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Descendants of John Simmons
6.JAMES GRANT3 SIMMONS (ADAM2, JOHN1) was born July 30, 1778 in York County, PA, and died June 21, 1855 in Clermont County, OH.He married SARAH EVANS June 23, 1797 in Mason County, KY.
Notes for JAMES GRANT SIMMONS:
James Grant Simmons was born July 30, 1778, in York County, Pa. He married Sarah Evans on June 23, 1797, in Mason County, Kentucky; she died September 23, 1855. Sarah Evans was born May 4, 1775, in Maryland.
James Simmons was a farmer and a prominent Methodist, "having the pleasure of entertaining the first minister of this circuit." (Williams, p. 387.) This must have been the Rev. John Collins, who was the first Methodist minister in this part of the country.One of James's sons married the daughter of the Rev. Collins.
His nephew James B. Simmons wrote, "Uncle James was a class leader in the Methodist Episcopal church for thirty-eight years, and a steward for twenty years.He was naturally a leader of society.He was of full size, dark hair and eyes, of pleasant address, and had a great influence in his neighborhood."
James Simmons was the agent for William Parker, who owned vast tracts of land; James managed the sales of land for Colonel Parker.
He is mentioned frequently in Rockey's History of Clermont County, as is James Burke Simmons, who provided much of the historical backgrounds and descriptions, and information for this county history. (James B. -29).There is a wealth of information in this history, as well as Williams' book, for a Simmons researcher.
When James started to sell his half of the Parker land, he found the title imperfect.The dispute of title was compromised, though some of the first settlers lost possession.Col. Parker of Lexington, Ky., paid the land holders, so they only lost about $1 or $1.50 an acre.
James Simmons built the first house in the town of Laurel, which at that time was called Clermont.This house was still standing in 1880.He also opened the second store in the area in 1838.Three other Simmons....(businesses)....followed suit.He was also the first postmaster for Laurel (Clermont) accepting his office on October 17, 1842.
James Simmons died on June 21, 1855, three months before his wife.
Children of JAMES SIMMONS and SARAH EVANS are:
i. | WILLIAM4 SIMMONS, b. June 02, 1798, Mason County, KY; d. 1874, Xenia, OH; m. MARY COLLINS. |
More About WILLIAM SIMMONS: Ordination: Methodist minister for 54 years |
ii. | HATTON SIMMONS, b. July 26, 1800, Mason County, KY; d. October 13, 1886. |
Notes for HATTON SIMMONS: Hatton Simmons was born July 26, 1800.He married Esther Nichols on February 22, 1824. Esther was born June 1, 1796, and died February 16, 1864, and was the elder of two daughters born to Nathan and Hannah Nichols. (See James-5 and James-29.) Hatton bought land from Mr. Rogers and his sons, and was a member of Company Seven, 2nd Regt., 3rd Brigade, 8th Division, Ohio Militia organized on the Simmons farm of which James-29 was the captain.At the family reunion in 1878, Hatton was the oldest member present.He lived in Laurel, Clermont County, Ohio. After Esther died in 1864, Hatton married Mrs. Rebecca (Ross) Allen on May 16, 1869. Rebecca was born in 1824, the daughter of James and Vashti (Bowers) Ross.She was the youngest of thirteen children and died in 1901.Her first husband was Simeon Allen, who was born September 3, 1819, in Massachusetts and died in 1869. Their daughter Mary Elizabeth married Hatton's son William.Hatton died October 13, 1886. (Williams, pp. 387-9.) |
iii. | MARY SIMMONS, b. December 10, 1802; d. March 16, 1863; m. ROBERT NICHOLS. | ||
iv. | ELISHA BOWMAN SIMMONS, b. February 13, 1805. |
Notes for ELISHA BOWMAN SIMMONS: Elisha B. Simmons was born February 13, 1805.He married Elizabeth Gatch, daughter of Conduce and Margaret (McGrew) Gatch, on September 8, 1831.Conduce Gatch, born Oct 12, 1783 and died Dec 20, 1851, married Margaret McGrew, daughter of Andrew McGrew, February 26, 1807. Conduce was a son of Philip Gatch. (See James-40; Benjamin-41; Adam-43.) Elizabeth Gatch was born in 1811.She and Elisha were married by the Rev. George Gatch.Elizabeth died when her only child was two weeks old, Aug 2, 1832. Child of Elisha Bowman and Elizabeth (Gatch) Simmons; 102=i. William Conduce Gatchb. Jul 14, 1832d. Dec 28, 1852 In 1834 Elisha Bowman Simmons married Rachel Lynch, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1804.She died May 1, 1842. Children of Elisha Bowman and Rachel (Lynch) Simmons: 103=i. Rebecca W.b. Jan 24, 1835 104=ii. Mary N.b. Oct1, 1836 105=iii. John Bazzleb. Mar 14, 1838 iv. Amanda P.b. Aug 21, 1839d. Feb 23, 1840 v. Thomas Lynchb. Aug 28, 1841d. Mar9, 1842 (from John W. Simmons, son of