John Cleves Symmes Jr. (abt. 1780 - 1829)

Born about 5 Nov 1780 in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Anne (Peltier) Symmes — married 25 Dec 1808 in Fort Adams, Wilkinson, Mississippi Territory, United States

Descendants

Died 29 May 1829 at about age 48 in Hamilton, Butler County, Ohio, United States

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Biography

John Symmes Jr. is Notable.

John Cleves Symmes was born in Sussex County, New Jersey, on November 5, 1780 ("Vinton" cites "1779" - See Research Notes), the son of Timothy Symmes and his second wife, Mercy Harker.^[1][2][3][4] He was named after his uncle, Judge John Cleves Symmes, and was often referred to using his military rank or with the suffix of "Jr." as a way to distinguish him from his uncle.

He married Mrs. Mary Anne Lockwood née Pelletier, widow of Capt. Benjamin Lockwood, at Fort Adams, Wilkinson County, Mississippi Territory, on December 25, 1808 (license granted at Wilkinson County, Mississippi Territory, December 18, 1807^[5]). She already had at that time a family of five daughters and one son. On December 21, 1809, Symmes was appointed guardian to these minor children, who were then all under the age of 14. They became sincerely attached to their new step-father. Son Anthony W. Lockwood even traveled with him in September 1825, while Symmes conducted a series of lectures on his Theory of Concentric Spheres in Ohio. Capt. Benjamin Lockwood, at the time of his death, owned land in Brown County, Ohio. Symmes kept up the tax payments on the land and when the Lockwood children reached the age of maturity, he turned it over to them free and unencumbered.^{[4][6][7][8][9]} John and Mary Ann Symmes had five children of their own:^[4][10]

1. Louisiana Symmes, born February 5, 1810; married (1) 1832, James W. Taylor, (2) 1843, Joel Baker; died 1853.^[10]
2. Americus Symmes, born November 2, 1811; married, (1) 1832, Anna Millikin, (2) Frances Scott.^[10]
3. William Henry Harrison Symmes, born May 1813; married, (1) 1840, _______, (2) 1854, Mrs. ____ Barger.^[10]
4. Elizabeth Symmes, born 1814; died 1821.^[10]
5. John Cleves Symmes, born October 25, 1824; married Marie Lipowitz.^[10]

John was an American Army officer (See: Military Service), trader, and lecturer. He is best known for his 1818 variant of the Hollow Earth Theory, which introduced the concept of openings to the inner world at the poles (See: Hollow Earth Theory).

In 1816 Captain Symmes retired from the army and took up residence in St. Louis, where he engaged in furnishing supplies for the troops stationed on the upper Mississippi, and in trading with the Fox Indians, for which he had a special license from Governor Clark, of Missouri Territory. His trading business was not as profitable as he had hoped, so in 1819 he removed from St. Louis and settled at Newport, Kentucky, where he remained until 1824, when he removed to his farm, given to him by his uncle and namesake, near Hamilton, Ohio.^[11]

Capt. John Cleves Symmes died in Hamilton, Ohio, on May 29, 1829, at the age of 48 ("49 years and 6 months" - Vinton). He was buried with full military honors at the Hamilton Burying Ground in Hamilton, where a memorial was later erected by son, Americus Symmes.^[4][12]

His wife survived him and lived mostly with her oldest son, Americus. She died August 5, 1864, at Mattoon, Illinois, while visiting her son, Dr. William Henry Harrison Symmes.^[4][10]

Military Service

On April 2, 1804, at the age of twenty-two John Cleves Symmes entered the army of the United States as an ensign. On May 1, 1804, he was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant; and on January 20, 1812, he received a commission as captain. He continued to serve in that capacity during the war, and until the disbanding of the army in 1816.^[11]

He was stationed successively at Fort Coupee, Louisiana; Fort Adams, fifty miles below Natchez on the Mississippi, and at New Orleans.^[11]

