The Simmons family in Dutchess County and Ontario

The Simmons family settled in Dutchess County before the American Revolution. Some of the family moved to the Bay of Quinte region of Ontario, Canada, before 1800.

February 21, 1831, Will of James Simmons proved in Dutchess County, NY. A transcription is provided due to the poor quality.
Other names mentioned in the Will:

Smitton Simmons (son)
James Simmons (son)
James Skidmore
Daniel Crouse
Adam Crouse

Nathaniel G. Brownell
Jacob Able of the Town of Union Vale in the County of Dutchess.
Benajah Baker
James Hooker, Surrogate, Dutchess Surrogate Court
Philander Sleight

Smiton Simmons - Colborne Union Cemetery

Smiton Simmons - Stockdale Cemetery

Smiton Simmons, son of James Simmons (above) married Sarah White and emigrated to Ontario as a late Loyalist. To date we have been unable to determine who Sarah White was, but she is reputed to be a cousin of Reuben White of Sidney. Randy Saylor has an enormous amount of information about the Whites in Ontario, including the family of Reuben White at his website at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~saylormowbray/.
Here is a transcript of the obituary of Sarah (White) Simmons:

Taken from the Christian Guardian newspaper, dated Sept. 1, 1852:
MRS. SARAH SIMMONS
Died, in the Township of Cramahe, July 24th, 1852, Mrs. Sarah Simmons, in the 74th year of her age. She was born in Duchess County, State of New York, and with her now bereaved and sorrowing partner, was among the first Settlers in this part of the Province, having arrived here in the year 1798, enduring many of the hardships and privations incident to new settlements, especially at that early period. About 8 years after her arrival in this country, through the instrumentality of the pioneers of Methodism in Canada, who found a home at her dwelling, she became convinced of her fallen and sinful condition; but it was in the silent and lonely woods, in company with a female friend, recently converted herself, whilst calling upon God in earnest prayer and supplications, that she obtained the pardon of her sins, and the spirit of adoption, whereby she could say Abba, Father. For the remainder of her life, which extended through the long period of nearly half a century, she was faithful to God, and to the Methodist Church with which she united herself, exemplifying the graces and virtues of true piety. She was a woman of faith and prayer, seldom or never shunning the cross at public prayer meetings, remarkable for her industrious habits, which she retained to her last illness, which was brief and severe, accomplishing its work in nine or ten days. She died in peace, and in the hope of the gospel. Besides her afflicted companion, who has been blind for some years, and who isnow in his 84th year, she has left five surviving children, all, I believe, professors of religion; forty grand children, and eleven great-grand children. A funeral discourse, based upon Job v. 26: "Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age," &c., &c., was delivered to a large assembly. J.H.
August 9th, 1852
Smiton and Sarah had seven children:
1. Stephen Simmons born February 4, 1799, married Polly Wait
2. Elizabeth (Polly) Simmons born about 1800, married John Dudley
3. John R. Simmons born about April 7, 1803, married Peggie Frasier
4. James Simmons born Feb 2,1807, married Mary Frasier
5. Sarah Ann Simmons born about 1809, married Osgood Strong
6. Mary Simmons born about 1817, mariried Alvin Dudley
7. Harriet W. Simmons born about 1817, married Jake Thompson