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mcc-jrr_653-034

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Simpson - Jones Cemetery, 65-3 Summary Report, page 34

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THE DESCENDANTS OF DOCTOR WILLIAM SIMPSON, compiled by Dennis William Simpson, 1991 DOCTOR WILLIAM SIMPSON Wife and Two Children; resides in Madison County; A Phisician; /sic/ An honest and respectable Inhabitant. By 1805. pioneers began making unauthorized settlements in the area known today as Madison County, Alabama. At this lime, the land belonged to the Cherokee and Chickasaw Indians. Soon the American Government enticed the Indians to cede a triangular-shaped section of land, between the Tennessee State Line and the Tennessee River, to the U.S. Government. This was to allow the settlers who were already in the area a legal place to live. Thomas Freeman, a Government Surveyor, from Nashville, Tennessee, received orders to survey the lands in the "Triangle." This surveyed land became known as Madison County, Mississippi Territory on December 13, 1808. Then no one owned, or could own, any of this land. Those pioneers that settled in this area were "squatting" on public domain, most with the hope of being allowed to purchase their homesteads. In January 1809, Thomas Freeman look a census of the inhabitants, living within the bounds of the newly-formed county. Mr. Freeman acted as registrar and received the inhabitants' applications to buy their land. After paying a small fee, the inhabitants' receive permission to stay as "tenants at will." with the right to purchase the land at a public land auction. The first sale took place at Nashville. Tennessee, in August 1809, and "fee simple land titles" were established. Before 1818. the only legal place to settle in North Alabama was Madison County.1- In January 1809. William Simpson and his family were recorded in the "Squatter" Census as follows. WILLIAM SIMPSON 1 Male under 21 1 Male over 21 I Female over 21 Total of 3 & 4 Slaves13 Press Southeastern Pioneers. 177Q-I823," (Baltimore. MD: G*** 34 - (2455)    

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