William H. Simmons (abt. 1801 - abt. 1860)

Born about 1801 in Wilkes, Georgia, United States [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Walker) Simmons — married 13 Nov 1823 in Jasper, Georgia, United States

Descendants

Died about 1860 at about age 59 in Pike Co. MS

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kaylan Hughes [send private message]

Simmons' of Pike County MS Silver Creek Baptist Church

Biography

William was born about 1801 in Wilkes County, Georgia. His parents were William Simmons and Patience (maiden name unknown). His father had moved from Johnston County, North Carolina to Georgia and settled in Wilkes County in about 1784.

William was the youngest of the children.

William's father had purchased 200 acres on Clark Creek Ford at Long Creek,Wilkes County on March 22, 1795. He sold this land in 1801 about the time that William H. Simmons was born.

Baldwin County, named after Abraham Baldwin, was created in 1803 by Creek cessions of June 1802. The land was distributed by the 1805 Land Lottery. The Second (1807) Lottery of Georgia, Act of Legislature was passed on June 26, 1806. Four new counties were made out of parts of Baldwin: Morgan, Randolph (later to become Jasper County), Jones and Putnam.

The parents of William H. Simmons moved the family to Baldwin County. William's father appears on the tax rolls of Baldwin County in 1807 along with his sons, Willis and Solomon. William H. had an older brother named Willis. Willis was married in 1804 and he moved his family to the Mississippi Territory. Putnam County was created in 1807. William's other siblings, Solomon, was married in 1809. and Nancy was married in Dec of 1811.

War came to America and to Georgia in 1812. Jasper and Jones counties formed part of the western boundary of Georgia with the Creek Nation.

War of 1812

On 1 Jan 1812 President Madison gave a speech before Congress addressing grievances against Great Britain. The Congress declared war on 18 June. William was living with his parents and siblings in Putnam County, Georgia at the time. During the years of the War of 1812 William's older siblings, Henry ,Asa, Polly and Malinda, were married. The family most likely lived in Cpt Francis Williams district. William Simmons his father is found on a tax list in Putnam County in the district of Cpt Francis Williams in 1813.

Major General John Floyd became the Commander of Georgia Militia. In September of 1813, Floyd assembled 3,600 Georgia troops at Fort Hawkins. Fort Hawkins was a Federal Fort established in 1806 on the Ocmulgee River south of Putnam and Jones Counties along the boundary with the Creek Nation. This was the future location of Macon, Georgia.

Four brothers of William H. are known to have served during the war. Henry, Asa, and Solomon were soldiers in the Georgia Militia defending the frontier of Georgia against attack from Creek Indians allied with the British.

Solomon enlisted in the Georgia Militia. Solomon served as a private in the infantry in Captain David Rosser's Company of the 2nd Georgia Militia on the frontier of Georgia. He served from 12 Oct 1814 - 15 March 1815. He was at Camp Jackson in 1815.

William's oldest brother, Willis, was living in the Mississippi Territory. He was drafted into service in the Mississippi Territorial Militia.

During this turbulent time of war William's father died prior to 13 Aug of 1814. The war was over by Jan of 1815 with the Treaty of Ghent. William's sister, Rachel, was married in April of that year.

Life after the war

After the death of his father William and his younger brother lived with their widowed mother in Putnam County. William's older brother, Henry was appointed to be guardian for William and Sanders in 1819. They were not yet age of 21. The record states minors of William Simmons; Henry Simmons appointed guardian 7-11-1819, Min, Bk A, p. 178.

1819 deed records indicate that William's mother sold their land in Putnam County that year. William's mother sold a portion of the land that she and her husband owned in Putnam County and removed to Jones County, Georgia and was living there where she was a fortunate drawer in the 1821 Georgia Land Lottery. She won land in Houston County.

William was married to Mary Walker in Jasper County in 1823. His brother Sanders was married to Mary's sister Nancy the next year. Jasper County was previously known as Randolph County but was changed to Jasper in 1812.

William and Mary were living in Jasper County in 1824 and sold land that he owned in Houston County.

William's mother, Patience, sold the land in Houston County that she had won in the lottery in May of 1826. William was among those named in the deed.

Family move to Mississippi

William moved his family from Georgia to Mississippi after 1826.

He was living in Pike County, Mississippi in 1850.

Major contributions to this profile were made by Allan Harl Thomas, dec'd

SISTERS MARRIED BROTHERS
http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/jasper/vitals/marriages/marr2.txt William H. "Buck" SIMMONS b: Abt. 1801 in Putnam Co., Georgia married Mary WALKER b: Abt. 1803 in Putnam Co., Georgia. Married: 13 NOV 1823 in Jasper County, Georgia, United States

Marriage Notes for William SIMMONS and Mary WALKER: Georgia, Jasper CountyI Certify that William Simmons and Mary Walker were duly Joined in matrimony by me this 18th day of November 1823.Wm Head J.P.

SISTERS MARRIED BROTHERS
http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/jasper/vitals/marriages/marr2.txt Simmons Sanders Walker Nancy 09/16/1824 113 Simmons William Walker Mary 11/18/1823 53 ^[1]

Mary Walker, who married "Buck" and Nancy Walker who married Sanders W. Simmons were sisters and daughters of William Walker of Jasper Co., GA.