John Bazzle Simmons; also Clermont County Cemetery Records.) Elisha then married Ruth Applegate, who was born March 16, 1798, and who died February 29, 1876. Elisha Simmons died eighteen hours later on February 29, 1876, of pneumonia, in Monroe, Clermont County. Elisha was the guardian of his grandchild Elizabeth when she was left an orphan. (See William Conduce-102.) In his diary (in the possession of Dorothy Ruth Simmons, granddaughter of John Bazzle-105, he had the following entry on July 12, 1863: "Letty (Mary) died today and has left dear little E.G. Simmons motherless.I am to take her into my care... Friday I brought her home with me." He also had four pages of items purchased for Elizabeth in the years 1863-1867.Following are excerpts: "1863Sept1 pr. Calf Bootees$1.75 Oct. 133 1/4 yds. of Gingham at 30 cts pe yd..98 Nov. 14two combs fine and course, & one long.50 another tuck comb, she broke one.30 18645th Reader and Grammar1.10 Arithmetic and Geography.90 1866first and second Ray's Arithmetic1.25 one pair shoes1.00 1867fited up & took to Indianapolis in Sept. one trunk & clothing20.00 her fare on Boat & Cars going out5.60" (V.G. Markham. p. 519.) (J.B. Simmons, p. 74; V.G. Markham, pp. 519-20; J. Rogers; Williams, p. 388; Olsen and Ditter) |
v. | JAMES GRANT SIMMONS, b. June 15, 1807, Mason County, KY; d. March 06, 1892. |
Notes for JAMES GRANT SIMMONS: James Simmons, born June 15, 1807, married Elizabeth Gatch Matson on Dec 13, 1830, in Clermont County.Elizabeth Matson was the daughter of Elizabeth (Gatch) and Aaron Matson and was born in 1812. Her mother, Elizabeth Gatch, born Feb 7, 1786, was the daughter of Elizabeth (Smith) and Philip Gatch, who were married June, 1778.Philip was born near Baltimore, Md., March 2, 1751.A member of the Church of England, he was converted to Methodism in 1772. After his marriage, he and Elizabeth suffered persecution because of their religion and moved to Buckingham Co., Va.There Philip freed all his wife's slaves in 1780.They moved to Clermont County, where Philip was an associate judge.Elizabeth, sister of Conduce Gatch, (See Elisha-39) married Aaron Matson, who was born in Pennsylvania Nov 2, 1776, and died April 13, 1857.He was the first postmaster of Milford, Ohio.Elizabeth died July 16, 1834. Elizabeth Gatch (Matson) and James Simmons later moved to Sedalia, Pettis Co., Missouri.Elizabeth died there January 25, 1888, and James died March 6, 1892.Both are buried in Sedalia.James was postmaster of his community. Children of James and Elizabeth (Matson) Simmons: 106=i. Aaron Matsonb. May 17, 1832d. Sep 16, 1894 ii. Philip Gatch m. Laura Lane, b. Jul 29, 1842 and who died April 4, 1919. Two infants died. Married Oct. 27, 1869. d. October 21, 1902, bur. Little Rock. iii. Saram. William Dial.Sara bur on Simmons lot. iv. Williamd. February 26, 1871, unmarried. v. Lucindab. 1843 m. Joseph Hillis.No children. d. January 6, 1872. Bur Crown Hill, Sedal. vi. George G.d. January 25, 1917, San Diego. unmarried. vii. Charles Wesleym. No children. Wife died Jan 10, 1895. d. May 6, 1897, bur. Sedalia. viii. Maryb. 1850 m. Hugh C. Crawford.He died Oct 20, 1888, and is buried Colorado Springs.One child, Hubert, died Jan 24, 1891. d. March 27, 1931. (Rockey, pp. 462-3; V.O. Markham, pp. 52, 88.) |
vi. | LEONARD SIMMONS, b. January 03, 1810, Mason County, KY. | ||
vii. | ELEANOR ANN SIMMONS, b. April 10, 1812, Mason County, KY; m. THOMAS HITCH. | ||
viii. | JOHN BAZZLE SIMMONS, b. June 15, 1814; d. January 07, 1835, Montgomery County, OH. | ||
ix. | BENJAMIN HANSON SIMMONS, b. May 12, 1819. |
Notes for BENJAMIN HANSON SIMMONS: Benjamin Hanson Simmons was born May 12, 1819.He married Euphemia Gatch Matson, the daughter of Aaron and Elizabeth (Gatch) Matson.Her older sister Elizabeth married James-40 and her sister Mary Cloud married Adam Lakin-43. Euphemia Matson was born October 7, 1820.She and Benjamin Simmons were married October 31, 1839.They lived in Laurel, Ohio.Euphemia died there March 9, 1845, the mother of three children. (Waters and Milliken.) Her father Aaron was postmaster & surveyor. Benjamin was the postmaster of Laurel in 1845 and owned a store there, as wellas a farm.He must have married a second time, as he is listed with five children.He was also the "heavyweight" at the fifth family reunion held in 1883, weighing two hundred pounds. In later life he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. Children of Benjamin Hanson and Euphemia (Matson) Simmons: (Three are Euphemia's; two are 2nd wife's) i. Mary m. Mr. Stewart, a Presbyterian minister.No children. ii. Euphemia- Did not marry. iii. Georgem. Georgia Utter. Had two children. iv. Belle v. Benjamin (V.G. Markham, p. 53; Simmons Scrapbook; Williams.) |