Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-03-30

A pioneer of prominence in Ore
CONS upbOilding is Ben Simpson,
who will celebrate his 92d birthday
this afternoon at a reception, be-
tween 2 and O'Clock, at the home
of his daughter, Mrs. William Kill
lingsworth, 229 Alberta stret.
/ General Simpson, as he is known,
| from his former title of surveyor
| general of oregon, is the founder of
a well-known family in Oregon. His
sons are: Sam l.. Simpson, de-
ceased, famed poet author Of
| Beautiful Willamette; Sylvester
! G. Simpson, long time editor of the
Oregon Herald of Portland, state
superintendent of public instruction
1894 subsequently a historical
and legal writer for the Bancroft
company in San Francisco and now
a resident of Alameda. Cal; Grover
-mpson, a high officer of the Wells
cargo company in Chicago; William
Simpson of Pocatello, and Clarence
Industrial agent of the Wells-FargO
company in New Orleans. OF Gen
eral Simpsons four daughters, Mrs.
William Killingsworth and Mrs. w.
T. Burney of Portland survive.
Time Kind to This Pioneer.
General Simpson was one of the
most vigorous characters in early
Oregon affairs, and his native energy
stays with him even in his advanced
age. "Time that scars us, mains
and mars u.s." as Sam Simpson wrote
in his most noted poem, has not inn
paired the mind of this pioneer and
he still has active use of his physi-
col faculties Tn fndncfrxv Ind "a n
fighting, politics and Commonwealth
building. General Simpson left his
mark on the affairs of Oregon.
Born near Nashville, Tenn, in
1918, Mr.. Simpson came to Oregon |
in 1876, at the age of % years /
That was the year the United States /
established its claim to the Oregon /
country by treaty with Great Brit /
ain, after its claim has been secured /
by several annual immigrat'ons like .
the one in which Mr.. Simpson par
One of the early steamboats, Of
the upper Willamette was built b.
Mr. Simpson in 1852, TO ply the river
above Oregon City At Clackamas
he owned a sawmill and at Oregon
City a merchandise store His lum-
Der he sent to California after dis
1overy of gold there and sold it for
5000 a thousand feet Mr.. Simpson
also shipped knock-dOwn houses.
which sold in San Francisco for
$1,000 each.
Simpson Helped Fight Indians.
After the massacre of DR.. Whit
nan in 1847 at Wailatpu, near
Walla Walla. Mr. Simpson volun-
'eered as a member of the force sent
rom the Willamette settlement un-
Ter Colonel Gillian to quell and
punish the Cayuse Indians, and was
present at the death of Colonel Gil
lam, which resulted from an acci
lental discharge of a gun.
Mr. Simpson was Indian agent
eight years, was sutler for Fort
famhill and was a close personal
riend of Phil Sheridan, with whom
le became intimate before the civil
var. After the war Mr. Simpson
vas appointed by President Grant
hartman of the committee of three !
Which negotiated a treaty with the
'oeur d'Alene Indians. He was also
ppointed surveyor-general of Ore
on and for a number of years serv-
d as postal inspector.
Prominent as IA Legislator.
Mr. Simpson was elected six times
the legislature once in territorial
ays four times to the house of rep ,
esentatives after Oregon became a
late, and once to the senate. from
he counties of Marion, Clackamas,
ok and Benton.
All friends of General Simpson
nd of the family are invited to the k
sception to be held this afternoon f
honor of this noted pioneer e
ortland Journal, Monday. e