Family

1. Nancy Mahala SIMMONS b: 4 SEP 1820 d: 24 NOV 1920 + Jesse RUSSELL b: 10 AUG 1823 d: 19 JUN 1886,
2. Malinda Jane SIMMONS b: BEF 1825 + Wiley RUSSELL b: ABT 1825
3. John F. SIMMONS b: ABT 1825 d: 17 MAY 1862 + Margaret SANDIFER b: ABT 1832
4. Sanders SIMMONS b: 1827 d: AFT 1870 + MARIAN b: ABT 1830 d: 26 JUL 1862 + Nancy RUSSELL b: ABT 1842
5. Malissa Mercineth SIMMONS b: ABT 1829
6. Green W. SIMMONS b: ABT 1832 d: 6 AUG 1860 + Sarah Arnettie VARNADO b: ABT 1834
7. William Jackson 'Jack' SIMMONS b: JUL 1834 d: 1917 + Lydia Ann RHODUS b: 29 JAN 1836 d: 21 FEB 1904
8. Francis Marion 'Frank' SIMMONS b: 2 JUN 1835 d: 10 APR 1918+ Melissa Bryant 'Mellie' DUNCAN b: 13 FEB 1842 d: 25 DEC 1876+ Mary S. 'Sally' MITCHELL+ Elizabeth A. MILAM+ Elisha R. LUTTRELL
9. Elizabeth Ann "Betsy' SIMMONS b: 1836
10. Olivia 'Lovie' SIMMONS b: 10 JUN 1838+ Samuel H. VARNADO b: 10 JAN 1837
11. Henry H. SIMMONS b: 7 DEC 1840 d: 6 JAN 193? + Angeline 'Annie' STRICKLAND+ Sophronie CRAIG-KAY b: 14 FEB 1853 d: 19 FEB 1933
12. Mary Ann Permelia SIMMONS b: 3 NOV 1843 d: 9 FEB 1932+ Needham Luke DUNCAN b: 25 APR 1845 d: ABT 1888 ^[2]

DEATH
William H. Simmons was buried somewhere around the old John Ellzey place in Pike Co., Mississippi, USA. William H. came to the Mississippi Territory sometime before 1828. Andrew Willie, son of William Jackson, son of William H. and his wife, Mary once said, "he remembered that his father said that his grandfather, William H., lived not too far from what is now the Smithburg Community in Pike County, which is not too far from Simmonsville, where Willis and Jane Goslin Simmons lived. Permelia Simmons-Duncan said that her father, the youngest son and Willis, the eldest in their family, were brothers.

Research Notes

LAND RECORDS OF HOUSTON CO., GA 1829-1831 VOL I, BY CAMPBELL & HENRY.

Jasper County, Georgiadtd 29 Sep 1824pg 210

:Grantor: William Simmons of Jasper Co., Ga. ::Grantee: Nathan Busby of Houston Co., Ga. $156.00 Lot No. 88in the 5th Dist. of Houston Co., Ga.  :: Drawn by Williams Simmons [of Johnson's Dist. - Putname Co., Ga.] Wit: Jeremiah (X) Busy H.W. Vardeman Signed:William Simmons Mary (X) Simmons

Houston County, Georgia personally appeared before me Reddick Bell, Justic of the Peace for said county, Jeremiah Busby, sworn, sayeth he saw William Simmons and Mary Simmons sign deed to Nathan Busby and saw Wm. Vardeman sign on 20 Nov 1824. Wit: Reddick Bell, J.P. Signed: Jeremiah (X) Busby Recorded: October 27 1825

LAND RECORDS OF HOUSTON CO., GA 1829-1831 VOL II, BY CAMPBELL & HENRY Houston County, Georgia dtd 29 Nov 1830pg 514 :Grantor: Jacob Busby Houston Co., Ga. :Grantee: Nathan Busby Houston Co., Ga. $400.00 Lot No. 88 in the 5th Dist. Houston Co., Ga.

Drawn by: William Simmons (7 Sep 1824) Putnam Co., Ga.1821 LL

See Deed Book "B" pg 210William Simmons to Nathan Busby

Wit: Allen Buzbee John L. Taylor (Initial S./L.) Matthew Sikes, J.P. Signed: Jacob Busby Recorded:27 Dec 1830 There is a census record in 1840 in Pike County, Mississippi for a William Simmons that may be him.

"United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHRL-VD2 : 8 December 2020), Wm Simmons, Pike, Mississippi, United States; citing p. 162, NARA microfilm publication , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll ; FHL microfilm .

Contradictions

"There is a discrepancy in the middle name for William H. Simmons in that one line of descendants has his middle name as Harrison, whereas another descendant's lines have it as Hillary. There are several people named with the Hillery/Hillary name as well as several with the name of Harrison. Right now until proven out, the middle name is a toss-up. Will need to find sources listing his middle name." ^[3]

Another discrepancy is the 1850 census. It appears it list William as 53 years old on close examination reveals it is written 53 which would contradicts his birthdate of 1801^[4]

In the 1860 census it appears William is listed as Willis H. Simmons, birth date 1801, living with Mary his wife, and two youngest children. Next door are sons Frank and John. ^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/jasper/vitals/marriages/marr2.txt
2. ↑ http://www.genealogy.com/ftm/s/n/e/Herman-W-Snell/GENE5-0009.html
3. ↑ (Sue Meinhart - Jan 2000) http://www.genealogy.com/users/s/n/e/Herman-W-Snell/GENE5-0009.html
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4LF-QLB : 12 April 2016), William H Simmons, Pike county, Pike, Mississippi, United States; citing family 191, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6GD-5JR : 26 July 2017), Willis H Simons, 1860.

• http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/jasper/vitals/marriages/marr2.txt

• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=DESC&db=spirit&id=I10728

• http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/e/i/M-S-Meinhart/ODT11-0007.html

See Also

• https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/90100850/person/100128430603/facts

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Allan Thomas for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Allan and others.