At the commencement of the War of 1812, He was senior captain of the first regiment of United States Infantry, stationed at the mouth of the Misssouri river. In 1814 they were ordered to join the army of General Brown on the Northern frontier. They reached Canada on July 25, 1814, the day the battle of Bridgewater or Lundy's Lane was fought. General Brown, in his official report, makes honorable mention of the bravery of Captain Symmes in this battle.^[11]

In 1816 Captain Symmes retired from the army and took up residence in St. Louis, where he engaged in furnishing supplies for the troops stationed on the upper Mississippi, and in trading with the Fox Indians, for which he had a special license from Governor Clark, of Missouri Territory.^[11]

Hollow Earth Theory

Preface of circular requesting money and volunteers to research John's Hollow Earth Theory:

To All The World:
I declare the earth is hollow and habitable within; containing a number of solid concentrik spheres, one within the other, and that it is open at the poles twelve or sixteen degrees. I pledge my life in support of this truth, and am ready to explore the hollow, if the world will support and aid me in the undertaking.
-- Jno. Cleves Symmes, Of Ohio, late Captain of Infantry. St. Louis (Missouri Territory), North America, April 10, A.D. 1818.^[13]

Research Notes

• Birth: McBride, along with the FindAGrave memorial, cite his birth year as "1780,"^[2] but "Vinton" cites "1779" and that he died "aged 49 years 6 months;"^[4] a fact that is also reproduced in the FindAGrave memorial citing a plaque at the gravesite for which there is no photo.
• Death: His death date is cited as May 29, 1829, by several sources, including the biography posted on his FindAGrave Memorial, but curiously not by the death field there.^[4][14]

Sources

1. ↑ Early Settlers of Butler County, Ohio: Volume II. Page 229. Citing: "Timothy Symmes ... second marriage ... Mary Harker ... four sons ... John Cleves."
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Early Settlers of Butler County, Ohio: Volume II. Page 232. Citing: "John Cleves Symmes birth. Early Military."
3. ↑ Symmes Memorial: Page 65. Citing: "113. Timothy Symmes ... married, second ... Mercy Harker ... children ... by second wife ... 208 John Cleves, b. Nov. 5, 1779; m. Mrs. Marianne Lockwood."
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6} Symmes Memorial: Pages 95-98. Citing: "208 John Cleves Symmes."
5. ↑ "Mississippi Marriages, 1800-1911", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V28Y-CKH : 14 February 2020), John Clives Sims, 1807.
   Transcript of Image, Page 32: "Know all men by these presents that we John Clives Sims and Benjamin Therrell both of the County of Wilkinson and Mississippi Territory, are held and firmly bound unto the Governor of the Mississippi Territory & his succefsors in office, in the sum of two hundred dollars which payment will and truly to be made we bind ourselves and each of our Heirs Executors and Administrators, jointly and Severally formly by these presents Sealed with our seals and dated the 18^th day of December in the year 1807.
   The condition of the above obligation is such that where as the above bound John Cleves Sims hath this day prayed and obtained a license to be joined in marriage to Mrs Mary Ann Lockwood of this County. Now if there is no lawful cause to obstruct the marriage for which the license was granted, then the above obligation to be void, otherwise to be and remain in full force and virtue."
6. ↑ Early Settlers of Butler County, Ohio: Volume II. Page 241. Citing: Marriage to Mary Anne Lockwood.
7. ↑ The Southern Bivouac: Volume II. John Cleves Symmes, The Theorist. Page 558. Citing: "Captain Symmes ... married, at Fort Adams, Louisiana, Mrs. Mary Lockwood, widow of the late Captain Benjamin Lockwood, U.S.A., by whom she had five daughters and a son. Her maiden name was Pelletier."
8. ↑ Descendants of Robert Lockwood: Pages 198-200. Citing: "364 John Lockwood ... [unable to ascertain the name of John's wife] ... Children ... 897. Benjamin Lockwood, born about 1770, in Virginia.
   He died at Fort Adams, [Mississippi] below Natchez, [July 29th, 1807], and his widow, Mrs Mary Anne Lockwood, afterwards married Capt. John Clercs[sic] Symmes. ... He had at that time five daughters and one son. ... Capt. Symmes lectured in the Eastern States with his step-son Anthony W. Lockwood in 1825."
9. ↑ Hamilton County, Ohio, Records: Page 57. Citing: "BENJAMIN LOCKWOOD, Capt. U.S. A.
   Attest of Heirs Made 12-13-1809.
   eldest dau: Madalaine Julia, at St. Joseph ' s, Canada
   son: Anthony Wayne, in Newport dau: Martha Washington Lockwood, Maria Washington Lockwood, Matilda D.Washington Lockwood, and Missouri Washington Lockwood, all in Newport Guardian: 12-21-1809 John Cleves Symmes appointed guardian for these minors, all under 14.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6} Early Settlers of Butler County, Ohio: Volume II. Pages 249-252. Citing: Five children. Death of wife.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4} Early Settlers of Butler County, Ohio: Volume II. Pages 232-240. Citing: Military Service.
12. ↑ "New Jersey Deaths and Burials, 1720-1988", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZHH-YQM : 19 January 2020), John Cleves Symmes, 1829.
13. ↑ Early Settlers of Butler County, Ohio: Volume II. Page 243. Citing: Hollow Earth Theory.
14. ↑ Early Settlers of Butler County, Ohio: Volume II. Page 248. Citing "Death: 29th of May, 1829."

