Sylvester C. Simpson
Encyclopedia
Sylvester Confucius Simpson (March 21, 1844 – May 3, 1913) was an American
educator and attorney in the state of Oregon
. A native of Missouri
, he served as the first Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction
and was later the secretary to Oregon Governor
Stephen F. Chadwick
before moving to California
. A Democrat, he also served as the chief clerk in the Oregon State Senate
.
, Missouri, on March 21, 1844, to Nancy (née Cooper) and Benjamin Simpson. In 1846, the family traveled the Oregon Trail
to the Oregon Country
and settled in the Willamette Valley
. Sylvester received his early education in the schools of Marion and Polk counties, including attending the Dallas Academy in Dallas
. He then enrolled at Willamette University
in Salem
where he studied law and graduated in 1864 with a masters of arts degree.
While still in college, he worked as a professor at Willamette, teaching ancient languages. Simpson also was a lecturer at the school on mythology. On October 11, 1866, he married Mary Francis McFarland in Salem. The couple would have nine children, five boys and four girls, with eight of the nine born in Salem. One of his brothers was poet Samuel L. Simpson.
appointed Simpson as the librarian for the state’s library. The next year during the 1872 legislature, Simpson’s father Benjamin was a member of the Oregon House, while his younger brother Samuel was a clerk for the Oregon House.
A Democrat, Simpson was appointed by Grover to serve as the first Superintendent of Public Instruction
for Oregon when the office was created in 1873. Simpson served in the position from January 30, 1873 until September 14, 1874. After appointment to the office, he helped select the school readers for the state, selecting the Pacific Coast Series in 1873. His brother Samuel was one of the writers for that series, with the books published by A.L. Bancroft & Co. in San Francisco. This led to assertions of favoritism, plus the content and quality of these books was questioned, which led to their removal from schools in 1879. By then Simpson had left office and had worked as the personal secretary for Governor Stephen F. Chadwick
from 1877 until 1878. Simpson also ran to serve in the Oregon House in 1876, but lost the election.
in 1879; the family settled in San Francisco. Simpson continued his legal work, and was employed in part by Bancroft and Company, which had been at the center of the state reader controversy. On March 3, 1913, Sylvester Confucius Simpson died in San Francisco at the age of 69.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
educator and attorney in the state of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. A native of Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, he served as the first Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction
Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction
The Superintendent of Public Instruction, sometimes referred to as the State Superintendent of Schools, is a constitutional office within the executive branch of the Oregon state government, and acts as administrative officer of the State Board of Education and executive head of the Department of...
and was later the secretary to Oregon Governor
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
Stephen F. Chadwick
Stephen F. Chadwick
Stephen Fowler Chadwick was an American Democratic politician who served as the fifth Governor of Oregon from 1877 to 1878. Governor Chadwick was the first person to obtain the governorship by way of the state's Line of Succession.- Occupational background :Chadwick was a lawyer, admitted to the...
before moving to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. A Democrat, he also served as the chief clerk in the Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
.
Early years
Sylvester Simpson was born in Elm GroveElm Grove, Missouri
Elm Grove, Missouri is cited in historical accounts as the site of the start of the first Oregon Trail expedition. However it is more likely that the starting point was just across the Kansas border from Missouri at Elm Grove, Kansas in Olathe, Kansas....
, Missouri, on March 21, 1844, to Nancy (née Cooper) and Benjamin Simpson. In 1846, the family traveled the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
to the Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
and settled in the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
. Sylvester received his early education in the schools of Marion and Polk counties, including attending the Dallas Academy in Dallas
Dallas, Oregon
The city of Dallas is the county seat of Polk County, Oregon, United States. The population was 14,583 at the 2010 census.Dallas is located on Rickreall Creek, approximately 15 miles west of Salem, at an altitude of 325 feet above sea level...
. He then enrolled at Willamette University
Willamette University
Willamette University is an American private institution of higher learning located in Salem, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest university in the Western United States. Willamette is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges, and is made up of an undergraduate College of Liberal Arts and...
in Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
where he studied law and graduated in 1864 with a masters of arts degree.
While still in college, he worked as a professor at Willamette, teaching ancient languages. Simpson also was a lecturer at the school on mythology. On October 11, 1866, he married Mary Francis McFarland in Salem. The couple would have nine children, five boys and four girls, with eight of the nine born in Salem. One of his brothers was poet Samuel L. Simpson.
Political career
Simpson started working in government as the chief clerk of the Oregon Senate beginning with the 1868 legislative session. He maintained that position for the next five sessions, ending with the 1878 session. During this time, in May 1871, Governor La Fayette GroverLa Fayette Grover
La Fayette Grover was a Democratic politician and lawyer from the US state of Oregon. He was the fourth Governor of Oregon, serving from 1870 to 1877...
appointed Simpson as the librarian for the state’s library. The next year during the 1872 legislature, Simpson’s father Benjamin was a member of the Oregon House, while his younger brother Samuel was a clerk for the Oregon House.
A Democrat, Simpson was appointed by Grover to serve as the first Superintendent of Public Instruction
Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction
The Superintendent of Public Instruction, sometimes referred to as the State Superintendent of Schools, is a constitutional office within the executive branch of the Oregon state government, and acts as administrative officer of the State Board of Education and executive head of the Department of...
for Oregon when the office was created in 1873. Simpson served in the position from January 30, 1873 until September 14, 1874. After appointment to the office, he helped select the school readers for the state, selecting the Pacific Coast Series in 1873. His brother Samuel was one of the writers for that series, with the books published by A.L. Bancroft & Co. in San Francisco. This led to assertions of favoritism, plus the content and quality of these books was questioned, which led to their removal from schools in 1879. By then Simpson had left office and had worked as the personal secretary for Governor Stephen F. Chadwick
Stephen F. Chadwick
Stephen Fowler Chadwick was an American Democratic politician who served as the fifth Governor of Oregon from 1877 to 1878. Governor Chadwick was the first person to obtain the governorship by way of the state's Line of Succession.- Occupational background :Chadwick was a lawyer, admitted to the...
from 1877 until 1878. Simpson also ran to serve in the Oregon House in 1876, but lost the election.
Later years
After leaving the superintendent’s office, Simpson also practiced law in Portland as well as Salem. He moved south to CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1879; the family settled in San Francisco. Simpson continued his legal work, and was employed in part by Bancroft and Company, which had been at the center of the state reader controversy. On March 3, 1913, Sylvester Confucius Simpson died in San Francisco at the age of 69.
External links
- First State School Superintendent of Oregon - Oregon: Her History, Her Great Men, Her Literature