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“GRANDMA’S BUTTON HOUSE”
Donated to the Zeigler Community Library, August 9, 2005
By Leroy & Vera Mills of Zeigler, Illinois
(note: the following was copied exactly as on the display card)
Mrs. Cora L. Simpson, November 12, 1875 – May 21, 1955, lived in Plumfield, Illinois for the last 43 years of her life. Mrs. Simpson was married to Mr. Henry Tell Simpson on April 4, 1894. They had nine children; Claude, Virgil, Roy, Perl, Gaynell, Dimple, Harry, Nettie and Jewell. Dimple and Roy preceded her in death.
Mrs. Simpson was blessed with seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, six nephews, one niece and a host of other relatives and friends. She had three sisters and four brothers.
Mrs. Simpson started the collection of 17,000 buttons in 1935. Due to confinement because of physical illness, she started corresponding with “pen pals” throughout the world. As a result, the idea of Collecting Buttons for a hobby appealed to her. In order to display her Button Collection, the idea of a BUTTON HOUSE AND GARAGE was accomplished. The Button House has 4,520 buttons, completed on June 4, 1938, and the Garage has 3,590 buttons, completed on November 11, 1938. She was 62 at the time of completion.
Mrs. Simpson could identify every button which had a significant meaning to her. They tell much of the history of the U.S. States and many Foreign Countries. For instance, one button is off the uniform of Saul Colley, a policeman who guarded four U.S. Presidents; Harding, Coolidge, Hoover and F.D. Roosevelt. A very special button-very ornate, is from the uniform of a Royal Guard who protected the King of England for 25 years. There are Buttons from the uniforms of Veterans who fought in the Civil War, Cuban War, World War I and World War II. One very interesting button is a tiny glass one from the suit of an old Indian Chief who lived in Montana over one hundred years ago. There are buttons representing 48 States and 21 Foreign Countries.
The BUTTON HOUSE AND GARAGE have received BLUE RIBBONS, FIRST PRIZE, at the Springfield and DuQuoin State Fairs (in Illinois) in 1939. Also, there have been many people from all over the world come to visit and admire Mrs. Simpson’s BUTTON COLLECTION.
As a result of her hobby, Mrs. Simpson was responsible for starting a Stamp Collection for her grandson Lyndell D. Dunlap, originally from Highland Park and Northbrook, Illinois; now retired and living in Zeigler, Illinois. The Stamp Collection represents over 200,000 stamps, (the 50 States and 42 Foreign Countries).
The many letters that Mrs. Simpson received with the Buttons have been lost since her death.
There are three of her children still living; Mr. Jewell Simpson, Crescent, Oklahoma, Mrs. Nettie Sullivan and Mr. Harry Simpson of West Frankfort, Illinois
Last updated on September 9, 2005 - Close window when finished