Jean Walker Simpson,
1897- 1980
Jean Simpson founded the library in what was her grandfather’s and then her uncle’s general store in East Craftsbury. She founded the East Hill Players in 1923, and for the next five decades organized community Shakespeare and other community theater productions in the summertime. She was instrumental in the start of Old Home Day, an annual community celebration in Craftsbury that continues to this day. Many remember her riding in a chariot in the parade. She led the girl scouts for decades, and they held their meetings at the library.
Many remember the twinkle in her eye, her love of her dogs, and her daily swims in the brook and walks up Patmos Peak. To get a sense of Miss Jean and her life in the community, click here to read a Vermont Life article written 1977, profiling Miss Jean and cousin, Mary Jean, who also lived in East Craftsbury.
IF you have memories or stories of Miss Jean to share, please contact us! We are gathering stories and would love to hear yours. You can fill out the form on our History page, or contact us to set up a time to record your story.
Jean, age 16, with her father
Jean, age 13, with her father John Woodruff Simpson
Jean and her mother, Kate, hiking in the white mountains, 1919
Jean and her mother on the summit of Mount Cannon, NH
Miss Jean as Hamlet with the East Hill Players