Life Story
According to a biographical sketch of her grandson Clement Cecil Simpson, Mary Hilford was born on 15 January 1748 and died on 19 April 1826.1 The sketch was published in 1888 while Clement was still living and appears to preserve information supplied by the family. No contemporary birth, baptismal, or death record has been located, and the surviving records reviewed for this profile do not establish Mary’s exact place of birth or death.
Mary was a daughter of Matthew and Ann Hilford of Kent County, Delaware. Matthew’s will, dated 15 February 1763 and proved 28 November 1763, named his wife Ann, his only son Thomas, his married daughter Susannah Truitt, and six residuary daughters: Martha, Ann, Jane, Esther, Mary, and Rachel.2 Ann’s maiden name is not identified in the will or in the other records used here.
Mary married John Simpson of Mispillion Hundred. No marriage record or exact marriage date has been found, but their relationship is directly established by a deed dated 8 May 1772. “John Simpson and Mary his wife” joined Mary’s sisters and their husbands in conveying their interests in Matthew Hilford’s estate to Thomas Hilford.3 The same record connects the Hilford daughters with the Truitt, Killen, Smith, Fleming, Nickerson, Simpson, and Catto or Catts families.
Documentary Evidence
| Date | Record | Evidence concerning Mary | Limitation | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1763 | Matthew Hilford’s will | Names Mary as one of Matthew and Ann Hilford’s daughters and residuary heirs. | Does not identify her future husband. | 2 |
| 1772 | Hilford-heirs deed | Identifies Mary as the wife of John Simpson and places her among Matthew Hilford’s heirs. | Does not give a marriage date. | 3 |
| 1791 | Simpson-to-Riggs deed | John and Mary jointly convey 112 acres and 7 square perches in Mispillion Hundred. | Describes property and title, not Mary’s birth family. | 5 |
| 1796 | Hilford estate litigation | The plaintiff’s wife is identified as one of Matthew Hilford’s surviving daughters and residuary legatees. | The parallel reports omit the couple’s first names; identification depends on the 1772 deed. | 4 |
| 1800 | John Simpson household | Includes a woman aged forty-five or older, consistent with Mary, then about fifty-two. | Only the household head is named. | 6 |
| 1810 | Consecutive Simpson households | John’s household again includes an older woman consistent with Mary and lies among the households of their sons. | The woman is not named and cannot be identified from the census alone. | 7 |
The family-informed sketch identifies five children of John and Mary: Nancy, Esther, Clement, John, and Thomas.1 Contemporary records do not name all five children together, but the surviving census, land, and migration evidence fits the family group reported in the sketch. Clement and the younger John later moved to Ohio, while Thomas remained in Mispillion Hundred.
Mary participated directly in at least one substantial land transaction. On 2 December 1791, John and Mary conveyed 112 acres and 7 square perches to Ezekiel Riggs. The land lay near Simpson’s Cross Roads, also called Guiney Town, and included former Moses Stuart land and portions of Mount Pleasant and Simpson’s Folly.5 Her appearance as a named grantor reflects the legal need to release any marital interest she held in the property.
The Hilford inheritance remained unsettled decades after Matthew’s death. In July 1796, a Simpson and his wife sued the administrator of Thomas Hilford over the wife’s share of the balance from Matthew’s estate. Two published reports spell the surname Helford and Hillford, but they describe the same litigation and identify the plaintiff’s wife as one of Matthew’s daughters and residuary legatees.4 The reports do not name John and Mary; their identification rests on correlation with the 1772 deed.
The 1800 census recorded an older woman in John Simpson’s household, consistent with Mary, together with younger adults and one boy under ten. No enslaved persons were recorded in the household.6 In 1810, the households of Clement Simpson, John Simpson, John Simpson Jr., and Thomas Simpson were entered consecutively in Mispillion Hundred, placing Mary within a closely clustered family neighbourhood if she was the older woman in John’s household.7
Scharf reports that John died on 14 July 1819.1 Records made after his death describe what happened to the family property rather than naming Mary. The 1820 tax assessment continued to carry land under John’s name but recorded no personal property,8 and an April 1821 deed referred to the “late dwelling of John Simpson deceased.”9 The following sheriff’s deed records the sale of John’s right and title in the 85-acre farm to James Sharp for $99 under a court judgment.10 These records explain the loss of the homestead but do not establish where Mary lived afterward.
Mary died on 19 April 1826 according to Scharf.1 No contemporary death, burial, probate, or land record has yet been found that independently confirms that date or identifies her final residence. Her life after John’s death therefore remains poorly documented.
