Simmons Ancestry
Sources:
- Jeff Carr, researcher of the Pendleton Co., WV, genealogy (Research of the Stone, Ruleman, Eckard and Zorn families, 13 January 2019)
- Glenn Huffman, researcher of Pendleton Co., WV, genealogy
- A compilation of Simmons descendants of Pendleton County, Va. (W. Va.) by Walter L. Eye. NOTE: Per Simmons researcher Jeff Carr, this source has some errors.
- The History of Pendleton County by Oren F. Morton © 1910
- A History of Highland County, Virginia by Oren F. Morton, B.L., © 1911 The Stone Printing and Manufacturing Co. (See p. 194 for Revolutionary War Muster list.)
- A History of the Eckard Family of Pendleton Co., WV (VA) by Walter L. Eye, July 1996
- St. Michael's Lutheran-Reformed Church, Pendleton County, West Virginia - Church Book
- Archive of Gladwell and McClung Family
- Jeremias Keffer(ly) of Shenandoah County, Virginia, genealogy compiled by James Michael Keffer
- Births PENDLETON CO. WV (Partial) from USGenWeb Archives
- Find-A-Grave Memorial
- U.S. National Park Service: Soldier Details: The Civil War: Absalom Eckhard and other records
- Journal of The Allegheny Regional Ancestors, Volume 4, Issue 3, Simmons
- South Branch (WV) Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) document - features Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral and Pendleton counties in what is now West Virginia (local copy).
- Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Volume I, 1727-1775, by Ralph Beaver Strassburger, LI.D., edited by William John Hinke, Ph.D., D.D., of the Pennsylvania-German Society
- Pennsylvania German Pioneers Passenger Lists: Palatine German Immigrant Ships to Philadelphia 1727-1739
- Palatine Ships Passenger Lists in Pennsylvania German Pioneers from Germany to Pennsylvania 1727 to 1808 from Olive Tree Genealogy
- Nancy Simmons Roberson - fellow Pendleton Co., WV, researcher, Huffman/Propst descendant and administrator for Descendant of Henry and Mary Eva Propst Huffman Facebook Group
- Pension roll of 1835 for Pendleton Co., WV
- McAllister, J.T. Virginia Militia in the Revolutionary War McAllister's Data - McAlister Publishing Co., Hot Springs, VA. © 1913 by J.T. McAllister
One of John Nicholas Simmons' brothers appears to be Leonard Simmons, Sr., though Eye writes, "We do not know whether Leonard and Nicholas were related to each other or to Lawrence" (p. 5A). | Hans Nikolus Simmons/Simon (John Nicholas Simmons) | According to Eye (p. 17), they had the following children: Michael, John, George, Mary M. Catherine, Frances, Mark, Peter and Susannah. However, Jeff Carr's careful research finds the following children: George Sr., b.ca.1745, d.1810; Johann Michael, b.1750, d.ca.1834; and John Sr., b.1755, d.1837. | Anna Margaretha (maiden name unknown) |
Per Jeff Carr, this is likely the Hans Nicholas Simon who arrived in Philadelphia on October 19, 1749, on the ship
Lydia (Capt. John Randolph) from Rotterdam, Holland. Refer to "Nickolas Simon" on pp. 420-421 of Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Volume I, 1727-1775 and refer to Lydia 1749. A different Hans Nicholas Simon arrived in 1738 who had wife named Maria Margaretha, and they stayed in PA.
Passengers were from Wirtemberg, Dourlach, Zweybrecht, and the
Palatinate in what is now Germany (p. 5, 17, Eye). Nicholas and Anna settled in the Upper South Fork bottom of
what is now Pendleton County, West Virginia. Simmons is likely from the
German name Sieman (p. 5A, Eye, citing Morton). According to A History of Highland County, Virginia by Oren F. Morton, B.L., © 1911 The Stone Printing and Manufacturing Co. (p. 368), Nicholas located north of the mouth of Brushy Fork in Pendleton County, VA (now WV), in 1753.
