Dick Simpson Monument
Capt. Dick Simpson
On this spot stood an old brick house with full basement known as the Manor House built by Capt. Dick Simpson about 1760 or 1765. He was father of 10 daughters and one son, Colonel Richard Simpson, born in Caswell Co. 1770. Capt. Dick, born in Fairfax Co., VA, 1723. Died here 1786, and he and wife Mary buried about 150 ft. southwest of this marker along with slaves. Capt. Dick, son of Richard of Stafford Co., VA, and grandson of John The Scotchman born 1615 in Scotland and died 1698 Stafford Co., VA.
Capt. Dick’s land holdings reached back west from this spot to Haw River and in included High Rock Mill known as Pinson’s mill in earlier days. His son, Colonel Richard, migrated to KY & MO soon after 1800. Most of his daughters were married by 1800 and lived on in N.C.
Jeff Nidle, CCHA President went there in the pouring rain, questioned a local decedent who owned a nearby store who led him to his cousin Will Shaw on Shaw Rd. Both the Simpson’s family cemetery and the monument are in two different locations a mile away from the store and the church listed on the cemetery census, on private property off of Shaw Rd. and not visible from the road. The original Capt. Dick Simpson and his wife’s grave were graded when Shaw Rd. was built. The monument is placed where his original house stood overlooking a creek branch and there in a slave cemetery next to it. The graves originally had wood markers that are gone but the sunken graves are still very visible. He exchanged contact information with Will Shaw a very nice man, related to Capt. Simpson, who lives in front of the pasture where the monument is located. It is in the southwest corner of Caswell County.
For more information see: https://caswellcountync.org/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I7621&tree=tree1
Photos by Jeffery Nidle