The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-10
WILLIAM SIMPSONS DEATH.
ruF ELDEST or TWO PiWNBRO KERS
FIMOUS ~ NEW YORk.


The Affection Bctwccn the two Brothcrs.
william Simpson. who for over thirty-nvc |
Voors stood at tho head OF tho pawnbrokng |
tusncss in this city died Mt his ,sdcncc near |
Wet Farms. Wcstchcstcr County. at i0ii o'clock |
on Tdnsday evening in the sNty-siNth year of |
his al,c For a week he had lain unconscious |
md almost mouonlcss. His disease WIS soften |
ing II the brain. He leaves n widow whom he |
married before he acquired his largo fortune. |
and five children. two sons and three married |
daughters william Simpson. Jr.. is of tho |
nrm oi Simpson. Somers & Co.. 81 Chatham
street aud John b. Simpson. who is always
called John b. Simpson, Jr.. to distinguish him
from his uncle Of the same name. is Secretary
Of the Arion pianofor,c Company. 8 East Four
tccnth street. An intimate friend Of William
Simpson yesterday estimated that his annual
income ut one time had not been less than
100000. and that although lattcry II had not
been much. his estate would be found to be
very large.
Although his name and his occupation be-
came almost synonymous words 1t 10 n mistake
TO credit either him or his brother John b.
Simpson. with tho origin of tho enterprise in
this city. As matter " fact. thew are the second
generation. having succeeded Walter Stevenson.
who was their uncle. about MY wars ago.
There are several pawn shops in New York
beneath whose sign of the three balls appears
the traditional name Of Simpson. but the shops
Of he simpsons. William and John b.. are to-
day whore they have always been.
The brothers werenever partners 10 loaning
money as pawnbrokera although in other mat
tcrs OF business and ~ domestic affairs they
were as one. In 1920 Walter Stevenson came to
New York with some money and opened n
pawn shor ON North William street. running
through to Chatham street where the shop OF
81 4 o., fc to 10
aprudent thrifty man and added to his stores
very rapidly In 1926 John b. Simpson who
with his brother had left their fathers lnrm in
Bouowdalc Cumberland, England. 10 seek for
tune Ia the United States. entered his uncc's
shop as an apprentice. nnd William his brother
went into N" clothing business. not far from
the pawn shop. Both lads were under their un-
.,es care and protection; He furnished william
the capital FOR his clothing store, and guided
him by ADVICE and counsel precisely ms he did
the brother who WAS engaged with him. After
several prosperous years William contrived to
the property at the corner Of the Bow
own name. he opened a pawn shop. He was tall.
vigorous. aud full Of life, and 30 attentive to lis
business as y be marked by his friends and
often in the habit 81 saving that the
trGiRfuy say tGat William Simpson S ad TAKEN TAKEN
advantage Of hcr poverty or her distress.
After 2 lew years his brother. John h.. sue
eeeded Walter Stevenson in the Old stand on
Hlnthnm street lie was totally different irom
MllilhNi. lie was SNORT. stout. ana easy going
Tho two points they had ia common were
affection Tor each other and industry IN bust
ness.
As their properties Increased the hrothers
looked at outside ventures. Together they mudr
large loans, purchased land, put ~ buildings.
ngan the differing character Of the brothers
disclosed themselves. william. being full of
real estate; but John b.. being cautious and
tmid. placed his money where he could Mt all
times command either i: or his securities.
After while William wearied OF the connnn-
nent and minor details of the pawn shop.
He had meanwhile moved from the corner
Of Broome 10 the corner 81 Delaney street aud
took as partner his cousin. named Wilson.
~ the nrin name IL having been successfully
william Simpson. Smp,on Wilson. wilson.
Greene a e.. nud finally. what Il is to-day.
decided upon the style Of simpson 4 Shilton
for business really conducted by Mr.. Shilton.
sdered partner in the business himself
hut in order TO establish a name which
s oG the be beS SSai"@ Of 5 F.o" san
VINO was then and is now In charge 81 the bust
ness at n Chatham street His idea WAS that AZ
some time the building Of the Brooklyn Bridge
would compel the tearing down Of the Chatham
street building, and when It did his son would
lshed. The firm which started at q Chatham
sr"'t on the contrary, had but lew changes.
When John =. succeeded stevenson, the iirm
WIS J. b. q J. SlmUson. The junior partner,
john Simpson. MAS "a cousin He retired. aud
now resides in Puughk"cpsie. Aticrward Il
was changed 10 simpson. Somers a Co. Hs II
now IL. The firm cons sis Of William simpson.
Jr. J.. H. Somers and John Simpson. n nephew
Of John simpson Of poughkeepsie. Ills fab r
rrsides IN England. In the Delaney street
shop Williams capital was used and in tie
Chatham street shop John Ri capital is used.
The chief real estate property that was held
by the brothers IN common is me simps1 Il
ward ana the Mestchester roud. There they
bad about thirty acres OF delightfully."- situated
land. overlooking the Sound. They built two
large stone houses and one stable. William 5
family live in one and John Band his wife in the
other The farm WIS worked in "A common in
ierrst. and all the stock ana appurtenan. e. were
hold IN the same way. II would have been well
Tor William II he and his brother had always
Thought aikc. As i WIS, ne branched oil In
divers directions. Among other oppoHunltlte
pi,s'ntinS .ilelself,s Mus ono wiz"
Company. la this William Simpson invested
heavily for the benefit OF one a. his sons. lie
put W an immense factory on l49th street and
made every desired arrangement for extensive
manufacture. But when hard times came. real
estate values fell. and the demand Tor pianoe
was next 10 nothing. very natural anxiety
niled his mind and SO preyed upon him as Ia
Things grew worse fast. and with the black
mess of me business outlook came bodily weak
ness that confined the sturdy man to his ned
For long time he was very i'll, and when his
strong nature asserted itself and William again
appeared IN his accustomed haunts. II wat
PAINFULLY evident that he was not the man m
mind or body that he was in former years. The
buildings he mad put up for stores when rents
wer" high returned him but lttle money. The
Ons in which simpson. Somers Co. have been
- long has either been empty in the upper
HifllS OF occupied ~ unIIpilihDlf luhnlH lot
some years. The DdiU Ners building was pul
~ by William Simpson for OK Mayor Wood
who holds the lease. 1t IL owned now 10y John
j.. Simpson but for long time william held Il
Gu the present site Of the Ae'rS building Will
liam simpsons clothing store once stood III
and his family occupied the rooms over The
store.
PROFESSIONALLY the money OF the Simpson
family WAS made on small loans but II is
neyerheess fact that 1t was those small loans
That enable them to loan $4,000 or SlOO,OOO on
Irouer security to-day. The amount OF the eapi
tdl invested In their respective shops has been
Variously estimated but from one who Is IN
position to know il is ascertained that in Tho
BOwrry and Delaney street shop the capital IN
Us IN about $500. 900. and that in the Chatham
tirret shop about $500 600 Careful bankers
place the combined wealth VI the Simpsons a
Etuut 90 600 600.
William Simpson prded himself on his ST..
crctiyencss Dealings with bankers or brokers
involving f25 900 or 100000 made no greater
Impression and were attended with no more
publicity than the loan Of seventy five cents on
Il hYc-doar coat. The shop in which he waite,
on the dissOlute printer or tho dsappointe,
sewing girl. the sick mechanic or the HhscOnd
ing salesman. il the same in which ho weighed
the proposal Of a railway corporation or gay'
his check for n tract OF real estate. No Gus
toner knew who preceded him in the chair b.
H., - Siuingonfg lask No leulnr t.Np