A year before he retired from the Chair of Mathematics, Simson had proposed that his colleague James Buchanan, the Professor of Oriental Languages, should relieve him of his teaching duties on condition of succeeding to the Chair when he retired, but Buchanan died before any action was taken.
Isang taon bago siya nagretiro mula sa Chair ng Matematika, Simson had iminungkahi na ang kanyang mga kasamahan James Buchanan, ang mga Professor ng Oriental Languages, dapat saklolohan sa kanya ng kanyang pagtuturo tungkulin sa kalagayan ng succeeding sa Chair kapag siya ay nagretiro, ngunit Buchanan namatay bago ng anumang aksyon ay kinuha.