NOTE: According to the Journal of The Allegheny Regional Ancestors, Volume 4, Issue 3, Simmons, Nicholas Simmons of the South Branch, Pendleton County should not be identified with Hans Nickel Simmons of Pfeffelbach, Germany. |
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b. 1707 d. 1790 |
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George Simmons, Sr.![]() Revolutionary War Patriot Also refer to South Branch DAR Document. |
first wife unknown | The brothers George Simmons, Sr., and John Simmons were among the men in Capt. Peter Hull's Co. of Highland Militia in 1779 that had gone to Yorktown according to US GenWeb VA Highland History. See Highland County, Virginia: VaGenWeb Page: Highland Soldiers in the Revolutionary War and p. 194 of A History of Highland County, Virginia by Morton. The brothers are also mentioned in a Daughters of the American Revolution document. John is mentioned in the Pension roll of 1835 for Pendleton Co., WV. The brothers George and John Simmons are listed in Capt. Peter Hull's Division in Section No. 180 of Virginia Militia in the Revolutionary War McAllister's Data by J.T. McAllister. | John Simmons, Sr.![]() Revolutionary War Patriot Also refer to South Branch DAR Document. |
According to Eye (p. 18), they had the following children: John Jacob, George Ami, Thomas, Simon Frederick, Barbara, William, Daniel, Philip, Michael, Henry W. and Joseph. However, Carr offers a correction in that John Jacob Simmons, husband of Margaret Wimer, was a son of Michael Simmons, Sr., b. 1750. | Anna Maria (maiden name unknown) |
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b. ca. 1745 (per Carr) Pendleton Co., VA/WV d. 1810 Pendleton Co., VA/WV |
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b. 1755 d. 1837 Pendleton Co., VA/WV |
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According to Carr, George Simmons, Sr., had most children with his first unknown wife, his older children being the following: 1) Leonard "Jr.", b.1770-1, d.1822, m. Catherine Smith; 2) Elizabeth, b.1770-5, m. Henry Wilfong; 3) Catherine, b.1770-5, m. 1] Frederick Smith; 2] John Smith; 4) ?Mary Magdalene, b.1770-5, m. Jacob Schrader; 5) male, b.1778-9, d.1796-7; 6) Susannah, b.1780, m. 1] George Crummet, 2] Michael Hoover Sr.; and 7) Jacob, b.1783, d.1860, m. Sarah Ruleman. The second wife of George Simmons, Sr., was Eve Cook and they had one daughter Margaret Simmons. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ↓ |
Don't get confused:Glenn Huffman wrote, "John Simmons s/o Michael Sr. born about 1774, died 1855, married Margaret Wimer d/o the pioneer Henry Wimer & Catherine Long. Margaret born 1783, baptized at St. Mary's Church, Frederick Co. MD. The John Simmons of Nicholas born abt 1755 died 1837, married Mary unknown. This John was brother of Michael Sr.'s son Michael Jr. married Elizabeth Wimer d/o pioneer Philip Wimer but they divorced and she took up with Henry Simmons brother of George Simmons (who married Mary Wimer of Philip) and they were sons of John d. 1837 & Mary. Clear as mud but hopefully Jeff Carr explained it. Philip Wimer's wife was Sarah Simmons d/o Leonard c1738-1808 who cannot be connected to the other Simmons' yet" (Facebook). Bottom line: The above John Simmons, Sr., on this chart, is not to be confused with John Simmons b. ca. 1744-1855, husband of Margaret Wimer and son of Michael Simmons, Sr. |
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Leonard Simmons "Jr." | Though he is the son of George Simmons, Sr., he was called "Jr." in the tax lists because he was the youngest of three adult Leonards in the 1780-1810 time period: Leonard Sr., his own son Leonard [b.ca.1755], and this Leonard, b.1770-1, son of George Simmons, Sr. | ↑ Catherine Smith ↓ |
Catherine Simmons → and her brother Leonard Simmons married siblings John Smith and Catherine Smith, respectively (Carr). |
Catherine Simmons | Per Carr, her first husband was Frederick Smith. John was her second husband. | ↑ John Smith (or Johann Schmidt) ↓ |
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b. 1770-1 d. 1822 |
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DNA: I have multiple matches with whom I potentially share common ancestors Leonard and Catherine (Smith) Simmons as common ancestors. Corinne Miller, Jerard Guebara, Emma Jean Clark McDonough, Judith Lewandowski, Janet Kay Hawkins, Cynthia Snyder, Autme Pease, Barbara Lambert Haney, Joseph Evans, Don Simmons, Shirley Phares, Mary Beth Okes, Candace Hambleton, Sam Siple, Patricia Grady Osborn and Shanon Hambleton. |
b. 1770-1775 | b. 1774 d. 1838 South Fork, Crummetts Run, Pendleton Co., VA/WV |
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Barbara Simmons | Michael N. Lamb, War of 1812 veteran ![]() |
