BIO: John Murray SIMPSON, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JO Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************** __________________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, page 303. __________________________________________________________________ JOHN MURRAY SIMPSON, farmer, Oneida township, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born in Huntingdon, Pa., June 5, 1828, son of John and Elizabeth (Ridenhour) Simpson. John Simpson was born in 1798, in Harrisburg, Pa., he was of Scotch-Irish descent, and was a farmer. His wife was of German extraction, and was a native of Hagerstown, Md. Their children were: John Murray; Elizabeth and Mathias, who both died in infancy; Anna and Lydia, both residing in Huntingdon; George, a printer, was killed in the battle of Antietam, at the age of twenty-two; J. Randolph, married to Jennie Brown, resides in Huntingdon. The mother, Mrs. John Simpson, died in 1854; her husband in 1872. John Murray Simpson received a common school education in the town of Huntingdon. He began his business activities as a storekeeper; was then for some time a boatman, and afterwards turned to farming, in which he is still engaged. For one day and one night, before the battle of Gettysburg, he was out with the militia; but returned in a few days to Huntingdon. Mr. Simpson is a staunch Democrat. He was for one term burgess of the borough of Huntingdon, and was also elected to the offices of tax collector and supervisor. He formerly belonged to the I.O.O.F., and also of the Brotherhood of the Union, of Huntingdon, Pa. John M. Simpson was married in Huntingdon, December 15, 1853, to Sarah M. Glasgow, of Mifflin county, Pa. Mrs. Simpson's father, Major James Glasgow, was a soldier in the war of the Revolution; her sister is Mrs. Jane Heddings, of Mifflin county, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Simpson's children are: Elizabeth, died in infancy; John, married to Annie Logan, resides in Huntingdon; James, single, at home; Ermina (Mrs. David Smith), of Carlisle, Pa.; Ella (Mrs. Charles Frey), of Huntingdon; William M., married to Dolly Shoff, of Oneida township, resides in Huntingdon; Frank, married to Minnie Warple, resides in Huntingdon; and Joseph, at home, unmarried. Mr. and Mrs. Simpson are members of the Presbyterian church.