Melmuth P Simmons (abt. 1823 - 1863)

Born about 1823 in South Carolina, USA [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 28 Sep 1863 at about age 40 in Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Brenda Gravitt [send private message]

Biography

I still need to find an 1870 census for MS or AL that shows Mel's widow, Mary married to John Whorton (Worton)

1st Cpl Mel Simmons was Killed in Action during the United States Civil War.

1st Cpl Mel Simmons served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: est 1861
Mustered out: Sep 28, 1863 (KIA)
Side: CSA
Regiment(s): 25th Alabama Infantry Co. D

Chickamauga Campaign: August-September 1863: Chattanooga II, Tennessee (TN018), Hamilton County and Chattanooga, August 21, 1863^[1]

7/29/2014 update info from Lola Kelley, Brenda Cockrum Gravitt, Michelle Wiseman, and Anita McCray.

march 8, 1856, James Simmons, Melmuth's brother, homesteaded 80 acres of land on Canoe Creek, West of Springville, AL. In 1857 he purchased 40 additional acres from john W. Cockrum, who is now believed to be the father of Eliza, Lucy, and Sarah Cochran. On 10/23/1861 they sold the 120 acres about one year before James enlisted in the army. We need to check to see who the land was sold to.

It is thought that Eliza Cochran's mother or grandmother was a Whorton or Horton that came from England. The family folklore goes that, to pay for her passage to America, the ancestor was "auctioned off to the high bidder" and was "purchased" by a man that she later married.

In the "book" and as of 7/29/2014, it is thought that Eliza's sister may be Lucy. In Anita McCray's oral history, Jame's brother, William, was married to Sarah Cochran and brother, Albert, was married to Lucy Cochran. The McCray's were told that they believed Sarah Cochran's parents were John and Sarah Cochran.

Michelle Wiseman has found a record on a genealogy site that shows John W. Cockhran Sr and Sarah Cochran had the following children: Sarah Jane married to William Marion Simmons, James, Lucy, Mary Ann, John W. Cochran Jr, Elias, and Elizabeth (probably Eliza for short). Therefore, it stands to reason that the 3 Simmons boys married the 3 Cochran girls.

Further evidence is that in the "book", John P. Whorton and James Simmons witnessed a land sale between 2 of the members of the Cockrum family. Additional evidence is that Sarah (married to William Simmons) named her children: Melmuth (after William's brother that died in the Civil war, and my grandfather 3x removed), Rachel, Rev. John J, Eliza, William and Sarah.

Also, it is thought that Melmuth's widow married John Whorton and they relocated to MS where Melmuth's daughter Ada and husband James Cole were living with her stepfather, John Whorton. It was an 1880 census and apparently Mary, Mel's widow, had passed away. We are searching for an 1870 AL or MS census, marriage license, or death record that shows Mary and John whorton being married.

So, it appears from our research that the Cockrum's, Simmon's, Whorton's and Yieldings have some close family ties. Brenda Cockrum Gravitt's grandmother was a Yielding that married a Cochrum, whose father had married a Simmons, whose's stepfather was a Whorton. So there you have it.

update 7/2014 Thanks to the assistance of Michelle Wiseman, Anita McCray and Lola Kelley the following information can be added. Mel/Melmuth died at the Battle of Chickamauga in Tenn on 9/20/1863. Turns out that he was married to Mary Eubanks b. 1830 on census record. I have found 7 children so far and maybe all of his siblings and some of their family's and his father, James Simmons. Simmons had close ties with the Cochran family through Melvina, Lucy, Sarah, and Eliza Cochran marriages. Some census records show he was born in 1825. LDS shows b. 1832. I have not seen military record yet.

I was told that Mel died during the Civil War. Aunt Clara Mae Anglin says (in a letter she wrote to Ramona in June 2004) he died in the Battle of Shilo (it is possible that he fought in this battle, but he did not die there) and he was born 1832. I have a note that he was married to Sarah but I have no confirmation. My sister Wanda says she found a census record showing his wife's name as Mary. 1860 Census of Beaver Valley, St. Clair Cty, AL shows wife's name as Mary.