Research Notes
Exact Dates and Scharf’s Evidence
Scharf’s 1888 sketch is the source for Mary’s exact birth and death dates and the complete list of her children.1 The sketch concerned Mary’s grandson Clement Cecil Simpson and was published during his lifetime, making it likely that the detailed family information came from Clement or close relatives. Contemporary records independently establish Mary’s parentage, marriage, inheritance rights, residence, and broader family setting, but they do not supply her exact dates.
Surname Variants
Contemporary records support the surname Hilford. The two 1796 legal reports use Helford and Hillford, while Scharf appears to print Mary’s surname as Milford. These forms should be treated as spelling or publication variants, not as evidence for separate families.4
Mary’s Mother
Matthew Hilford’s will identifies his wife as Ann.2 No record reviewed for this profile identifies Ann’s maiden name. The surname Maxwell should not be presented as established without a separate supporting source.
The 1796 Case Reports
The Helford and Hillford reports are parallel accounts of the same case, not two independent lawsuits. They differ slightly in spelling, monetary totals, and chronology. The reports omit the plaintiff couple’s first names; their identification as John and Mary Simpson depends on the 1772 Hilford-heirs deed.3, 4
Mary after 1819
An older woman appears in the 1820 household of Mary’s son Thomas Simpson, which is consistent with Mary living with him after John’s death. The census names only Thomas, however, and the exact page and digital-image citation have not been supplied for this project. The household therefore remains a useful research lead rather than published proof of Mary’s residence.
Birth, Marriage, and Death Places
The records place Mary’s parents, marriage, and adult life in Kent County and Mispillion Hundred, but they do not securely establish her precise place of birth, marriage, or death. The website should not assign those events to a modern town or an exact map point without additional evidence.
Evidence Timeline
-
Birth according to Scharf
The exact date comes from the 1888 family-informed sketch; the place is not established.
-
Named in Matthew Hilford’s will
Mary was named as a daughter and residuary heir alongside her mother Ann and siblings.
-
Documented as John Simpson’s wife
Mary joined the Hilford heirs and their husbands in conveying their interests to Thomas Hilford.
-
Conveyed land with John
John and Mary conveyed 112 acres and 7 square perches to Ezekiel Riggs near Simpson’s Cross Roads.
-
Hilford estate litigation
A Simpson and his wife sued over the wife’s share of Matthew Hilford’s estate; the couple’s identification rests on correlation with the 1772 deed.
-
Mispillion Hundred household
An older woman in John Simpson’s household is consistent with Mary, then about fifty-two.
-
Simpson households clustered
John’s household appeared among the consecutive households of Clement, John Jr., and Thomas Simpson.
-
John Simpson’s death
Scharf reports the date; later deeds document the loss of the family dwelling and farm.
-
Family homestead sold
Tax and sheriff’s-sale records describe the property after John’s death but do not establish Mary’s residence.
-
Death according to Scharf
No contemporary death, burial, or probate record has been located to independently confirm the date or place.
Family Group Sheet
- Parents
-
- Matthew Hilford
- Ann Hilford - maiden name unknown
- Spouse / family connection
- John Simpson, married by 8 May 1772
- Children and direct-line notes
-
- Nancy Simpson - reportedly died accidentally as a young woman
- Esther Simpson - died 1840
- Clement Simpson - direct-line child; moved to Ohio in 1818
- John Simpson Jr. - son; moved to Ohio in 1818
- Thomas Simpson - remained in Mispillion Hundred
Places in Mary Hilford's Life
Documentary Base
Sources
published-history
[1] Clement Cecil Simpson biographical sketch, 1888
Strong support Back to first citationCitation: J. Thomas Scharf, History of Delaware, 1609–1888, vol. 2 (Philadelphia: L. J. Richards & Co., 1888), 1174, biographical sketch of Clement Cecil Simpson; digital image, Internet Archive, scan page n807 (https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_mqwUAAAAYAAJ/page/n807/mode/2up : accessed 12 July 2026).
Access: Internet Archive digital scan of the 1888 publication; accessed 12 July 2026.
- Reports that Mary was born on 15 January 1748 and died on 19 April 1826.
- Identifies Mary as the wife of John Simpson.
- Reports that John Simpson was born in Mispillion Hundred on 28 December 1750.
- Reports that John Simpson died on 14 July 1819.
- Identifies John’s wife as Mary Hilford.
- Identifies their children as Nancy, Esther, Clement, John, and Thomas.
- Reports that Clement and the younger John moved to Ohio in 1818.
- The sketch concerns John’s grandson Clement Cecil Simpson and was published during Clement’s lifetime.
