Clarence Lorenzo Simpson Jr. (1933-2016) was a

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean to its south and southwest. It ...

n jurist and politician. He served as

Associate Justice Associate justice or associate judge (or simply associate) is a judicial panel member who is not the chief justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the Supreme Court of the United States and some sta ...

of the Supreme Court,

Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

, and

Minister of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a Ministry (government department), ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of ju ...

of Liberia serving under both President

William Tubman William Vacanarat Shadrach Tubman (29 November 1895 – 23 July 1971) was a Liberian politician. He was the 19th president of Liberia and the longest-serving president in the country's history, serving from his election in 1944 until his death ...

and President

William Tolbert William Richard Tolbert Jr. (13 May 1913 – 12 April 1980) was a Liberian politician who served as the 20th president of Liberia from 1971 until 1980. Tolbert was an Americo-Liberian and trained as a civil servant before entering the House o ...

. ecords of the Office of the President ravel briefs, Liberia (01/01/1973-31/01/1973) Folder ID 772665 ISAD( WB IBRD/IDA 03 EXC-10-4540S) Reference Code eference Code ach Level Label as applicable World Bank Group Archives, Washington, D.C., United States.

Early life

Clarence Lorenzo Simpson Jr, an

Americo-Liberian Americo-Liberian people or Congo people or Congau people in Liberian English,Cooper, Helene, ''The House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood'' (United States: Simon and Schuster, 2008), p. 6 are a Liberian ethnic group of Afric ...

was born in Liberia to

Clarence Lorenzo Simpson Clarence Lorenzo Simpson Sr. (1896–1969) was a leading twentieth century Liberian politician who served as the 22nd vice president and the speaker of the House of Representatives. He served also as Secretary of State during much of World War ...

, Sr. and Abrametta Stubllefield Simpson on June 15, 1933. Clarence Lorenzo Simpson, his father served as Vice President and Secretary of State in Liberia. Clarence Lorenzo Simpson Sr. was the grandchild of John Simpson, a Florida-born ex-slave and Julia Ann Simpson, née Russell, a daughter of President

Alfred Francis Russell Alfred Francis Russell (25 August 1817 – 4 April 1884) was an Americo-Liberian missionary, planter, and politician who served as tenth president of Liberia from 1883 to 1884 after serving as vice-president under Anthony William Gardiner, whom ...

. The Simpson clan is one of the most influential

families in Liberia. Counselor Simpson received his high school diploma from

Williston Academy Williston Northampton School (simply referred to as Williston) is a private, co-educational, day and boarding college-preparatory school in Easthampton, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1841. History Williston Seminary was ...

in Easthampton, Massachusetts. After this he enrolled at the

University of Massachusetts The University of Massachusetts is the five-campus public university system and the only public research system in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The university system includes five campuses (Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell, and a medi ...

, Amherst, Massachusetts. He later took the LLB degree from

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...

in Washington, D.C. Following his return home with a law degree, Mr. Simpson, son of President Tubman’s first vice president Clarence Lorenzo Simpson, was appointed Legal Counsel of the Ministry of Public Works.

Religious life

Like many in the Simpson clan, Counselor Simpson was a devout Christian and member of the Episcopal Church of Liberia. He served as Chancellor of the Episcopal Diocese. He also served under Bishop Dillard Houston Brown, representing the Episcopal Diocese on the Board of Trustees of Phoebe Hospital, which later became a School of Nursing. After relinquishing the Chancellorship, he continued to Act as an informal advisor to the Diocese. He made constant financial and spiritual donations to the church and its members throughout the longevity of his life.

Political career

Counselor Simpson's started his political career following his return to Liberia after obtaining his law degree from

. Counselor Simpson began his career in public service as a Lecturer at the

Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law is the law school of the University of Liberia in Monrovia, Liberia. Founded in 1951, it is named after former Chief Justice of the Liberian Supreme Court, Louis Arthur Grimes. The school offers a three-year prog ...

