Benonah Simkins (1803 - 1854)

Born 23 Jul 1803 in Pennsylvania, United States

Husband of Sarah Ann (Rice) Simkins — married 2 Aug 1824 (to 19 Apr 1854) in Pennsylvania, United States

Descendants

Died 19 Apr 1854 at age 50 in Knox, Illinois, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Thomas Randolph [send private message]

Biography

Benonah was born in 1803 in Pennsylvania, the son of Ananias Simkins and Rachel Briggs. At age 21 in 1824, he married Sarah Ann Rice. They initially remained in Pennsylvania where they had their first child, who was mentally challenged (recorded as 'idiotic' in 1850). In the mid-1830s, they started moving west and had their second child in Ohio in 1835. By 1837, the family had moved to Illinois and in 1838, Benoni bought 160 acres of land near Maquon in Knox County. They settled to farm there and raised a family totaling eight children, three of whom died in infancy. In 1847, they also took in the orphan son of Benoni's brother George. The couple was active in helping to establish Maquon with Benoni serving as a commissioner of local roads. Benoni died in 1854 at the age of 50 and is buried with his wife in Maquon Cemetery in Maquon, IL.

Children:

1. Thomas, 1829-1852
2. Dean Miers, 1835-1920; m. Harriett Adah McHenry, 1859
3. Sarah Jane, 1838-1840
4. Sarah Jane 'Jane', 1840-1920; m1. James D. Huffman, 1859; m2. William Levieis Keck, 1867
5. Martha Ann, 1842-1923, m. Austin W. Buffum, 1861
6. Benona 'Benoni' Myers, 1846-1920; m. Minerva Jane Meek née Ogden, 1867; m2. Drucilla J. Simkins née Gabriel, 1882
7. Lodema 'Deamy' B., 1849-1929; m. Charles L. Phillips. 1869
8. Thomas H., 1853-1853

Adopted:

1. George Washington Simkins, 1846-1929; m1. Drucilla J. Gabriel, 1865, div. bef. 1882; m2. Lydia Bascom, 1882

Sources

• McMillan Ancestry family tree

Founding of Maquon (Simkins) Cemetery, posted at Galesburg IL Gawthrop Ancestry tree, accessed 31 Jen 2019.

The Simkins family consisting of three brothers, their wives and children, the eldest brother being my grandfather, the second Benoni, around whom this little history centers today. Hiram, the youngest, emigrated from near Pittsburgh, PA, to Martinsburg, Highland County, Ohio in 1833, engaging in agriculture of which the chief product was tobacco. A little more than two years later, they advanced to Terra Haute, Indiana, arriving there in Feb 1836. There they assisted in quarrying and hauling stone for the building of the National Bridge across the Wabash River, working until September. They journeyed on to Illinois, though having traveledd some out of the way. They crossed the Illinois River 16 miles below Lewiston, came within two miles of Lewiston November 1836, with weather very much below zero and plenty of snow, and here they camped for a month, while Benoni investigated and decided on a permanent location. Which resulted thus: Benoni purchased land located on the southwest quarter of section 34, lying northeast of the Maquon depot, with only a road between. He moved into a little log cabin on the northeast corner of the southeast 40 of this quarter section, the other two families occupying cabins about 50 foot apart on the spot now the old homestead of Aunt Betsy Selby. Only 20 acres of this land purchased by Benoni was enclosed; the remainder and all land surrounding him was open prairie.

Marriage

Residence in Pennsylvania

"United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH5S-323 : 17 August 2017), Benoni Simpkins, Jefferson, Greene, Pennsylvania, United States; citing 321, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 162; FHL microfilm 20,636.

Name: Benoni Simpkins

Event Type: Census

Event Date: 1830

Event Place: Jefferson, Greene, Pennsylvania, United States

Page: 321

Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29: 2 [Benoni, ??Thomas??]

Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29: 1 [Sarah]

Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 3

Total Free White Persons: 3

Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 3

Residence in Illinois

State of Illinois. Illinois, Public Land Purchase Records, 1813-1909 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.

