Simpson Creek is a

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage ...

of the

West Fork River The West Fork River is a principal tributary of the Monongahela River, long, in north-central West Virginia, United States. Via the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 881 square ...

, long, in north-central

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...

, USA. The stream was named for hunter and trapper John Simpson, who left his name on it ("Simpson's Creek") after building and living in a cabin there for several months in 1763 and '64.

Geography

Via the West Fork, Monongahela and

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

Rivers, Simpson Creek is part of the watershed of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

, draining an area of on the

unglaciated A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such as ...

portion of the

Allegheny Plateau The Allegheny Plateau , in the United States, is a large dissected plateau area of the Appalachian Mountains in western and central New York, northern and western Pennsylvania, northern and western West Virginia, and eastern Ohio. It is divide ...

. It rises approximately northwest of

Philippi Philippi (; grc-gre, Φίλιπποι, ''Philippoi'') was a major Greek city northwest of the nearby island, Thasos. Its original name was Crenides ( grc-gre, Κρηνῖδες, ''Krenides'' "Fountains") after its establishment by Thasian colon ...

in northwestern Barbour County and flows generally northwestwardly through southeastern Taylor County and northeastern Harrison County, passing through the communities of Flemington and

Bridgeport Bridgeport is the most populous city and a major port in the U.S. state of Connecticut. With a population of 148,654 in 2020, it is also the fifth-most populous in New England. Located in eastern Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnoc ...

; it flows into the West Fork River approximately south-southwest of Shinnston. According to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, approximately 69% of Simpson Creek's watershed is

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

ed, mostly

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

. Approximately 26% is used for

pasture Pasture (from the Latin ''pastus'', past participle of ''pascere'', "to feed") is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep, or swine ...

and

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...

, and approximately 3% is urban.

History

Simpson traveled in company with a pair of deserters from the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...

— brothers John and Samuel Pringle — according to 19th century writer

Alexander Scott Withers Alexander Scott Withers (12 October 1792, near Warrenton, Virginia – 23 January 1865, near Parkersburg, West Virginia) was a Virginia slave owner, lawyer, planter, magistrate, teacher and delegate to the First Wheeling Convention (1861) estab ...

During this year
764 __NOTOC__ Year 764 ( DCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 764 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era b ...
and while in the employ of John Simpson (a trapper, who had come there in quest of furs,) they he Pringle brothersdetermined on removing farther west. Simpson was induced to this, by the prospect of enjoying the woods free from the intrusion of other hunters (the glades having begun to be a common hunting ground for the inhabitants of the South Branch;) while a regard for their personal safety, caused the Pringles to avoid a situation, in which they might be exposed to the observations of other men. In journeying through the wilderness, and having crossed the
Cheat river The Cheat River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed August 15, 2011 tributary of the Monongahela River in eastern West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the Uni ...
at the Horse shoe, a quarrel arose between Simpson and one of the Pringles; and notwithstanding that peace and harmony were so necessary to their mutual safety and comfort; yet each so far indulged the angry passions which had been excited, as at length to produce a separation. Simpson crossed over the ygartValley river, near the mouth of Pleasant creek, and passing on to the head of another water course, gave it the name of Simpson's creek. Thence he went westwardly, and fell over on a stream which he called
Elk The elk (''Cervus canadensis''), also known as the wapiti, is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. The common ...
: at the mouth of this he erected a camp, and continued to reside
here Here is an adverb that means "in, on, or at this place". It may also refer to: Software * Here Technologies, a mapping company * Here WeGo (formerly Here Maps), a mobile app and map website by Here Technologies, Here Television * Here TV (form ...
for more than twelve months. During this time he neither saw the Pringles nor any other human being; and at the expiration of it went to the South Branch, where he disposed of his furs and skins and then returned to, and continued at, his encampment at the mouth of Elk Clarksburg.html" ;"title="Clarksburg,_West_Virginia.html" ;"title="resent-day
Clarksburg">Clarksburg,_West_Virginia.html"_;"title="resent-day_Clarksburg,_West_Virginia">Clarksburg_until_permanent_settlements_were_made_in_the_vicinity.

Simpson_was_apparently_prone_to_quarreling._According_to_another_19th-century_local_historian:

Simpson’s_cabin_was_located_about_one_mile_from_Clarksburg,_on_the_west_side_of_the_West_Fork_River…._Simpson_became_indebted_to_a_man_named_Cottrial_to_the_amount_of_“one_quart_of_salt”_(a_precious_article_at_the_time),_which_he_agreed_to_pay_him,_either_in_money_or_salt,_upon_his_return_from_Winchester,_Virginia.html" "title="Clarksburg, West Virginia">Clarksburg">Clarksburg,_West_Virginia.html" ;"title="resent-day Clarksburg, West Virginia">Clarksburg until permanent settlements were made in the vicinity.

Simpson was apparently prone to quarreling. According to another 19th-century local historian:

Simpson’s cabin was located about one mile from Clarksburg, on the west side of the West Fork River…. Simpson became indebted to a man named Cottrial to the amount of “one quart of salt” (a precious article at the time), which he agreed to pay him, either in money or salt, upon his return from Winchester, Virginia">Winchester Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...

Geography

History

Pollution

Variant spellings

See also

References