William Symmes, the youngest son of William and Ruth (Convers) Symmes, was born November 1729, in what was then the north part of Charlestown, Massachusetts, afterwards included in Medford and since 1850 in Winchester.[1]
He married first, Anna Gee, of Boston, daughter of Rev. Joshua Gee, pastor of the Second or Old North Church in Boston; intention recorded at Andover on April 21, 1759. All of his children were of this first wife. She died June 18, 1772, aged 38.[1][2][3][4]
He married second, in Boston on July 26, 1774, Susanna Powell of Boston; intention recorded at Andover on July 7, 1774. She was born in 1729, a native of England. She died July 26, 1807, aged 79.[1][5][6][7]
William graduated Harvard College 1750; was tutor there 1755 to 1758; received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from that college in 1803; was ordained pastor of the North Church and Parish in Andover, now the town of North Andover, November 1, 1758, and continued pastor there more than forty-eight years till his death on May 3, 1807, at the age of 77 years 6 months. Rev. Dr. Cummings of Billerica preached the funeral sermon from 2 Corinthians 1:" For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle," &c.[1][8]
He succeeded Rev. John Barnard at North Andover, who is well remembered as a decided opposer of Whitefield and of the "Great Awakening" of 1741. Dr. Symmes is supposed to have entertained similar views and to have been an Arminian, and very nearly if not quite a Unitarian. Rev. Bailey Loring, his successor, was an acknowledged Unitarian.[1]
"He was", says Abbott, the historian of Andover, "distinguished for his prudence, his sound moral principle, his unshaken integrity, and his irreproachable conduct."[1]
Rev. William Symmes, D.D. and his second wife Susanna are buried together in a vault in the Old North Parish Burying Ground in North Andover, Massachusetts,[8] where the epitaph on the vault's slab cover reads:
Sacred
to the Memory of
the Rev. WILLIAM SYMMES D.D.
who departed this life
May 3d 1807
in the 78th year of his age
and 49th of his Ministry.
Also
Mrs. SUSANNA SYMMES
Relict of the late Rev. William Symmes D.D.
who departed this life
July 26th 1807
Aged 79 years.
While holy friendship drops the pious tear
And mournful garlands deck the hollow'd bier,
Can bounteous Heaven a greater solace give,
Than that, which whispers, "Friends Departed live."
Children With Anna Gee
Children of William and Anna (Gee) Symmes; births recorded at Andover, Massachusetts:[1]
William Symmes, born May 26, 1760; unmarried.[1][9]
Daniel Symmes, born October 1,1761. He settled in Pendleton District, South Carolina; a son of his was a physician in Charlestown in that State. Perhaps Wm. Gilmore Sims, so well known a few years since as a brilliant writer of novels, was of his family, and perhaps not.[1][10]
Joshua Gee Symmes, born July 11, 1763; married Mary Elizabeth Jackson, daughter of Dr. Hall Jackson of Portsmouth, N.H. He was a physician in New Gloucester, Maine, and died at sea about 1804. His widow died at Portsmouth November 6, 1808, aged 39. [Gravestone in Portsmouth].[1][11]
Theodore Symmes, born May 16, 1767; unmarried. A physician, settled in Falmouth, Maine, and died in New Gloucester, Maine.[1][14]
Anna Symmes, born April 1, 1768; married, December 7, 1793, Isaac Cazneau, probably a son of Andrew Cazneau of Boston. After residing many years in Andover they removed to Boston where he exercised the trade of a book-binder; died January 12, 1849.[1][15][16][17]
↑
"Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPZF-DG84 : 31 October 2019), William Symmes and Anna Gee, 22 May 1759; citing Marriage, Andover, Essex, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007009715.
↑
"Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHQQ-7B7 : 10 November 2020), Anna Cazneau, 12 Jan 1849; citing Death, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 004273908.
↑Vital Records of Andover, Massachusetts: Volume II. Marriages & Deaths. Deaths. Page 556. Citing: "Symmes, Lydia, d. twin, Rev. W[illia]m and Anna, b. Dec. 29, 1771, d. Dec. 30, 1771. G.R.I."
↑Vital Records of Andover, Massachusetts: Volume II. Marriages & Deaths. Deaths. Page 556. Citing: "Symmes, Charlotte, d. twin, Rev. W[illia]m and Anna, b. Dec. 29, 1771, d. Dec. 30, 1771. G.R.I."
Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 05 April 2021), memorial page for Rev William Symmes (1729–3 May 1807), Find A Grave: Memorial #69146767, citing Old North Parish Burying Ground, North Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by John Glassford (contributor 47271570).
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