Susan Ann Simpson was born in Fort Covington, Franklin County, New York on 15 June 1847, the second child of six born to George W. and Achsa (Sisco) Simpson (and their only daughter).
Aunt Susie (she was the sister of my great grandfather, Ernest L. Simpson) had surgery when she was young to have a kidney removed. She wasn’t expected to recover, but not only did she survive – she lived to the age of 90 years!
By the time my grandmother was born, Aunt Susie was in her 70s. However, she was known to dance whenever the fiddle was played. By her travel throughout the US to visit and stay with relatives, it appears she must have had boundless energy.
Susie’s first marriage was brief. Her first husband, George F. Weidmayer, likely died young. They were married in Pine Valley, Clark County, Wisconsin on 25 November 1866, and had one daughter, Ella Achsa Weidmayer.
George Hughes Barlow entered Susie’s life just a year or so after the birth of young Ella. The transcribed marriage certificate for the couple states they were wed 5 October 1874, which is entirely unlikely and suspicious for a typographical error. Nevertheless, we know that their son, William George Barlow, was born 27 April 1869 with others following every couple of years. William George’s younger siblings were: Laura Emily (1871-1962), Leon Willard (1873-1949), Clara Sophia 1874-1961), Milton Obed (1875-1877), Maude Lois (1881-1881) and Hazel Susan Barlow (1882 – ).
What happened to end the marriage to George is unknown, but Susie found herself divorced and alone with a brood of children. She married her third husband, Stanley Alverado Locke 22 September 1887 in Greenfield, Adair County, Iowa. In 1900, Susie and Stanley were residing in the home of Susie’s mother, Achsa Simpson, in Dakota, Humboldt County, Iowa. In another five years Susie would have quite a blow – her mother died in January 1905 while Stanley would pass away two months later in March.
Susie spent her final years traveling often to visit her many children, grandchildren and other relatives.
She wrote frequent cards and letters. Below is page two of a letter that clearly portrays the grief she still felt a year after the death of her grandson Billy.
…Billy being gone. When I go to George’s there is always something missing and in a day or two just have to come away. Lila is a dear little thing. She will tell me about Billy with such sad eyes. She told me of how Billy went in to the deep water and died. Then a man put him in a long box and then dug a deep hold in the ground and put it all in there. There were So many flowers. Billy don’t want them when he is dead. You know he was drowned a year ago the 28 of Aug. On Little Leo’s birthday.
Well please do write to me.
With lots of love to you and yours. Ever your old
Sister Sue
Spending time with family was important to Susie. Below is her entry into the autograph book of granddaughter Ruby:
Susie spent her final years in Oregon, near her children. It was here she died 9 September 1937.
