Biography
Jean Walker Simpson was a philanthropist who established and ran the John Woodruff Simpson Memorial Library in the location of her grandfather's general store, which she often visited as a child and moved into the house next door later in life. She opened the library in 1921 and named it after her father who died the year before. She donated many interesting and odd antiquities that she had acquired in her world travels to the establishment. A nonprofit organization now runs the library and it is sustained by Simpson's endowment. During her years in Craftsbury, she also led the first Girl Scout troop in Craftsbury, served two terms in the Vermont State Legislature, served on the school board, and was an animal rights activist.
Simpson grew up in Manhatten, New York and was an only child. Her father was a prominent lawyer whose clients included the Carnegies. Her mother was an art lover who donated collections to the National Gallery in Washington D.C. and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Simpson was taught to speak six languages and to read Greek and Latin by her private tutors. Like her mother, she possessed a love for art and, in addition, traveled worldwide. Friend and famous photographer, Edward Steichen, photographed her and the portrait now belongs to the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Simpson promoted Shakespeare through 50 years of performances by the East Hill Players in Craftsbury. She purchased numerous sets and costumes for the occasions. She earned honorary degrees from UVM and Middlebury College for this work. She was the first cousin of Mary Jean Simpson, another influential Craftsbury town member and Jean Walker's next door neighbor.Education
Honorary Degrees from Middlebury College and UVMOccupation
Philanthropist
Vermont Legislator