ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202
COLLECTION: OGL #302
DATES: 1914-1964
SIZE: .5 linear feet
ACQUISITION: The Carrie Simpson Papers were deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by Jessie Simpson Holand, daughter of Carrie Simpson, in March 1976.
ACCESS: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.
RELATED COLLECTIONS:P.E.O. Chapter D, OGL#878
Carrie Ester (Bonebrake) Simpson was born on November 1, 1879 in Knoxville, Iowa. She was the daughter of Peter Bonebrake and Jessie Fremont (Craddick) Bonebrake. She attended public school in Knoxville and eventually Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa. She soon withdrew from Cornell, and began teaching in the Knoxville School District to finance her education. She returned to Cornell and graduated with an A.B. degree in 1903. In December of that same year, she married Howard Edwin Simpson. He was a native of Clarence, Iowa, born on July 9, 1874. He was teaching science and acting as school principal when they met at Knoxville High School. After their wedding, they departed for Cambridge, Massachusetts, while Howard pursued a Master of Arts degree at Harvard University.
In 1905, after Howard graduated from Harvard, he and Carrie moved to Waterville, Maine, where he had accepted a position at Colby College. While in Maine, their first child, Jessie Frances, was born on February 13, 1906.
In 1909, Howard accepted an assistant professorship of geology at the University of North Dakota. He served as a member of the North Dakota Geological Survey from 1910 to 1938, and was its director from 1935 until 1938. He was a very active faculty member, who gave frequent lectures across the state and took many geological survey field trips. He also served as Director of the United States Weather Bureau station at UND, for over twenty eight years.
Grand Forks witnessed the birth of three of Carrie and Howard's children. Shortly after their move to Grand Forks, their second child, Robert Bonebrake, was born on November 8, 1910. On January 11, 1915, their third child, Carolyn Cradock, was born. Howard Edwin Simpson, Jr., their fourth and final child, was born on June 27, 1917. Carolyn died in a tragic accident on July 25, 1919, in Grand Forks. Her death preceded that of Howard Simpson, Sr., who died in January 1938, also in Grand Forks.
During her time in Grand Forks, Carrie Simpson was quite active in university affairs and women's groups. She was the first woman president of the University Faculty Club in 1923 and presented a Founder's Day address. She served in many organizations, including: the Franklin Club, Parent Teachers Association, League of Women Voters, Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Y.W.C.A. She also published a book review column in the Grand Forks Herald for many years, worked at the library in 1938-1939 and taught courses in the UND English Department in 1946-1947. She was also chair of the 75th anniversary celebration of the Methodist Church in Grand Forks. It was her work with P.E.O., a women's educational organization, for which she is best known.
She first became involved with P.E.O. while teaching in Knoxville, Iowa. She helped to organize the Grand Forks branch, Chapter D, and served as its first president, in 1913. She also helped to organize a statewide chapter in 1914. She served as North Dakota State President from 1916 to 1917, and as nationwide President of Supreme Chapter, from 1943 to 1945. During these years, she chaired the committee which determined the nature and scope of P.E.O. participation in the war effort, and served on the advisory board for the organization of the National War Production Board. She was invited to be an official guest at the United Nations Conference in San Francisco.
In 1953, she was presented with a Honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Cornell College. The citation praised her as a loyal alum, writer and leader of women, who made major contributions to both national and international activities. She was praised for promoting human welfare and maintaining worthy ideals.
Carrie Bonebrake Simpson died on February 25, 1964.
The Carrie Simpson Papers, dating from 1914 to 1964, consist mainly of Simpson’s P.E.O. speeches, in addition to articles about education in North Dakota, original stories, poems and book reviews, written by Simpson. Biographical materials are present as well.
Folder 1. Biographical Materials
2. Biographical Materials, Newspaper Clippings
3. Cornell College- Honorary Degree, 1953
4. P.E.O. Talks, 1910s
5. P.E.O. Talks, 1920s
6. P.E.O. Talks, 1930s
7. P.E.O. Talks, 1940s
8. P.E.O. Talks, 1950s
9. P.E.O. Miscellaneous
10. North Dakota Education and P.T.A. Talks, 1916-1920s
11. North Dakota Mother and Daughter Talks, 1920-1930
12. Church and Mission Talks, 1924-1952
13. Talks Before Grand Forks and UND Organizations, 1936-1948
14. Book Reviews, 1928-1953
15. Original Stories and Poems, 1914-1930s
16. Miscellaneous Articles, Letters, Certificates, Club Programs, and
Historical Booklet of First Methodist
17. Photographs
-Carrie B. Simpson, 1932
-Edna B. Williams and Carrie B. Simpson, 1939
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