Rena Hay (Watkins) Simmonds (1876 - 1963)

Born 26 Jun 1876 in Quality, Butler, Kentucky, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Henry Constantine Simmonds — married 1895 in Logan, Kentucky, United States

Descendants

Died 15 Apr 1963 at age 86 in Houston, Harris, Texas, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Kris Shearer [send private message] and Kirt Fetterling [send private message]

Biography

FSFTID LHQY-LV7.

AMTID 210108545047:1030:113179109.

• Fact: Residence (1880) Londons, Butler, Kentucky, United States

Name: Rena Hay Watkins. Given Name: Rena Hay. Surname: Watkins. A Given name was found in addition to a first name in the NAME tag.

FSFTID LHQY-LV7.

AMTID 242059169895:1030:156276730.

Rena Hay Watkins was born on June 26, 1876, in Butler, Kentucky, to Susan Porter Moore, age 31, and James David "Jimmie" Watkins, age 27. She was the third of five children. ^[1]

She married Henry Constantine Simmonds in 1895 in Logan County, Kentucky, and they had eight children in 18 years. In 1900, they were living in Lewisburg, where her husband worked as a teamster. ^[2] They moved to Texas and in 1920 were living in Bell County where they lived in a rented house and Henry worked as a farm laborer. ^[3] In the 1930 census, Rena was living with her daughter, Ina, and three of her sons at 201 E 4th Street in Houston. She listed herself as widowed, although her husband was actually living with their daughter, Annie, in Abilene, Texas. ^[4] Henry died in 1937 in Colorado, so apparently they never got back together. In the 1940 census, Rena was living with the family of daughter, Jessie, in the home they owned at 832 Algregg in Houston. ^[5]

She died on April 15, 1963, in Houston, Texas, at the age of 86, and was buried there in the Earthman Resthaven Cemetery. ^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ "1880 United States Federal Census" Census Place: Londons, Butler, Kentucky; Roll: 406; Page: 319A; Enumeration District: 106
   • Rena H. Watkins, Age: 4, Birth Date: Abt 1876, Birthplace: Kentucky
   • Home in 1880: Londons, Butler, Kentucky, USA
   • James D. Watkins 31 Self (Head), Farmer
   • Susan P. Watkins 36 Wife
   • Siblings: Inez O. Watkins 7 Daughter, Joseph R. Watkins 5 Son, Anna E. Watkins 6/12 Daughter
2. ↑ "1900 United States Federal Census" Census Place: Lewisburg, Logan, Kentucky; Page: 18; Enumeration District: 0049; FHL microfilm: 1240539
   • Rena H Simmons, Age: 24, Birth Date: Jun 1876, Birthplace: Kentucky, USA
   • Home in 1900: Lewisburg, Logan, Kentucky
   • Henry Simmons 24 Head, husband
   • Children: Annie Lee Simmons Daughter, James R Simmons 3/12 Son
3. ↑ "1920 United States Federal Census" Census Place: Justice Precinct 5, Bell, Texas; Roll: T625_1776; Page: 28A; Enumeration District: 18
   • Rena H Simmons, Age: 44, Birth Year: abt 1876, Birthplace: Kentucky
   • Home in 1920: Justice Precinct 5, Bell, Texas
   • Henry Simmons 44 Head
   • Children: Benjamin B Simmons 14 Son, Jessie Simmons 12 Daughter, Robert Simmons 9 Son, Horace Simmons 8 Son, Irbez Simmons 4 Daughter
4. ↑ "1930 United States Federal Census" Census Place: Houston, Harris, Texas; Page: 21A; Enumeration District: 0037; FHL microfilm: 2342077
   • Rema Simmonds, Gender: Female, Race: White, Age in 1930: 52, Birthplace: Kentucky, Marital Status: Widowed
   • Home in 1930: Houston, Harris, Texas, USA
   • Walter W Ruehm 29 Head, son-in-law
   • Ina H Ruehm 27 Wife of Walter, daughter of Rena
     • Annie L Ruehm 9 Daughter
   • Her sons: Robert G Simmonds 19 Brother, Horace G Simmonds 18 Brother, Irby H Simmonds 14 Brother
5. ↑ "1940 United States Federal Census" Census Place: Houston, Harris, Texas; Roll: m-t0627-04190; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 258-24
   • Rena Simmons, Age: 63, Estimated Birth Year: abt 1877, Gender: Female, Race: White, Birthplace: Kentucky, Marital Status: Widowed, Relation to Head of House: Mother-in-law
   • Home in 1940: Houston, Harris, Texas, Street: 832 Algregg
   • Wilbur J Downing 38 Head, her son-in-law
   • Jessie M Downing 32 Wife, her daughter
   • Their children: Betty Jane Downing 12 Daughter, Mary Joyce Downing 8 Daughter, Wilbur J Downing Jr 5 Son, Elizabeth Downing 3 Daughter
6. ↑ Find a Grave Memorial ID 58891372 [1]

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 09 June 2016, 23:43), entry for Rena Hay Watkins(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LHQY-LV7); contributed by various users.