SIMMONS: John Simmons Jr. was born in New York City in 1761. Over the next 81 years, he would marry three times, father 18 children, and changed residence at least nine times in five states. John would serve as a soldier, farmer, land agent and tavern keeper.
John grew up in New York City, probably helping out around his father's tavern. When the Revolutionary War broke out, the Simmons family left the British-occupied city and moved to Orange County. There, John enlisted in the local militia and served for two years [1778-1780]. His company was assigned to guard duty along the Hudson River. John then served with the New York Levies in 1781-1782.
His first marriage, to Mary Nelson took place about 1780 in either Orange Co., New York or New Jersey. The couple had five children. Mary died in New York City about 1791.
John was in Philadelphia in 1792, when he married Lucy Morris Cunningham. Lucy was a widow with three minor children. Lucy's eldest son, David, was the father of Robert W. Cunningham, who died at the Alamo. Lucy died about 1822 in Indiana. With John, she had five more children.
John and Lucy settled in what later became Chenango Co., NY in 1793. John was there to act as sales agent for the nearly 5000 acres purchased by his father. John moved the family to Canonsburgh in western Pennsylvania in 1814. The family moved to Dearborn Co., Indiana by 1820.
Simmons was back in Canonsburgh in late 1823, where he ran a public house on the road from Washington to Pittsburgh. John's third marriage came the next year in Wheeling, Virginia to Margaret Harbison. [Margaret's story will be told in a later post.] They would be parents to eight children.
John, Margaret and company moved to Monroe Co., Ohio during the early 1830s. John applied for his pension while living there in 1833. Apparently, Ohio did not suit him. John was living in Wheeling, Virginia by 1834.
John died in Wheeling in 1843. He received a military escort to his final resting place.
John's eldest child, John William was born in 1781. His youngest, Thomas, was born in 1838. 37 years separated the two boys. The youngest of John W.'s children was nearly 10 when Thomas was born.
No comments:
Post a Comment