John Simpson

Major John Simpson (December 1, 1748 – October 28, 1825) was an American Revolutionary War soldier from Deerfield, New Hampshire. He is one of several men traditionally described as having fired the first shot on the American side at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Military career After the shooting in the Revolutionary War began at Lexington and Concord, Simpson joined a company of militiamen under Captain Henry Dearborn. The company marched to Boston and joined the siege of that town. At the Battle of Bunker Hill, Colonel John Stark instructed his men of the 1st New Hampshire Regiment to hold their fire until the British had reached a certain point. According to the story, Simpson fired early and was arrested the next day for disobeying orders, but was not punished. Two blacks were given to them by Whidden's mother. which is now part of the Old Deerfield Center Historic District. Simpson is featured on a New Hampshire historical marker (number 25) along the concurrency of Route 107 and Route 43 in Deerfield.