Nathaniel Stone Simpkins

Nathaniel Stone Simpkins (Jan. 8, 1796 – June 18, 1887) was a bookseller, publisher, and legislator in Massachusetts in the 19th century.[1] He ran a bookshop and circulating library in Boston ca.1820-1830.[2][3][4] "In 1835 he established the Barnstable Journal [of Barnstable, Massachusetts], and in 1856 he established the Yarmouth Register" of Yarmouth, Massachusetts.[5] Simpkins served as a "Representative to the General Court of Mass. in 1836, 1850 and 1851."[5][6]

He married Eliza Jane Thacher (1803–1836) in ca.1824; and Mary Sears (b. 1807) in 1852. His parents were John Simpkins and Olive Stone of Brewster, Massachusetts.[5] Siblings included Caroline Simpkins, Olive Simpkins (Mrs. John Capen), Elizabeth Simpkins (Mrs. George P. Bangs), John Simpkins, and Boston bookseller Samuel Grant Simpkins.[7][8][9]

Suffolk Circulating Library

Among the titles available to subscribers of Simpkins' Suffolk Circulating Library in the early 1820s:[10]

Stephen Burroughs' Memoirs[11] D. Campbell's Overland Journaey to India Richard Cumberland's Jew of Mogadore, a comic opera Daniel Drake's Picture of Cincinnati Evans' Pedestrious Tour of 4,000 miles in America[12] Catherine Hutton's Welsh Mountaineer M. De Genlis' Zuma Isabella Kelly's Ruthinglenne Miss Leslie's Young Ladies' Mentor Marvellous Chronicle, or Magazine of Wonders Masonick Melodies

Theodore Melville's White Knight[13] Mirror of the Graces, Advice on Female Accomplishments Hannah More's Strictures on Education Amelia Opie's Simple Tales Paris Spectator, or the Customs of Parisians Park's Travels in the Interior of Africa Isaac Pocock's Libertine, an opera Polyanthos President's Tour through the United States T.S. Surr's Winter in London[14] Symzonia, or a Voyage to the Internal World

References

1. WorldCat. Simpkins, Nathaniel Stone 1798-1887
2. Simpkins' bookshop and circulating library was located at the corner of Court Street and Brattle Street, on the site of today's Government Center. Cf. "Books, stationary, &c. Nathaniel S. Simpkins, no.23, Court-Street (nearly opposite the head of Market-street)." Boston Intelligencer & Evening Gazette; Date: 03-04-1820
3. "Nathaniel S. Simpkins, Court-street, corner of Brattle-street." Boston Commercial Gazette; Date: 12-25-1826
4. "Agents of the American Peace Society," Advocate of Peace, no.10, Sept. 1836
5. John R. Totten (1910), Thacher-Thatcher genealogy, [New York]: New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, OL 23347275M
6. Resolves of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, passed. 1837
7. Peter Thacher. Samuel Grant Simpkins: a memorial. Boston: Printed by Geo. H. Ellis, 1890. Google books
8. WorldCat. Simpkins, Samuel Grant 1802-1889
9. Boston Directory. 1832
10. Catalogue of the Suffolk Circulating Library, corner of Court and Brattle Streets, Boston : containing History--Biography--Voyages--Travels--Miscellanies--Magazines--Reviews--Novels--Tales--Romances and plays--alphabetically arranged. Boston, Mass.: N.S. & J. Simpkins, 1822
11. WorldCat. Burroughs, Stephen 1765-1840
12. WorldCat. Evans, Estwick 1787-1866
13. WorldCat. Melville, Theodore
14. WorldCat. Surr, T. S. (Thomas Skinner) 1770-1847

Further reading

Published by N.S. Simpkins

• Massachusetts Society for the Suppression of Intemperance. (1827), Fourteenth annual report of the Massachusetts Society for the Suppression of Intemperance, with resolutions passed at a public meeting held November 5, 1827, Boston: N.S. Simpkins and Co., OL 13488096M
• Murray, Lindley (1827), Murray's English reader, Boston: N.S. Simpkins, OCLC 4886556, OL 13488646M
• Ezra Shaw Goodwin. Alice Bradford, or, The birth day's experience of religion. Boston: N.S. Simpkins & Co., and Barnstable, Mass.: N.S. Simpkins, 1828 Google books
• Barnstable Journal and County Advertiser
• Charles Lowell (1831), Men accountable only to God for their religious opinions, Boston: N.S. Simpkins & Co., OL 596822M

External links

Nathaniel Stone Simpkins at Find a Grave