- The exact dates and complete child list are family-biographical information; contemporary records corroborate the surrounding identities, relationships, residence, and landholding pattern.
probate
[2] Will and probate file of Matthew Hilford, 1763
Contemporary record Back to first citationCitation: Delaware Public Archives, Dover, Kent County Register of Wills, probate file of Matthew Hilford, will dated 15 February 1763, proved 28 November 1763, RG 3545.000, roll 108, “Hill, Martina to Hinsley, Amos”; digital image, “Kent, Delaware, United States records,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS55-GQGW-8?view=explore : accessed 12 July 2026), image 304 of 884; Image Group Number 104399991.
Access: FamilySearch digital image of records held by the Delaware Public Archives; accessed 12 July 2026.
- Identifies Ann as Matthew Hilford’s wife.
- Identifies Mary Hilford as a daughter and residuary heir of Matthew Hilford.
- Names son Thomas, married daughter Susannah Truitt, and daughters Martha, Ann, Jane, Esther, Mary, and Rachel.
- Establishes that Matthew made his will on 15 February 1763 and that it was proved on 28 November 1763.
- Does not identify Ann’s maiden name or Mary’s future husband.
deed
[3] Matthew Hilford heirs to Thomas Hilford deed, 1772
Contemporary record Back to first citationCitation: Kent County, Delaware, Deed Records, volume S1–T1, pages 244–245, deed from the heirs of Matthew Hilford to Thomas Hilford, 8 May 1772; digital image, “Kent, Delaware, United States records,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C37X-ZSCN-2?view=explore : accessed 12 July 2026), image 637 of 671; Image Group Number 008577928; citing Kent County Recorder of Deeds.
Access: FamilySearch digital image of Kent County deed records; accessed 12 July 2026.
- Identifies Mary, wife of John Simpson, among the heirs of Matthew Hilford.
- Connects Mary Simpson directly to the Mary Hilford named as Matthew’s daughter in his 1763 will.
- Establishes the marriage of John Simpson and Mary Hilford by 8 May 1772.
- Places John and Mary within the wider Hilford heir and kinship group.
- Places Mary among the married Hilford daughters and their husbands, including the Killen, Smith, Fleming, Nickerson, Simpson, and Catto or Catts families.
- Does not give John and Mary’s marriage date.
court-case
[4] Simpson and Wife v. Helford/Hillford, 1796
Strong support Back to first citationCitation: Simpson and Wife v. Robert Helford, Administrator of Thomas Helford, 1 Del. Cas. 400 (Delaware Court of Common Pleas, Kent County, July 1796, adjourned), Bayard’s Notebook, 147; and Simpson and Wife v. Hillford, Administrator of Hillford, 1 Del. Cas. 494 (Delaware Court of Common Pleas, Kent County, July 1796), parallel account in Clayton’s Notebook; digital PDF copies supplied from Casetext and CaseMine, consulted 12 July 2026.
Access: Digital PDF copies of both published Delaware case reports, consulted 12 July 2026.
- Identifies the plaintiff’s wife as one of Matthew Hilford’s daughters and residuary legatees.
- States that Matthew appointed his wife Ann and only son Thomas as executors and that Thomas became the surviving executor.
- Documents litigation to recover the plaintiff wife’s share of the estate balance.
- Reports that two other surviving daughters brought similar suits.
- The reports do not name the plaintiff couple; identification as John and Mary Simpson depends on correlation with the 1772 Hilford-heirs deed.
- The two reports are parallel accounts of the same litigation, not independent events.
- The reports differ slightly in the estate balance and contain a chronological error in the Helford version; the discrepancies should not be silently harmonized.
deed
[5] John and Mary Simpson to Ezekiel Riggs deed, 1791
Strong support Back to first citationCitation: Kent County, Delaware, Deed Records, volume C2–D2, deed from John Simpson and Mary his wife to Ezekiel Riggs, 2 December 1791; digital images, “Kent, Delaware, United States records,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C37X-MT9B?view=explore : accessed 12 July 2026), images 223–224 of 644; Image Group Number 008577930; citing Kent County Recorder of Deeds.
Access: FamilySearch digital images of Kent County deed records; accessed 12 July 2026.
- Identifies Mary as the wife of John Simpson.
- Places John and Mary in Mispillion Hundred on 2 December 1791.
- Documents their conveyance of 112 acres and 7 square perches to Ezekiel Riggs.
- Locates the tract near Simpson’s Cross Roads, also called Guiney Town.
- Describes the property as former Moses Stuart land and portions of Mount Pleasant and Simpson’s Folly.
- Names Robert Simpson’s land as an adjoining boundary.
- The deed recites earlier title proceedings involving Samuel Savil; the precise sequence should not be summarized beyond the legible text without a fresh full transcription.
census
[6] John Simpson household, 1800 census
Contemporary record Back to first citationCitation: 1800 U.S. census, Kent County, Delaware, Mispillion Hundred, p. 92, John Simpson household, enumeration 10301-00201-0-0; National Archives microfilm publication M32, roll 4; digital image, United States, Census, 1800, FamilySearch, digital folder 004955929, image 53, indexed entry for John Simpson (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHRH-HT3 : accessed 12 July 2026); Family History Library microfilm 6413.
