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Valley historian studies life of black doctor
By Sean Barron
Photo
Steffon Jones sits along a microfilm machine at YSU's Maag Library. Jones and others have been using old newspaper articles and government documents to research a prominent local African American, Ferdinand H. Simpson.
YOUNGSTOWN — Despite his many accomplishments in the Mahoning Valley, much mystery still surrounds Dr. Ferdinand H. Simpson — and little information could be gleaned from the brief obituary that appeared after his death in May 1923 at age 48.
That seemed unjust to Steffon W. Jones, so in April 2006, he decided to do a little digging.
“He was an important figure in Youngstown’s black history,” said Jones, a local historian who’s conducting research on Simpson and feels the doctor deserves greater recognition for his personal and professional achievements. “A lot of people don’t know about him.”
Jones spoke recently at Youngstown State University about Simpson, a surgeon who had his office at 454 W. Federal St. in downtown Youngstown. Simpson practiced there from 1905 to 1919, Jones noted.
In addition to his medical duties, Simpson also kept a pulse on the local black community, in part by being selected and contributing to the local chapter of the Loyal Legion of Labor, an organization founded in 1897 in Gaskins, Va., Jones continued. His duties included disseminating information to blacks to keep them informed about social, educational and church events in the region, he explained.
“He was a black pioneer appointed by Z.W. Mitchell [a professor and principal] to tell blacks of local happenings and national happenings,” Jones added.
The Youngstown branch of the LLL set up shop at Oak Hill AME Church on the city’s South Side, said to be the oldest black church in the city, he noted.
Among its purposes were to establish a businesslike organization to protect the rights of blacks, to secure “just and equitable” laws to negotiate for the employment of black people, and to set up and maintain a bureau of information for them, according to a May 20, 1902, article in the Youngstown Telegram.
Jones said that Simpson has a distant relative in California, and he hopes to find out if Simpson has any descendants in the area — something that seems rather unlikely because the doctor had no children.
In August 2009, Jones started the Mahoning/Shenango Valley Historical Club, with plans to form a committee named after Simpson. Also helping Jones him with research are Steven Estep, Kimberly Adams and Joyce Koellner, all of whom are training to be historians, Jones noted, adding that the club has about 25 members.
Jones explained that a main goal is to gather his research and other information on Simpson and get the Arms Family Museum of Local History on Wick Avenue interested in housing it.
The historian said that history buffs don’t need to travel to famous sites such as Gettysburg, Pa., or Williamsburg, Va., because plenty is here.
“You have so much history in Youngstown, you could cut it with a knife,” he added.
Dr. Simpson, born in 1874 in Akron, was a surgeon who also tried to ensure that the local black community could stay informed about area church, civic and community events, as well as what transpired nationally. Some of his achievements:
Entered an 18-month apprenticeship to become a plumber after graduating from high school in 1892 in Akron, though it’s unknown from which school he graduated.
Was hired by the B.F. Goodrich Rubber Works in Akron, where he worked in the wood-turning department.
Beginning in 1896, attended medical school at Western Reserve University in Cleveland, where he was in the first four-year class to graduate from that school.
Was the first black physician to be admitted to the Summit County Medical Society in Akron.
Came to Youngstown after having been appointed in 1905 to serve on the local chapter of the Loyal Legion of Labor by Z.W. Mitchell, an educator and principal from Chillicothe, Ohio.
Before his arrival in the Valley, Simpson had been chosen as the first district superintendent of the LLL’s Summit County branch.
Sources: Steffon W. Jones, Youngstown Telegram