- Family History & Details ***

Please find attached below a descendant chart. " Eleanor (Ellen) was the eldest child of David Simpson, Mary’s (Mrs. Donn) G.G.G.Grandfather, (born 1777, the recipient of the letters), and sister of William who married Frances Armstrong. Father David was an apprentice on the brig Endeavour in 1794 and sailed as Captain in the brig Enterprise. After their marriage William took his bride back to North Shields, England where they had their first child Margaret, baptized on 22nd. Aug 1827 at Christ Church North Shields.. Father David, William and Edward were all Master Mariners sailing ships from North Shields on the river Tyne and Blyth on the river Blyth six miles up the coast. At the end of the twenties Frances was very home sick and returned to visit her family with William in the “Snow” Kingston. This vessel was a two masted brig rigged with with a staysail as well as square rig, 87 ft long and 24 beam 201 tons (not very large). William James (mentioned in the letters and later called James) was born in Canada in 1830. Due to late receipt of letters, asking her to return to England at the end of 1830, it was too late as the St. Lawrence was already closed for the winter. Her husband William died in Walker place, Ropery Bank, North Shields on 29th. December 1830, aged 28. Poor Frances was unaware of his death until she received the letter in May 1831 when the first ships arrived after the winter.

Eleanor, William’s sister, married Edward Maxwell Matthews (G.G.Grandfather), a rope maker, from a family of rope makers and later a steam boat owner from Ropery Bank. She had seven children and died at the age of 38. Their son, David Simpson Matthews was a ferry master on the Tyne. His son Edward was a waterman on the Tyne and Mary’s father Edward James was a marine engineer, draughtsman at Wallsend Slipway, one of the main shipbuilders on the Tyne.. Mary’s brother Edward Lee Matthews was a Chief engineer with the Ben Line. So you can see that the family have salt in their blood!! My Grandfather was a seagoing engineer and my father was a Master mariner.

The letters came down through the family in David Simpson’s writing box, a large mahogany box which opens out to reveal a writing slope and a variety of draws and compartments. It also contained the testimony of David Simpson, written in 1813, describing his dramatic conversion to Christianity and joining the Methodists. I am busy trying to work out what it contains as it is written in dialect.

Mary and I live in the small village of Ketton in the County of Rutland, the smallest county in England. We both grew up in a village called Cullercoats on the Coast a mile north of the mouth of the Tyne. I am a retired pharmacist and Mary was a teacher, We have four grown up children and seven grandchildren."

Peter Donn

March 13, 2012