. Terradell." 1930 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Inez L. Terradell." 1940 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Inez L. Terradell." 1950 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Inez L. Terradell." Indiana, U.S., Marriages, 1810-2001. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
"D. A. Terradell, Formerly of Pismo, Dies in South." Arroyo Grande Valley Herald Recorder (CA), June 3, 1949. Accessed March 3, 2025. Newspapers.com.
Findagrave.com. "Eugene W. Simpson." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63010895/e-w-simpson.
Findagrave.com. "George F. Simpson." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/57579235/george-f-simpson.
Findagrave.com. "Inez Lynn Simpson Terradell." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/166177450/inez-lynn-terradell.
Findagrave.com. "James F. Simpson." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/76039788/james-f-simpson.
Findagrave.com. "James R. Simpson." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/149493061/james-r-simpson.
Findagrave.com. "Laura A. Baxter." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/73433025/laura-a-baxter.
Findagrave.com. "Marjorie Maxine McKay Humphrey." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129266458/marjorie-maxine-humphrey.
Findagrave.com. "Robert C. Simpson." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74367693/robert-c-simpson.
Findagrave.com. "Sada McKay." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129125318/sada-mckay.
Findagrave.com. "Zella Josephine "Dixie" McKay Keithley." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 4, 2025.https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129181551/zella_josephine-keithley.
"Rivera Resident Dies in Home." Whittier News (CA), April 13, 1957. Accessed March 3, 2025. Newspapers.com.
Inez Lynn Simpson was born on August 8, 1880 to James F. and Josephine (Fish) Simpson in Enterprise, Spencer County, Indiana. She was a writer and several of her songs, poems, and plays were published. Simpson married Damon Amigo Terradell on May 16, 1904 in Howard County, Indiana. They lived in Columbus, Ohio and moved to Pismo Beach, California in 1924. Her husband Amigo owned a garage and service station there. After his retirement about 1937, the couple moved to Rivera, a suburb of Los Angeles. Inez Terraell was a member of the International Pen Women and the First Baptist Church of Rivera. Amigo Terradell died after a stroke on June 1, 1949 and was buried in Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, California. Inez Terradell died on April 11, 1957 in Los Angeles, California and was buried in Rose Hills Memorial Park.
Sada (also Sadie or Sade) Simpson was born about 1874 to James F. and Josephine O. (Fish) Simpson in Indiana. She married Lewis A. McKay on _ and they had two daughters: Marjorie Maxine (1902-1990) and Zella Josephine "Dixie" (1906-1990). Sada McKay died on February 16, 1929 at St. Vincent Hospital in Los Angeles, California while visiting her sister, Laura Baxter. Dixie McKay married Fred Keithley in 1929.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." 1850 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." 1860 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." 1870 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." 1880 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." 1900 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." Indiana, U.S., Death Certificates, 1899-2017. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." Indiana, U.S., Marriage Certificates, 1960-2012. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." U.S., Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James F. Simpson." Web: Indiana, U.S., Civil War Soldier Database Index, 1861-1865. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Inez L. Simpson." 1900 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Inez L. Terradell." 1910 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Inez L. Terradell." 1920 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Inez L. Terradell." 1930 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Inez L. Terradell." 1940 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Inez L. Terradell." 1950 United States Federal Census. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Inez L. Terradell." Indiana, U.S., Marriages, 1810-2001. Accessed March 3, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
"D. A. Terradell, Formerly of Pismo, Dies in South." Arroyo Grande Valley Herald Recorder (CA), June 3, 1949. Accessed March 3, 2025. Newspapers.com.
Findagrave.com. "Eugene W. Simpson." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63010895/e-w-simpson.
Findagrave.com. "George F. Simpson." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/57579235/george-f-simpson.
Findagrave.com. "Inez Lynn Simpson Terradell." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/166177450/inez-lynn-terradell.
Findagrave.com. "James F. Simpson." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/76039788/james-f-simpson.
Findagrave.com. "James R. Simpson." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/149493061/james-r-simpson.
Findagrave.com. "Laura A. Baxter." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/73433025/laura-a-baxter.
Findagrave.com. "Marjorie Maxine McKay Humphrey." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129266458/marjorie-maxine-humphrey.
Findagrave.com. "Robert C. Simpson." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74367693/robert-c-simpson.
Findagrave.com. "Sada McKay." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129125318/sada-mckay.
Findagrave.com. "Zella Josephine "Dixie" McKay Keithley." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 4, 2025.https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129181551/zella_josephine-keithley.
"Rivera Resident Dies in Home." Whittier News (CA), April 13, 1957. Accessed March 3, 2025. Newspapers.com.
Extent
1.66 Cubic Feet (5 manuscript boxes, 1 large oversize folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by subject.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Zella Josephine (McKay) Keithley on 1976/06/10.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2016/09/28 by Kori Nell. EAD finding aid created 2016/09/28 by Kori Nell. EAD finding aid revised 2025/03/04 by Brittany Kropf.
- Account books
- Clippings
- Correspondence
- Family history
- General stores
- Insurance
- Military veterans
- Photographs
- Programs
- Real estate management -- Indiana
- Real property
- Shiloh, Battle of, Tenn., 1862
- Soldiers
- Switzerland County (Ind.)
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Veterans -- Pensions
- United States. Army. Indiana Infantry Regiment, 6th (1861-1864)
- Veterans -- Indiana
- Wars
- Wire fencing
- World War, 1914-1918
- World War, 1939-1945
Creator
- Simpson, James Franklin, 1833-1909 (Person)
- Title
- James F. Simpson family papers
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
