Mary J. Simpson was a 74-year-old widow woman, who after her husband died continued to make her home in Aubrey. Her home was listed as the 19th home that Mrs. Ada Allen recorded on the 1930 Census. Her home was valued at $800. She did not own a radio.

Mrs. Simpson's father was born in Tennessee as was her mother. According to this record, she was about six years old when the Civil War broke out. The Simpson's house was built during the 1890's and has been known as the home of Leland (Buster) and Edith (Tunnicliff) Hunn. They lived in this home during the late 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's.

Buster and Edith were grocery merchants for many years during that period. Their store was in the building that W.D. Keen used for his grocery business during the depression years that followed after the 1930 Census.

Mrs. Mary J. Simpson was born in Arkansas around 1855, and both of her parents were born in Tennessee in what was known as the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee Nation began to crumble with the help of the Federal Legislation that forced all Indians to relocate from the Cherokee Nation and proceed west of the Mississippi or face death. The Trail of Tears began during the 1820's and 1830's when the Cherokee Nation had a population of 12,000,000. The majority of the Indians moved to the Oklahoma Territory where they were able to keep their identity if they survived the cold winters of snow and sleet as they traveled on just about anything that could be used for a method to ride safely or to walk. Many walked, many rode on wagons and buggies and many rode on boats by going an extended route through the northern states and wildernesses.

Many of the Indians died including children and women. When they made it to Texas, they called themselves Black Dutch which was an accepted nationality in Texas, because Indians were not permitted to stay in Texas either.

The Simpson family is an example of a family who settled here through their determination and will to survive. They came to the village that is now called Aubrey from their stopping place in Arkansas. Many of the Cherokee settled in East Texas and kept their Indian names, but were soon killed. Some of our local historians have asked me how many families were hiding their Indian heritage and living in Aubrey. My simple answer is, "just about everyone with the exception of a few."

I think the amazing blessing in disguise is that we were all whiskey making Black Dutch even though the original settlers were inclined to be a righteous Christian and lived it. Our village has had some very brilliant and talented professional people from all walks of life as our previous census indicated: lawyers, doctors, preachers, photographers, pharmacists, and all sorts of businessmen. This diversity has helped this community survive the storms, the colds and other community disasters of destruction.

Clyde Simpson was a son of Mary J. Simpson. The Simpson family was one of the most talented families to have lived in Aubrey. Clyde was the druggist, and his talents and benefits to the community cannot be expressed in words, and if they were expressed in words, they would not be ample words to fit the beauty of this remarkable family. This family was very influential in the molding of the lifestyle in the community of Aubrey.

Allie was Clyde's wife. Allie and Clyde had the following children: Howard, Edith Pearl, and Clydene.

Just before the Christmas holidays an 88-year-old young lady by the name of Edith Pearl came in to visit. And to my recollections, the beauty of Edith Pearl matches the same character of the entire Simpson family.

The family's contribution to Main Street was the Drug store that this family managed through the hard times of the Depression. The business was destroyed by fire two times.

I asked Edith Pearl if she could share with me some of the more joyous moments of her life in this town. I am looking forward to learning more about this remarkable family.

Our constituents of Aubrey are more diluted with the vast sections of people in our area now, that was primarily Black Dutch for so long. Many many people of Aubrey are part of the Indian heritage that we don't want to talk about. But before it becomes too late, I am making an effort to talk to as many of our old settlers to hear their stories.

The photo this week was delivered while I was away. Edith Pearl Simpson Johnson found this in her collection of old photos. The man on the far left is her uncle Elmer Simpson. She was uncertain of the date of the photo.

Elmer Simpson was born in Aubrey in 1889 soon after the village acquired the new name of Aubrey. I would guess that Elmer was around 20 to 25 years old, which would make the approximate date of the photo 1915.

I am not sure if the location was in the back of the Drug Store office, but I believe it was. The old wind up clock on the wall says the John R. Dickens is Old Reliable to Cure Sore Eyes.

Also note the hanging electric light fixtures that provided close up lighting above the desk.

Some of the elders of Aubrey, seem to think that the person setting at the end of the desk is a Coffey and could be Homer Coffey. If I find out the correct identities of the people, I will pass it on to you.

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