William Eli Simmons (abt. 1858 - 1945)

Born about 24 Nov 1858 in Pike, Mississippi, United States

Ancestors

Son of George Washington Simmons and Mary Caroline (Magee) Simmons

Husband of Elizabeth Jane (Covington) Simmons — married 7 Apr 1881 in Osyka, Mississippi

Descendants

Died 17 Oct 1945 at about age 86 in Walthall, Mississippi, United States

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Biography

This profile was written by Allan Harl Thomas, deceased

"Lizzie" Simmons.

William Eli Simmons.

William Eli Simmons, known as "Willie " and as "W; E, Simmons, Sr.", was the son of George Washington Simmons, was born November 24, 1858.

William Eli Simmons married Elizabeth Jane Covington. She was born 16th of March 1862 to John Martin Covington and Mary Jane (Washburn) Covington. They were married at the Shirk home in Oskya, 7 APR 1881, by Reverend Shirk, Lizzie's uncle by marriage.

Children

Elizabeth Covington Simmons and children

1Sidney Farrar Simmons b: 23 FEB 1882
2.William Eugene Simmons b: 10 OCT 1883
3.Eunice Eloise Simmons b: 17 DEC 1884
4.Charlie Leonard Simmons b: 16 NOV 1886
5.Alice Simmons b: 9 AUG 1888
6.Nellie Mae Simmons b: 28 NOV 1891
7.James Lewis Simmons b: 18 AUG 1893
8.Bessie Belle Simmons b: 7 MAY 1895
9.Edna Simmons b: 25 MAR 1897
10.Richard Oliver Simmons b: 16 AUG 1898
11.Floral Simmons b: 31 AUG 1900
12.Jewell Simmons b: 24 MAR 1907

William Eli Simmons and Sons

During their first year of marriage, William Eli and Elizabeth lived with William's mother, then opened a store in Magnolia, MS, with his brother-in-law, Dr. Adolphus Smith. They lived in Magnolia only a short time when they moved back to Simmonsville and bought what is now (1966) known as the "Dock Alford" place. He sold this place (deed recorded in Magnolia, MS) to Dock Alford and built a home about one mile away on a part of his father's estate. They lived with his mother again while his home was being built. After a few months however they moved to the new home where they were to spend the rest of their lives. His mother's home burned a few years later, and his mother then lived the rest of her life with her children, making her "headquarters" with William Eli and Lizzie.

William Eli and his nephew, George Oliver "Ollie", son of Dr Fleet Simmons, bought the the Dr Fleet Simmons Store and Post Office and ran this for many years. The mail was delivered to the inhabitants of the surrounding countryside from this Post Office until the Rural Route Service was initiated by the U.S. Government. William Eli's sons would go each day to Magnolia and bring the mail by cart and horse to Simmonsville, ( a distance of about 12 miles).

When Rural Route Service came in, William Eli sold his interest in the store to Ollie and the Post Office was closed. Then William Eli and his nephew, Robert "Bob" Simmons, brother of Ollie, owned and operated a cotton gin, saw mill and grist mill at the same time he was in the store business.

1930.

The cotton gin, saw mill and grist mill was located between William Eli's home and the store on what was and is known as "Gin Creek". These businesses burned one night when William Eli had gone to spend the weekend, as he usually did with his family in Magnolia, where he had bought a house and moved his family temporarily to allow his younger children to finish high school. After all of the children except the youngest, had finished high school, the home in Magnolia was sold and the family remained all the time at the Simmonsville home.

William Eli died in the Tylertown Hospital October 17, 1945, where he had been taken when he became ill at his home in Simmonsville. He is buried beside his wife in the Tylertown Cemetery. They had been married fifty-eight years when Elizabeth died. Williams home and land were sold when his estate was settled after his death.^[1]

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Research Notes

WikiTree DNA language needs to be included in the profile.

Sources

1. ↑ Entered by Allan Thomas.

• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=cal%2Dgal&id=I2949
• http://www.lbffamily.com/id32.html
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/93322459/william-eli-simmons

A digital copy:

• "Silver Creek Simmons," Campbell and Simmons, ed., 1966 Repository: Media: Book Page: pg. 185 and 304 Text: There are several paragraphs about this couple and their family in SCS

Acknowledgments

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