An American Family History

In March, 1838 in Montgomery County, Indiana, Catherine Simpson divorced a John Simpson. She married Isaac Ricketts before 1840 when they appeared together in census in Coal Creek Township.

There were two John Simpson households in Montgomery County, Indiana in 1840. One in Union Township and the other in Crawfordsville.

They were both married to Marias in 1850 and both in Union Township. One John was born in Pennsylvania in 1802 and the other in Ohio in 1804.

John Simpson (1804) married Maria Bastion on August 16 1828 in Franklin County, Indiana. Maria was born in 1809 in New York. Her parents were Hendrik (Henry) Bastiaanse (Bastion) and Neeltje (Eleanor) Schermerhorn. They moved from Schenectady, New York to Floyd County, Indiana.

In 1845, John Simpson (1804) became the guardian of his sister, Sarah Lofland's, children.

In 1850 the John Simpson (1804) household consisted of:
John Simpson 46,
Maria Simpson 41,
David Laughlin (Loftland) 10,
Josiah Sampson 10, and
Susan Sampson 8.

Josiah and Susan were children of Joseph Sampson and Mary Crouch who were married October 8 1832 in Montgomery County, Indiana and divorced in October, 1842. David was Heavelo Lofland son of Sarah Simpson and William Lofland.

At the time of the 1860 census, they were still in Union Township. The household included John age 55, Maria C. age 51, Susan Sampson, age 18 and John H. Sampson, age 1 year.

John died in 1866. His will named his wife “Christie Ann Maria Simpson,” and adopted son, John Henry Sampson. March 11, 1871, Christine was named as his guardian. W. K. Wallace was the suretor.

In 1870 the household was still in Union Township. It included Christian, age 61, John Simpson, age 11, Anthony Bastion, age 57, and Henry Bastion, age 14.