Access: FamilySearch indexed record and associated original census image; accessed 12 July 2026.
- Places the John Simpson household in Mispillion Hundred in 1800.
- Records one male under ten, three males aged sixteen through twenty-five, and one male aged forty-five or older.
- Records two females aged sixteen through twenty-five and one female aged forty-five or older.
- The oldest male and female are consistent with John and Mary Simpson; Mary would have been about fifty-two.
- The younger household members were not named and cannot be identified from the census alone.
- Records no other free persons and no enslaved persons in John Simpson’s household.
census
[7] Consecutive Simpson households, 1810 census
Contemporary record Back to first citationCitation: 1810 U.S. census, Kent County, Delaware, Mispillion Hundred, consecutive households of Clement Simpson, John Simpson, John Simpson Jr., and Thomas Simpson; National Archives microfilm publication M252, roll 4; digital image, United States, Census, 1810, FamilySearch, digital folder 005157121, image 37, indexed entry for Clement Simpson (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH24-KQZ : accessed 12 July 2026); Family History Library microfilm 224381.
Access: FamilySearch indexed record and associated original census image; accessed 12 July 2026.
- Places Clement Simpson, John Simpson, John Simpson Jr., and Thomas Simpson in Mispillion Hundred in 1810.
- Shows the four Simpson households entered consecutively in the enumeration.
- Distinguishes the elder John from his same-named son through the enumerator’s use of “Jr.”
- John’s household contains an older woman consistent with Mary, but the census does not name her.
- Supports a concentrated family neighbourhood before Clement and the younger John moved to Ohio.
- Does not support assigning the enslaved person associated with Thomas Simpson’s household to the elder John.
tax-record
[8] John Simpson entry in the Mispillion Hundred tax assessment, 1820
Strong support Back to first citationCitation: Kent County, Delaware, Levy Court Commissioners, Mispillion Hundred tax assessment, 1820, John Simpson entry; digital image, “Kent, Delaware, United States records,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKH-CX62?view=explore : accessed 21 May 2026), image 59 of 889; Image Group Number 008141637.
Access: FamilySearch digital image of Kent County tax records; accessed 21 May 2026.
- Records land in the name of John Simpson in the 1820 Mispillion Hundred assessment.
- Records no personal property for the entry as summarized in the supplied research.
- Is consistent with the land remaining assessed under John’s name after his reported 1819 death, but does not alone prove the date of death.
deed
[9] William Hamilton to Manlove Smith deed, 1821
Contemporary record Back to first citationCitation: Kent County, Delaware, Deed Records, volumes V2–X2, deed from William Hamilton to Manlove Smith, 20 April 1821, referring to land near the late dwelling of John Simpson, deceased; digital images, “Kent, Delaware, United States records,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSGD-G3ZQ-F?view=explore : accessed 12 July 2026), images 179–180 of 712; Image Group Number 008217891; citing Kent County Recorder of Deeds.
Access: FamilySearch digital images of Kent County deed records; accessed 12 July 2026.
- Refers to the late dwelling of John Simpson, deceased.
- Establishes that John had died by 20 April 1821.
- Provides geographic context for John’s former home and adjoining land.
- Does not establish the exact date of death.
deed
[10] Sheriff’s sale of John Simpson’s farm, 1821
Contemporary record Back to first citationCitation: Kent County, Delaware, Deed Records, volumes V2–X2, sheriff’s deed from Richard Harrington, sheriff of Kent County, to James Sharp, dated 12 June 1821, conveying John Simpson’s right and title in an 85-acre Mispillion Hundred farm following a sheriff’s sale on 19 April 1821; acknowledged 12 June 1821 and recorded 30 March 1822; digital images, “Kent, Delaware, United States records,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSGD-G348-1?view=explore : accessed 12 July 2026), images 176–177 of 712; Image Group Number 008217891; citing Kent County Recorder of Deeds.
Access: FamilySearch digital images of Kent County deed records; accessed 12 July 2026.
- Documents the sheriff’s conveyance of John Simpson’s right and title in an 85-acre Mispillion Hundred farm to James Sharp.
- States that the sheriff’s sale occurred on 19 April 1821.
- Records a purchase price of $99.
- Connects the sale to a court judgment at the suit of Jacob Biddle, John Mitchell, and James Clayton.
- Shows that the homestead passed through debt proceedings rather than an ordinary estate division.
- Records acknowledgment on 12 June 1821 and recording on 30 March 1822.