The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-06-16
Alexander Simpson Goes
To His Final Rest

With sadness, the editor records
the passing of Francis Alexander
Simpson to his final rest. Mr.. Simp-
son who died at his home in this city
on Sunday morning, June II, was
born in Franklinville, N. Y, July IA,
1852. On FEBRUARY II, 1876 he
married Belle Green in Des Moines,
Iowa. Five children were born to
them, three Of whom died in early
childhood. The two surviving
daughters, Mrs. Gene C. Gould and
Mrs. j. w. Geoghegan, reside in
this city. Deceased was the first of
a family of six children to cross the
dark river. Two brothers, James
NJ, of Seattle, and Leroy S.. Of Bell
ingham, and their wives, and Mrs.
James P. Hunnel and Mrs. j. T.
Long, of Seattle, his sisters, were
present at the funeral which was
held at the residence OF Gene C..
Gould on Monday. Another sister,
Mrs. E. B. Hunt lives in the city of
Des Moires, Iowa. The funeral SER
mon by Rev. ]. E. Nelson and sing
ing by quartette composed of Mr..
and Mrs. Van E.. Sargent, Miss
Charlotte Busby and Cecil Carter,
with Mrs. G. B. briggs at the piano,
was sweetly in harmony with the
perfume of floral tributes. Inter-
ment was made in the Valley ceme-
/ terry.
MIR. Simpson was by trade a
printer and spent a large part of his
life at the case" as printers call
it, working as a compositor. He
worked for many years in Des
Moines, Iowa, where he was married
and where his children were born.
In 1889 he came to Spokane. this
Estate, to work for Culver Brothers.
In the following year their plant
was destroyed by fire and in June
1890 he came with Mr.. O. II. Gull
yer to Puget Sound. locating first
lin Seattle. When Mr.. Culver and
his brother engaged in the news
paper business in Fairhaven, ncw a
part of Bellingham, in the fall of
1890, Mr.. Simpson went there to
work for them and few years lat
sometime after they purchased
the San Juan Islander, he came here
and for several years during MIR. O.
H. Culver's ownership and editor
ship of the paper he was the fore
man of the Office. At the time of
his old friends death Mr.. Culver
was on his way to the city from
which they came to Puget Sound
together twenty-one years ago this
month, to begin, without means and
among strangers, new fight in the
struggle of life. They were close
friends for more than a score of
years. In a letter to the editor ex-
pressing regret that he could not be
here to look upon his old friends S
face again, Mr.. Culver sent the
following brief tribute to his worth.
"Alex. Simpson was man whom
few men knew as ! did. and whom
no man who knew him as / knew
him could fail to love and respect,
if he has any appreciation of those
finer attributes Of character which
it seems to me must count most
strongly in favor of men or women
where records Of their lives are
closed and the recording angel
comes to scan the pages of their
years. He was a man of the strict
est integrity, free from hypocrisy,
Of the kindliest nature, unselfish,
forgiving, patient and faithful. His
lines were not always cast in plea
SAINT places and sorrow, which his
gentle, patient and loving wife
shared with him did not pass him by.
He loved the sunshine of life but
was obliged to dwell at time among
its shadows. He endured trials with
fortitude and temptations with
strength, and If it is true as it is
written that .'He that overcometh
shall all things inherit he is rich
in the richness in all that count
most in eternity. We. are filled
with sad thoughts. at his passing.
yet realizing his release from long
endured infirmities we can say:
I'VE could not proffer freedom
for one hour
From that dread weight of weari-
ness he bore
And God has made him free for
ever more".
A letter from G.. F. Emery, late
of this city. has been received by
Rev. S. G. Jones, from Brighton. st.
Mary's bay, Nova Scotia. He is
delighted with the place and de-
clares the sunsets are glorious and
/ {k<>s III u Hf~~.,te