Robert T. Simpson

Contributor: Pat M. Mahan

ROBERT T. SIMPSON, attorney-at-law, of Florence, Ala., was born in Florence. His parents were John and Margaret (Patton) Simpson, both natives of Ireland. His father came from Ireland in 1818, and located at Florence and engaged in mercantile pursuits. Seven years later he returned to Ireland, and married there. Returning to Florence, he lived there the remainder of his days. Robert T. Simpson graduated from Princeton college in the class of 1857. He then entered the law department of the Cumberland university, Lebanon, Tenn., where he graduated in the class of 1859. He then located at Des Arc, Ark., began the practice of law, and was there at the beginning of the war. In April, 1861, he enlisted in the Fourth Alabama infantry, and was with that regiment at the first battle of Manassas. After that battle he was appointed second lieutenant in the First Alabama battalion of artillery, and was subsequently promoted to be first lieutenant in the same command. When Fort Powell was besieged he was placed in command of a picket company, and given charge of an important gun, which he manned though the siege. When Fort Morgan was besieged he was cut off from his command, and assigned to duty as adjutant-general of Gen. Liddell's brigade, and while serving in that capacity he was elected captain of one of the companies of the Sixty-third Alabama regiment. This company he commanded through the siege of Spanish Fort and Blakely. When his command was surrendered at the last-named place, April 9, 1865, he was taken a prisoner of war to Ship island, where he remained until the command was brought to Jackson, Tenn., and was there paroled in May, 1865. After the war Capt. Simpson located at Camden, Ala., where he practiced law till 1870. He then returned to Florence. In 1882 he was elected to the legislature, and in 1884 to the senate, from the district composed of Lauderdale and Limestone counties. He is now president of the board of trustees of the Female Synodical college of Florence, and is a member of the Knights of Honor, and also of the Knights and Ladies of Honor. Capt. Simpson was married in Florence, September, 1861, to Miss Mattie Collier, daughter of Mr. Wyatt Collier, of Lauderdale county, and to this marriage has been born one son, R. T. Simpson, Jr., who is now practicing law at Florence, and four daughters.

Source: Memorial Record of Alabama. Vol. II. Brant & Fuller. Madison, Wis., 1893. p370