Henry Lakin Simpson

Henry Lakin Simpson (1859 – April 3, 1881) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor. He later attended the United States Naval Academy.

Henry Lakin Simpson
Born1859
London, England
DiedApril 3, 1881(1881-04-03) (aged 21–22)
Thomasville, Georgia
Place of burial
Mt. Zion Cemetery, Collingdale, Pennsylvania
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Navy
RankCadet-Engineer
UnitUSS Essex
AwardsMedal of Honor

Born in London, England, in 1859, Simpson immigrated to the United States and joined the Navy from New York. By October 31, 1877, he was serving as a first class fireman on the USS Essex, which was at Monrovia, Liberia. On that day, he and another sailor, Ordinary Seaman John Millmore, rescued their shipmate Ordinary Seaman John W. Powers from drowning. For this action, both Simpson and Millmore were awarded the Medal of Honor seven years later, on October 18, 1884.[1] Simpson's award was posthumous.

Simpson was accepted into the United States Naval Academy as an engineering student (then known as cadet-engineers). He was admitted to the class of 1882, but resigned his appointment on February 28, 1881, before graduating.

On Apr. 3, 1881 at age 21 Simpson died of consumption on board the City of Savannah (a steam ship) and was buried at the Delaware County Society of the New Jerusalem Church Burial Ground in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. In the 1970s all remains were removed and reinterred in a mass grave at Mt Zion Cemetery in Collingdale, Pennsylvania[2][3][4]

Medal of Honor citation

Simpson's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

For rescuing from drowning John W. Powers, ordinary seaman on board the U.S.S. Essex, at Monrovia, Liberia, 31 October 1877.[1]

See also

References
 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.
  1. "Medal of Honor recipients - Interim Awards, 1871–1898". Medal of Honor citations. United States Army Center of Military History. August 5, 2010. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
  2. "Medal of Honor recipients". USNA Notable Graduates. United States Naval Academy. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
  3. Register of the commissioned, warrant, and volunteer officers of the Navy of the United States, including officers of the Marine Corps and others, to January 1, 1882. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office. 1882. p. 149.
  4. "D. Henry Lakin Simpson". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 19 April 2019.


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