I have multiple DNA matches with whom I share Michael and Barbara (Simmons) Lamb as commmon ancestors. Constance Gray, Janet St. Jean, Kat McAlpine, Matthew Pitsenbarger, Lonnie Keller, Loretta Fields, Stephanie Bird, Brenda Hyman, Rita Wamsley-Gum, Sieana Harrison, Kristina Harkins, Naomi Wooddell, John Barkley, Tami Brown-Nelson, Debbie Mowery, Frank Roby, Kelly Mowery, Christopher Spencer, Brooke Bobo, Maureen Grier, Tiffany Caywood, Jerry Moyers, John Eston Allen and Chloe Brown. | descendants through son Jacob Smith via his marriage to Barbara Grogg | ↑ Sophia Catherine Grogg, daughter of John and Mary (Rexroad) Grogg |
I have multiple DNA matches with whom I share common ancestors in John and Sophia Catherine Grogg Simmons. T. Leech, Shelley Baker, Tim Snyder, Roberta Kimberly Evans, Jordan Bristow, Kathy Carlson and Jeff Warner. |
John Simmons | |||
b. 1794 d. ? |
m. 27 October 1812 | b. 1784 d. 1860 (Discussion which includes why date was changed from 1859 to 1860) |
b. 1806 d. ? Note ↓ |
m. 13 June 1821 in what is now Pendleton County, West Virginia Register of Marriage (source: West Virginia Division of Culture and History via FamilySearch) |
b. 1805 d. ? |
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Census of Pendleton County with Eckards 1810-1870 | Sarah "Sally" J. Lamb | I have DNA matches sharing this couple as common ancestors. Bradley Gutshall Patterson and Curtis Marozzi. | ↑ Absalom Eckard (also seen as Absolom Ekert in below marriage documentation as well as with nickname "Abs") |
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Sarah Propst (picture) |
1870 Census showing Ephraim, Sarah and daughter Phebe (Source: Ancestry) |
Ephraim Simmons He was a farmer according to the 1870 Census cited to the left. |
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According to St. Michael's Lutheran-Reformed Church, Pendleton County, West Virginia - Church Book, p. 9, the surname Lamm became Lamb in 1832. | b. 22 July 1825 d. 10 or 20 March 1903 in Dropsy Find-A-Grave Memorial Note ↓ |
m. 5 Oct. 1844 by George Schmucker, Pendleton County, VA/WV marriage document |
b. 18 April 1825 d. 16 February 1898 Will: [page 1] [page 2] Find-A-Grave Memorial |
According to St. Michael's Lutheran-Reformed Church, Pendleton County, West Virginia - Church Book, p. 9, the surname Simmon became Simmons in 1836. Road sign (Source: Ancestry) | b. 1822 d. ? |
m. 4 December 1854, Pendleton County, in what is now West Virginia Register of Marriage (source: West Virginia Division of Culture and History via FamilySearch) |
b. 5 September 1831 Baptized 31 October 1831 d. ? |
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To the descendants of these couples |
The Lamb family settled in the Sugar Grove District of what is now Pendleton County, WV, before 1790. Lamb is a German name. ↑ up
A Grogg family who descended from the Scots-Irish Gragg family settled in 1774 in the north side of the Seneca Valley (Dolly Place).
However, the Grogg family I am descended from is descended from the Gruck family of Germany, which also settled in Pendleton Co., per this research.
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Hans Nickolus Simmons + Anna (John Nicholas Simmons) | Margaretha (1707-1790) | (Some sources list her as Mary Margareta) Arrived in Philadelphia | on Oct. 19, 1749, on | the ship Lydia (Capt. | John Randolph) from | Rotterdam, Holland. | There is some question Other passengers were | about some of the Simmons Wirtemberg, Dourlach, | line between Hans Nickolus Zweybrecht, and the | Simmons and John Jacob Simmons/ Palatinate. Hans and | Barbara Simmons, but as far Anna settled in the Upper | as I can tell and from the South Fork bottom of what | sources I have researched, is now Pendleton County, | this is accurate. --James West Virginia. Simmons is +---+ Johnson likely from the German | 24 June 1997 name Sieman. | +---+------------------------------+ | | | | John Simmons appears to John Margaret George + (first wife unknown) have been one of the Simmons + Wimer Simmons men among those in (b.1750) | b. pre 1770 in Pendleton Co., VA/WV Capt. Peter Hull's co. (d.1855) | d. 1810 in Pendleton Co., VA/WV of Highland Militia +------+------+ | in 1779 that had gone | | ? (Is this father of this Mary?) to Yorktown according | | | to US GenWeb VA | John Mary Mary Magdalena Simmons + Johann Schmidt (Smith) Highland History. | Jacob Margaret Some sources have | Simmons + Wimer Mary Magdalen Simmons | (1774-1850)| (1785-1850) or Mary M. Simmons | | Barbara Michael John Sophia Simmons N. Lamb Simmons Catherine (b.1794)+ (1784- (b. 1804)+ Grogg | 1859) | (b. 1806) | | (see note below) | | Absalom Sarah Ephraim + Sarah Eckard + J. Simmons Propst (1825- Lamb b. 1831 b. 1822 1898) ^ Picture of Sarah Propst Simmons | b. July 22, 1825 | d. March 10, 1903 in Dropsy | The Lamb family settled in the Sugar Grove District of what is now Pendleton County, WV, before 1790. Lamb is a German name. The Grogg (Gragg) family were descendants of the Scots-Irish. They settled in 1774 in the north side of the Seneca Valley (Dolly Place).