See also:

• Arthur, Glenn Dora Fowler. Annals of the Fowler Family. (Glenn Dora Fowler Arthur, Austin, Texas, 1901). Pages 139-143.
• Dickoré, Marie, and Natalie Thornburgh. Hamilton County, Ohio, Marriage Records, 1808-1820, And Wills (abstracts) 1790-1810. Cincinnati: Ohio, 1959.
• Duke, Basil W. & Knott, R.W. The Southern Bivouac: A Monthly Literary And Historical Magazine. Louisville, KY: B.F. Avery & Sons, Publishers, 1887.
• Holden, Frederic. & Lockwood, E. Dunbar. Descendants of Robert Lockwood. (Philadelphia, PA., 1889).
• McBride, James. Pioneer Biography: Sketches of the Lives of Some of the Early Settlers of Butler County, Ohio. Cincinnati: Robert Clarke & Co., 1871.
• Vinton, John Adams. The Symmes Memorial. (David Clapp & Son, Boston, 1873).
• HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY, LEADERS OF THE HALF CENTURY. Citing: James McBride, John Cleves Symmes. Accessed 26 Mar 2020.
• Find A Grave, database and images (accessed 23 March 2020), memorial page for CPT John Cleves Symmes, Jr (5 Nov 1780–28 May 1829), Find A Grave: Memorial #181255476, citing Hamilton Burying Ground, Hamilton, Butler County, Ohio, USA ; Maintained by JRD (contributor 48303691).
• John Cleves Symmes, Jr. at Wikipedia.
• Wikidata: Item Q1699624
• Fort Adams, Mississippi at Wikipedia.

• McBride, James. James McBride's scrapbook of articles on the hollow earth theory lectures of John Symmes 1819.
• Symmes, John Cleves, 1780-1829, and Americus Symmes. The Symmes Theory of Concentric Spheres: Demonstrating That the Earth Is Hollow, Habitable Within, And Widely Open About the Poles. Louisville, Ky.: Printed by Bradley & Gilbert, 1878.
• Symmes, John Cleves, Symzonia: a Voyage of Discovery. New York: Printed by J. Seymour, 1820. (A fictional work ascribed to Symmes).
• Butler Area Public Library, Obituary Index, Obit Record: Name: SYMMES, John Cleves, Title: Capt., Age: 49 Years, Newspaper: Butler Centinel/Butler Sentinel, Date/Page: 13 Jun 1829 p3, Film #: 066, Comments: Hamilton, Butler Co., Ohio
• Connecticut, Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934. (Ancestry.com $)
• Rhode Island, Vital Extracts, 1636-1899. (Ancestry.com $)