University of Liberia The University of Liberia (UL or LU in older versions of abbreviation) is a publicly funded institution of higher learning located in Monrovia, Liberia. Authorized by the national government in 1851, the university opened in 1862 as Liberia Col ...

. Later in his career he was appointed Legal Counsel of the Ministry of Public Works. He served in many capacities of trust with distinction in the private and public sectors and also played key roles in many critical negotiations, most especially the Mount Coffee Hydro Electric Dam Project and National Highway Projects, funded by the United States and German Governments. In recognition of his vital role and remarkable performance, he was appointed at age 31, youngest to serve at this position in Liberian history at this time, by President William V. S. Tubman as Associate Justice of Supreme Court of Liberia in 1966. He also served on the Supreme Court Bench under Chief Justice A. Dash Wilson and remained in said position until 1971 when he was appointed by the late President

William R. Tolbert, Jr. William Richard Tolbert Jr. (13 May 1913 – 12 April 1980) was a Liberian politician who served as the 20th president of Liberia from 1971 until 1980. Tolbert was an Americo-Liberian and trained as a civil servant before entering the House ...

and

. Counselor Simpson was also the General Secretary of the

True Whig Party The True Whig Party (TWP), also known as the Liberian Whig Party (LWP), is the oldest political party in Liberia and one of the oldest parties in Africa. Founded in 1869 by primarily darker-skinned Americo-Liberians in rural areas, its historic ...

. In consideration of his noble, devoted and dedicated services to the Liberian Government, and excellent Legal skills demonstrated, the late Chief Justice Johnnie N. Lewis in 2006 again appointed him as Chairman, Grievance and Ethic Committee of the

Supreme Court of Liberia The Supreme Court of Liberia is the highest judicial body in the West African nation of Liberia. The court consists of the Chief Justice of Liberia, who is also the top Judiciary official, and four associate justices, who are nominated by the Pre ...

Late life

After the conclusion of the

First First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...

and

Second Liberian Civil War The Second Liberian Civil War was a conflict in the West African nation of Liberia lasted from 1999 to 2003. It was preceded by the First Liberian Civil War, which ended in 1996. President Charles Taylor came to power in 1997 after victory in t ...

s, Counselor Simpson made Brewerville, Liberia his home on Clarence Lorenzo Simpson Jr. road. He spent a large amount of time at his family home in Brewerville with his family and those around him. He took great pride in his philanthropic works. He donated massively to the people who lived in his community as well as had a large part in the foundation of the Ada B Memorial School in Bomie Township, Liberia.Darius Harvey, Grandson of Clarence Lorenzo Simpson Jr.

Family

Counselor Simpson was the child of

Sr. and Abrametta Stubllefield Simpson. Counselor Simpson married Judith Elaine Marsh Simpson in Kakata, Margibi County. Justice Simpson had 8 children; Ada Simpson, Clarence L. Simpson III, Mrs. Judith Lorraine Simpson Harvey, Mrs. Claire Simpson Emiroglu, Mrs. Clarine Simpson Vaughn, Mrs. Cheryl Simpson Cornwall, Christian Simpson, and Alpha Simpson. He was also a passionate grandfather to his many grandchildren: Whitney Cherry, Byron Hayes, Clarence Simpson IV, Russell Holland Simpson, Christophe Simpson, Alexis Vaughn, Camille Cornwall, Jared Vaughn, Cameron Cornwall, Darius Harvey, Claire Simpson, Fatih Emiroglu, Chanel Harvey, Adele Simpson, Nathan Williams, Quinn Simpson, Atticus Simpson, Jude Simpson, Julie Simpson, Creed Simpson.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Clarence Lorenzo Jr. Liberian judges Supreme Court of Liberia justices 1933 births 2016 deaths True Whig Party politicians Liberian politicians Americo-Liberian people People of Americo-Liberian descent Simpson family (Liberia) University of Massachusetts Amherst alumni Georgetown University Law Center alumni People from Monrovia 20th-century Liberian judges