I need to look for an 1870 census in AL or MS showing John Whorton (Worton) married to Mel's wife (simmons) after he died in the civil war. Maybe this would shed some light on Mel's wife maiden name, his children, etc. Note on LDS record says that ,Ada (daughter of Mel) and husband James Cole were living with stepfather, John Whorton (Worton) in MS during the 1880 census

anita McCray says that Mel may be Albert Simmons brother, Melmuth P. Simmons who died at Chickamauga (Co D, 25th AL). According to the 1860 census of Beaver Valley, St. Clair, AL she says he had the following children: Elizabeth b. 1850, Melvina (which would be Sarah Melvina, my great grandmother) b. 1852, margaret (Morg) b. 1855, George b.1857, and Atz or Aly (which could actually be Ada Lueser who married James Cole) b. 1860. Their next door neighbor at that time had a farm laborer named Collins Cockram age 19.

Anita also mentions James Simmons son (which I guess would also be Albert and Melmuth's brother), George A. b.1837 died 1907 and married Nannie Brown. he is buried at Friendship Cemetery. In the 1900 census it says they had 10 children with 9 still living. She didn't mention where Friendship Cemetery was located.

If Mel died in 1863 and was born in 1823-25, then he would only have been 40 when he died. He would have been about 27 before he and Mary had their first child. That means that he could have been married to a Sarah before he was married to Mary.

Research note

• Need 1870 census for AL or MS that shows Mel's widow married to John Whorton (Worton)
• 1880 census of either AL or MS.

I need to look for Melmuth P. Simmons in the military records for the Civil War for deaths at the Battle of Chickamauga.

Military

Company D - St. Clair County

25th Alabama Infantry

• Simmons, Melmoth P., killed at Chickamauga 9/20/1863. Survived by Mary S. Simmons, widow. Other records conflict on date of death

• Simmons, Rufus, deserted 10/2/1863 [NOTE: Having lost first, William, his older brother, and then Mel at Chickamauga, it is no doubt that extreme grief consumed this young man who denied the charge of desertion]

• Simmons, William P., died 12/6/1861 at Barlow's Mill. Survived by Sarah Simmons, widow ^[2]

• Simmons, Wm. T. Private
• Simmons, George Private
• Simmons, M.P. Private Promoted to 1st Cpl
• Simmons, Rufus Private ^[3]

• Muster Roll of Company D, 25th Alabama Regt, Captain A. W. Nixon, date unknown. This company marched out of Ashville, September 5, 1861.

Total, Enlisted men .............. 116^[4]

• Muster Roll of Company D, 25th Alabama Regt, Captain H .L. Morris, date unknown.

Absent, sick ..................... 24 Absent, wounded .................. 2 Absent, without leave ............ 1 Present .......................... 32

Total, Enlisted men .............. 68^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/12346048/chickamauga-campaign-august-september-1863-chattanooga-ii-tennessee-tn018-hamilton-county-chattanooga-august-21-1863
2. ↑ 25th Alabama Infantry - Company D http://www.datasync.com/~jtaylor/25alid.htm
3. ↑ 25th Alabama Infantry Co. D ROSTER
4. ↑ Original Source: Mrs. Willis Hodges, Ashville, Alabama, November 13, 1957.
5. ↑ 25th Alabama Infantry Co. D

• Copyrighted book written on the Samuel Lewis and James Simmons ancestry by a relative of Lola Kelley. She has a copy. Link on [Hopkins-3568 Lola Kelley's] profile to book written by relative on Lewis/Simmons line. This is where she got the information on death's of possibly 4 of James Simmons sons during the civil War (1861-1865)

• Oral histories from Brenda Cockrum Gravitt, Anita McCray, James Ireland Cockrum, Lewis Cockrum, Elizabeth Cockrum, Michelle Wiseman, and Lola Kelley.

• 1880 Census of Marion County, Alabama. Nettie Cockrum says in died in the Civil War (1861-1865). Aunt Clara Mae Anglin says she thinks he died at the Battle of Shiloh.

• submission id: MMD8-7VS Note in submission says that in 1880 census, Daughter Ada and husband James Cole were living with her stepfather John Worton (Whorton) in Tishomingo, Mississippi. I have seen this name spelled Whorton in the Marion Cty Alabama area.

• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHDJ-BX7 : 18 March 2020), George Simmons in entry for Melmuth Simmons, 1860.

• Link on Lola Kelley's profile to book written by relative on Lewis/Simmons line. This is where she got the information on death's of possibly 4 of james Simmons sons during the civil War (1861-1865)