Willard P Simpson, Simpson's Studio

photographer: Simpson
182 Main Street, Paterson, NJ
example from LOST GALLERY
(finished between 1880 and 1883)

reverse of card at left

Willard P Simpson was difficult to trace partly because he relocated at least three times, and, to complicate it further, there was at least three other photographers calling their business “Simpson’s Studio”. One of them was W P Simpson’s own son, Frank who ran a “Simpson’s Studio” In Fort Worth, TX, until his retirement in 1936.

Photographer W P Simpson appeared mostly in Boston, MA, Patterson, NJ, and then the Dallas, TX, area.

Very few mentions of W P Simpson were found in newspapers. There were no advertisements that could positively be attributed to this Simpson.

This timeline was assembled only following the lead of official documents, such as the US census and city directories. So there are some serious gaps. There are periods where Simpson just disappears for a while.

Willard P Simpson
(1845 – 1923)

1845 Jun
Nova Scotia, Canada, Willard P Simpson is born to William H Simpson and Diadama
1870
Boston, MA, city directory, Willard P Simpson NOT listed
1870 Nov 19
Boston, MA, state record, Willard P Simpson and Ann Creamer are married
1871
Boston, MA, city directory, W P Simpson as photographer at 142 Washington
1872
Boston MA, city directory, no listings
1876 to 1879
Paterson, NJ, city directory, Willard P Simpson NOT listed
1880 Jun 11
Paterson, NJ, US census, Willard P Simpson as photographer at 182 Main

1881, 1882, 1883
Paterson, NJ, city directory, W P Simpson as photographer at 182 Main
1884
Paterson, NJ, city directory, W P Simpson as photographer at 169 Main
1885, 1886, 1887, 1888
Paterson, NJ, city directory, Willard P Simpson as photographer at 172 Main
1889, 1890, 1891
Paterson, NJ, city directory, Willard P Simpson as photographer at 223 Market
1891
New York, NY, city directory, Willard P Simpson NOT listed
1892
Paterson, NJ, city directory, Willard P Simpson as photographer at 233 Market
1892
New York, NY, city directory, William P Simpson as photographer; res 277 w 118th st;
This was the only year found for a W P Simpson listing in New York
1893
Paterson, NJ, city directory, Willard P Simpson NOT listed (Business pages only)

1894
Paterson, NJ, city directory, Willard P Simpson as photographer at 214 Main
1895 through 1897
Paterson, NJ, city directory, Willard P Simpson NOT listed
1895 through 1897
Denver, So, city directory, Willard P Simpson NOT listed
1898
Denver, CO, city directory, Willard P Simpson as photographer at 3045 Highland av
1899
Denver, CO, city directory, Willard P Simpson as photographer at 331 Symes Blk, 16th cor Champa; res 3169 W 26th Av
1899
Paterson, NJ, city directory, Willard P Simpson as photographer at 223 Market
1900
Paterson, NJ, city directory, Willard P Simpson NOT listed
1900, 1902
Waco, TX, city directory, Willard P Simpson NOT listed

1901
Fort Worth, TX, city directory, Willard P Simpson NOT listed
1902
Fort Worth, TX, city directory, Willard P Simpson NOT listed; William R Works is at 403 ½ Main
1903
Dallas, TX, city directory, Willard, P Simpson NOT listed
1904
Dallas, TX, city directory, Willard P Simpson as photographer at 316 Elm
1904
Fort Worth, TX, city directory, Willard P Simpson as photographer at 403 ½ Main; res same; son Frank Simpson as photographer for Willard Simpson; rms 403 ½ Main
1905
Dallas, TX, city directory, Willard P Simpson NOT listed
1905
Fort Worth, TX, city directory, Willard P Simpson as photographer at 403 ½ Main; res same; son Frank Simpson as photographer for W P Simpson; rms 403 ½ Main

1906 Mar 23, 24, May 23
Fort Worth (TX) Telegram, classified item mentions Simpson’s Gallery at 403 Main, Fort Worth; This would be son Frank Simpson
1907
Fort Worth, TX, city directory, Willard P Simpson NOT listed, his son Frank Simpson as photographer at 700 ½ Houston, res same
1909
Fort Worth, TX, city directory, Willard P Simpson NOT listed, his son Frank Simpson as photographer at 407 ½ Main; res 817 Arizona, ave
1910 Apr 18
Waco City, TX, US census, Willard P Simpson as photographer at 715 Washington St
1911
Fort Worth, TX, city directory, Willard P Simpson NOT listed; his son Frank Simpson is listed as photographer at 407 ½ Main; res 948 Trammell ave 2

1912, 1914
Fort Worth, TX, city directory, Willard P Simpson NOT listed; his son Frank Simpson is listed as photographer at 407 ½ Main; res 948 Jefferson
1916
Fort Worth, TX, city directory, Willard P Simpson as photographer at 407 ½ Main; res 1207 Peach
1918
Fort Worth, TX, city directory, Willard P Simpson as photographer at 309 ½ Main; res 1904 Vickery Blv; Son Frank Simpson working as photographer (probably for his father) ; res 944 Jefferson, Fort Worth, TX

1920
Fort Worth, TX, city directory, W P Simpson NOT listed; son Frank as photographer at 104 ½ Houston (Studio name: Frank Simpson), res 909 Jefferson
1920, 1921
Dallas, TX, city directory, Willard P Simpson NOT listed
1922
Fort Worth, TX, city directory, Willard P Simpson NOT listed; son Frank Simpson as photographer at 104 ½ Houston; res 909 Jefferson av
1922, 1923
Dallas TX, city directory, Willard P Simpson as photographer at 2205 ½ Elm

1923 Nov 29
Dallas, TX, death certificate, Willard P Simpson as photographer dies at age 78; res 2205 St Elm
1930
Fort Worth, TX, city directory, Frank Simpson as photographer at 104 ½ Houston, res same
1935, 1936
Fort Worth, TX, city directory, Frank Simpson as photographer at 103 ½ Houston, res same
1937, 1940
Fort Worth, TX, city directory, Frank Simpson NOT listed
1946 Sep 29
Fort Worth, TX, death certificate, Frank Simpson dies at age 71; as retired photographer

Here is a rough recap of known Willard P Simpson locations:
1871 – Boston
1880 – 1899 - Paterson, New Jersey
1892 – New York, NY
1894 – Paterson, NJ
1898 – 1899 – Denver, CO
1904 – Dallas, TX, at 316 Elm
1904 – 1906 - Fort Worth, TX, at 403 ½ Main
1910 – Waco City, TX, 715 Washington st
1916 – 1918 - Fort Worth, TX
1922 – 1923 - Dallas, TX

In later years, it is quite probable that Frank Simpson carried on a studio called “Simpson’s Gallery”. Also keep in mind that the cabinet card format was much less popular after 1900.

photographer: Simpson
182 Main Street, Paterson, NJ
example from auction site
(finished between 1880 and 1883)

reverse of card at left

photographer: Simpson
182 Main Street, Paterson, NJ
example from auction site
(finished between 1880 and 1883)

Fort Worth (X) Telegram - 23 Mar 1906

classified ad ran several times
between March and May of 1906

Example from other studios named "Simpson's Gallery"

photographer: Simpson's "Boston" Gallery
94 1/2 E Washington, Indianapolis, IN
example from auction site
(William Simpson was at
94 1/2 E Washington, Indianapolis, IN,
from 1890 to 1897)

reverse of card at left

Not the one you were looking for? Here's the photographer's INDEX by name. All the Cabinet Card photographers of the 19th century found in LOST GALLERY are listed there.

This is a work always in progress.

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