Untitled
Surnames: Goninan, Dent, Moss, Lukey, Bullock, Garenger, Rowe, NeCollins, Egelhof, Sincock, Bartell
From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette, Wisconsin, publ. 1901 - page 259-260
HENRY SIMMONS is passing the closing years of a long and honorable agricultural career in the village of Hazel Green, Grant county, now living retired from all active cares and labors.
Mr. SIMMONS was born in Cornwall, England, March 8, 1826, son of Joseph and Mary (GONINAN) SIMMONS, both born in Cornwall, the father of 1795, and the mother in 1805. They were married in 1823. Mr. SIMMONS was employed as a miner before coming to this country, in 1848. All the members of his family accompanied him with the exception of Henry, who came the preceding year. Joseph SIMMONS brought his people to Hazel Green and engaged in mining for a number of years, finally purchasing a farm in the western part of the town, where he died in 1858. Mrs. SIMMONS survived until 1873. They were members of the Methodist Church at Hazel Green, and both were consistent Christian people. Seven children were born to them: (1) Mary married William DENT, and settled at Georgetown, where she died, leaving five children, Joseph (deceased), William (of Missouri), Thomas (of Georgetown), George (of Cuba City), and Charles (deceased). (2) Henry is the eldest son of the family. (3) Jane, born in England, married William MOSS, and is now dead. (4) Joseph, born in England, married Miss Charlotte LUKEY, of Hazel Green, and is now living a retired life at Waverly, Iowa. (5) Grace, born in England, married James Richards, of Hazel Green, and is now dead. She left a family, six of whom reside at LeMars, Iowa, and one, Elizabeth, at Hazel Green. (6) John, born in England, married Miss Jemima BULLOCK, of Hazel Green, and now resides in Waverly, Iowa, where he is leading a retired life. (7) Sarah A., born in Grant county, is the youngest of the family. She married Daniel GARENGER, is the mother of one son and two daughters, and now lives at Waverly, Iowa.
Henry SIMMONS was a student in the district school at his English home, and when he was twelve years old began working in the Cornwall mines. In 1847 he came to the United States by way of Quebec, making the ocean voyage in a sailing-vessel, touching at Montreal, Kinston, Oswego, and Buffalo, and coming by way of the lakes to Milwaukee and Chicago. The remainder of the journey was made across country, and on reaching Hazel Green he found work in the lead mines. In 1849 he married Miss Julia ROWE, who was born in 1828 in England, where her parents, James and Julia ROWE, lived and died.
Mr. SIMMONS purchased what was known as the Enoch ROBINSON property in Hazel Green, and to the original tract has added extensive purchases until he now owns over two hundred acres of fine farm land. Good buildings have been erected, and extensive improvements made, so that now few farms in southwestern Wisconsin may be preferred to his for thorough cultivation, good equipment or comfortable home. Mrs. SIMMONS died in 1889, leaving four children. There were nine in the family, four of whom died in infancy. (7) James died when eleven years old. (1) Elizabeth, born in 1850, married Samuel NeCOLLINS, and has two children; they live at their farm home in the town of Hazel Green. Her daughter Mamie, born in 1883, is now the wife of Joseph EGELHOF, and is living with her parents. Samuel C., the son, resides at home. (3) William H. SIMMONS, born in September, 1853, married Miss Mary J. NeCOLLINS, of Hazel Green, and lives on his father's old homestead. They have a family of five - William H., born in 1886; Benjamin H., in 1889; Joseph E., in 1891; James R., in 1893; and Jennie Estella, in 1895. (4) Joseph SIMMONS, born in July 1855, married Miss Martha SINCOCK of Illinois, and now resides in Hazel Green. Two of their children died in infancy, Julia A. and Edward H. (6) John SIMMONS, born in 1857, married Miss Ella BARTELL, and now lives in Hampton, Iowa, where he is rearing his two children, Julia Vine and Henry M.
Mr. SIMMONS belongs to the Methodist Church, where he has worshipped over forty years. Always interested in church work, he has served as trustee and steward, and has given liberally to the erection of several church buildings. In politics he has been a Republican. Some seven years ago he was stricken with a kidney trouble, and for six years he has been confined to the house.
This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck