Simpson
Robert Simpson
The
first Simpson to settle in Gaspe
was Robert Simpson. From what I can gather,
Robert was from or lived in New York. He came to Gaspe in 1784 as a Loyalist. He was part
of the Loyal Rangers (Jessop’s Company), a Private. When he came to Gaspe he assisted Felix O’Hara in laying out two towns for
the loyalists. Douglastown and New Carlisle. He was giving Lot
19 in Douglastown. In 1807 Robert and
his family moved to the north side of the North West Arm but he still owned the
land in Douglastown.
I
have many questions about the loyalist Robert Simpson, for example, was he married
when he arrived in Gaspe and did he have children? In a book called “Loyalist Lists-Over 2000
Loyalist Names and Families from the Haldimand Paper” by E. Keith Fitzgerald,
in the section entitled “General Return of Refugee Loyalists in the Province of
Quebec”, I found a Mrs. Robert Simpson with 1 son under the age of 6, and 1
daughter between the age of 6 and 12.
This book states that soldiers were not included in the list. So this may be the Robert Simpson who was a
private in the Loyal Rangers. Also, if
this is the Robert Simpson who came to Gaspe, it leaves me with a lot more questions.
I
have been told, and also have assumed, that the loyalist Robert Simpson was
born about 1755-1760, and married Mary (surname ??) around 1805.
I
think their children were Thomas, Louisa, Archibald, Sarah, Alexander,
Charlotte, Charles, and John, born between 1805 and 1826.
In
the 1825 census, there is a Robert Simpson who had 9 people in his household in
Grande Greve area. But I find it hard to
believe that the loyalist Robert Simpson, who would have probably been about
18-20 when he joined the war, is the father of the Simpsons whom I have
mentioned above. I think that it was
more likely that the loyalist Robert Simpson was the grandfather, not the
father, like I and others have believed.
I would love input on this theory of mine, so please e-mail me.
If anyone has any info on Robert Simpson or his line
please e-mail me at parobert@telusplanet.net
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Gaspe Families