Leslie A. Simpson
Leslie A. Simpson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Deer Isle, Maine, U.S. |
| Died | September 29, 1926 (aged 57) |
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer, politician |
| Known for | President pro tempore of the North Dakota Senate (1909–1911) |
Leslie A. Simpson (December 7, 1868 – September 29, 1926) was a prominent American lawyer and political figure who held the position of president pro tempore of the North Dakota Senate between 1909 and 1911.
Early life
Born in Deer Isle, Maine, Simpson resided in Portland, Maine until 1886 before enrolling at the University of Minnesota. He studied law under the mentorship of George P. Flannery in Minneapolis and gained admission to the Minnesota bar in 1889. In 1891, he married Rosaline Messersmith.
Legal career
Simpson established a legal practice in Dickinson, North Dakota in 1889; this firm has continued to operate today as Mackoff Kellogg Law Firm. Although he was disbarred in 1900 due to unprofessional behavior, he was reinstated three years later in 1903. Among his notable cases was the high-profile Russell will case in 1909, which involved contested claims to the estate of Massachusetts legislator Daniel Russell. After extensive evidence and witness testimonies were presented, Judge George F. Lawton ruled against Simpson’s client, deeming them an impostor and dismissing the claim.
In 1921, Governor Lynn Frazier appointed Simpson as prosecutor in a murder trial; the accused was ultimately acquitted. That same year, Simpson and former Stark County sheriff T. N. Hartung faced accusations of obstructing justice related to purported assistance given to alleged boxcar robbers who enlisted in the United States Army during World War I; however, Judge Andrew Miller dismissed the charges in 1922.
Politics
Simpson served two terms after being elected to the North Dakota House of Representatives in 1892 and held the office of Stark County state attorney from 1896 until 1900. During the Spanish–American War, he was part of the 3rd United States Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, also known as Grigsby's Cowboys. He led the state's Republican convention as chairperson in 1900. In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him receiver of public moneys based in Dickinson.
Representing the Thirty-First Legislative District, Simpson served multiple terms in the North Dakota Senate across six legislative sessions and held the role of president pro tempore from 1909 to 1911. He sought the Republican nomination for the United States House of Representatives from North Dakota's 3rd congressional district in both 1912 and 1914 but was defeated on both occasions by Patrick Norton.
Business
Simpson significantly contributed to the growth of Dickinson and Stark County. He helped establish Gladstone State Bank in Gladstone, North Dakota, where he also served as president, and acted as vice president for Farmers State Bank located in Dickinson. Additionally, he co-founded the Missouri Slope Land and Investment Company, which acquired approximately 120,000 acres for development purposes in western North Dakota. At his passing, Simpson ranked among North Dakota’s largest landowners with considerable real estate holdings extending into Florida.
Death
After experiencing a mild heart attack on September 26, 1926, Simpson briefly improved before suffering a fatal heart attack on September 28. He passed away the following morning due to heart disease.