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The 1840 Arctic Explorer Murder-Suicide Mystery on the Turtle River

Thomas Simpson 1840s Tragedy Unverified 5/5 wildness

On 14 June 1840, Scottish Arctic explorer Thomas Simpson—fresh from helping map large stretches of Canada's northern coast—was traveling through the Iowa Territory on his way back to Britain when his expedition collapsed into violence. Simpson had separated from a larger party of settlers and Métis travelers to move faster with four companions: Antoine Legros Sr., Antoine Legros Jr., John Bird, and James Bruce. According to the surviving depositions, Simpson became increasingly suspicious and mentally disturbed during the journey. He allegedly told Bruce that Bird and the elder Legros intended to murder him that night for his expedition papers. Simpson then shot Bird dead and mortally wounded Legros Sr. Bruce and Legros Jr. fled to the main party, after which a group returned to the camp. They found Legros dead and Simpson still alive, but he died roughly five minutes later from a gunshot wound. His shotgun was beside him, and the territorial authorities accepted the witnesses' account that he had killed the two men before taking his own life.

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Archive Record · 1840s

Tragedy5/5 wildness

The 1840 Arctic Explorer Murder-Suicide Mystery on the Turtle River

Thomas Simpson / 1840s

On 14 June 1840, Scottish Arctic explorer Thomas Simpson—fresh from helping map large stretches of Canada's northern coast—was traveling through the Iowa Territory on his way back to Britain when his expedition collapsed into violence. Simpson had separated from a larger party of settlers and Métis travelers to move faster with four companions: Antoine Legros Sr., Antoine Legros Jr., John Bird, and James Bruce. According to the surviving depositions, Simpson became increasingly suspicious and mentally disturbed during the journey. He allegedly told Bruce that Bird and the elder Legros intended to murder him that night for his expedition papers. Simpson then shot Bird dead and mortally wounded Legros Sr. Bruce and Legros Jr. fled to the main party, after which a group returned to the camp. They found Legros dead and Simpson still alive, but he died roughly five minutes later from a gunshot wound. His shotgun was beside him, and the territorial authorities accepted the witnesses' account that he had killed the two men before taking his own life.

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Thomas Simpson / 1840s

The 1840 Arctic Explorer Murder-Suicide Mystery on the Turtle River

TragedyUnverified5/5 wildness

On 14 June 1840, Scottish Arctic explorer Thomas Simpson—fresh from helping map large stretches of Canada's northern coast—was traveling through the Iowa Territory on his way back to Britain when his expedition collapsed into violence. Simpson had separated from a larger party of settlers and Métis travelers to move faster with four companions: Antoine Legros Sr., Antoine Legros Jr., John Bird, and James Bruce. According to the surviving depositions, Simpson became increasingly suspicious and mentally disturbed during the journey. He allegedly told Bruce that Bird and the elder Legros intended to murder him that night for his expedition papers. Simpson then shot Bird dead and mortally wounded Legros Sr. Bruce and Legros Jr. fled to the main party, after which a group returned to the camp. They found Legros dead and Simpson still alive, but he died roughly five minutes later from a gunshot wound. His shotgun was beside him, and the territorial authorities accepted the witnesses' account that he had killed the two men before taking his own life.

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