Name: Benoni Simpkins

Section: SW

Price per Acre: 1.25

Total Price: 200.00

Date: 1 Nov 1838

Volume: 696

Page: 140

Type: FD

Sect: 34

Township: 10N

Range: 03E

Meridian: 4

Acres: 160.00

Corr-Tag: 0

ID: 286706

Reside: 000

Ancestry.com. U.S. General Land Office Records, 1776-2015 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.

Name: Benoni Simkins

Issue Date: 3 Nov 1840

Place: Knox, Illinois, USA

Land Office: Quincy

Meridian: 4th PM - 1815 Illinois

Township: 10-N

Range: 3-E

Section: 34

Accession Number: IL4110__.412

Document Number: 14035

Original URL: http://glorecords.blm.gov/deta...

Source Citation: Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records; Washington D.C., USA; Federal Land Patents, State Volumes

"United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHB8-PTF : 15 August 2017), Benona Simpkins, Knox, Illinois, United States; citing p. 72, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 62; FHL microfilm 7,643.

Name: Benona Simpkins

Event Type: Census

Event Date: 1840

Event Place: Knox, Illinois, United States

Page: 72

Free White Persons - Males - Under 5: 1 [Dean]

Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14: 1 [Thomas]

Free White Persons - Males - 40 thru 49: 1 [Benoni]

Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39: 1 [Sarah]

Free White Persons - Under 20: 2

Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 2

Total Free White Persons: 4

Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 4

"United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8RM-WB1 : 12 April 2016), Benonah Simpkins, Knox county, part of, Knox, Illinois, United States; citing family 483, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

Name: Benonah Simpkins

Event Type: Census

Event Year: 16 Sep 1850

Event Place: Knox county, part of, Knox, Illinois, United States

Gender: Male

Age: 45

Race: White

Birth Year (Estimated): 1805

Birthplace: Pennsylvania

House Number: 463

Household (Role Sex Age Birthplace):

Benonah Simpkins, M, 45, Farmer, real estate value: 2000; Pennsylvania;

Sarah Simpkins, F, 44, Pennsylvania;

Thomas Simpkins, M, 19, Pennsylvania; Condition: Idiotic

Dian Simpkins, F, 14, Ohio; attended school

Sarah Simpkins, F, 9, Illinois; attended school

Martha Simpkins, F, 7, Illinois; attended school

Benonah Simpkins, M, 4, Illinois; attended school

George Simpkins, M, 4, Illinois; attended school

Alexander Donison, M, 16, Laborer, Ohio; attended school

Joseph Huston, M, 26, Laborer, Delaware;

Note: living near Noah Simpkins household and next to Hiram Simplins household

Death

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 26 January 2019), memorial page for Benonah “Benoni” Simkins (23 Jul 1803–19 Apr 1854), Find A Grave Memorial no. 69719040, citing Maquon Cemetery, Maquon, Knox County, Illinois, USA ; Maintained by Tom and Nancy Gawthrop (contributor 47512913) .

Name: Benonah “Benoni” Simkins

Birth: 23 Jul 1803 Somerset County, Pennsylvania, USA

Death: 19 Apr 1854 (aged 50) Knox County, Illinois, USA

Burial: Maquon Cemetery, Maquon, Knox County, Illinois, USA

Plot: Section 1

Memorial #: 69719040

Inscription: Ae 50Yrs 8Mo 26Ds

Family Members

Spouse: Sara Ann Rice Simkins 1805-1890

Children: Thomas Simkins 1829-1852, Dean Miers Simkins 1835-1920, Sarah Jane Simkins 1838-1840, Sarah Jane Simkins Keck 1840-1920, Martha Ann Simkins Buffum 1842-1923, Lodema B. Simkins Phillips 1849-1929, Thomas H. Simkins 1852-1852

Maintained by: Tom and Nancy Gawthrop (47512913)

Originally Created by: cj (46953377)

Added: 12 May 2011

Photo?: yes

Inscription: "Benoni Simkins; Died; Apr. 19, 1854; Aged; 50 Yrs 8 Mo 26 Ds; [verse illegible from photo]"