User:Colin Simmons

Simmons Family

There are many legends on how the Simmons came to Newfoundland. The first one is that 2 SIMMONS brother's came to Newfoundland from Poole, England. 1 of the brothers settled in Mosquito and had 10 sons, 1 which was Ernest a merchant, 1 set of for Whitbourne, 1 set of for Colinet. The story goes on to say that these are the fore fathers of all SIMMONS' in Newfoundland. This does not strictly add up though as there were two Simmons’ brothers but one went to St Johns and the other Green’s Harbour.

The other Simmons legend is that they were pirates. There is no evidence to link a Simmons pirate to Newfoundland. However, there is an island in the Caribbean, SABA, which was for a time a pirate stronghold. They even had their own national flag. Simmons was an early name there and the island, which now supports a tourist industry, it is still crawling with Simmons descendants of an early pirate. The Dutch appeared on the island about 1640 (one account says the Simmons were Jewish and came with the Dutch) Anyway, another account says the pirate Morgan took over the Island about 1665 and forced the Dutch out. In 1816 the island was returned to the Dutch. One of the Saba Simmons clan may have jumped ship in Newfoundland thus starting the Simmons line.

The Simmons can be traced back to 1751. This is the birth date of Samuel Simmons who married Ann. Samuel and Ann lived in an area called Lower Island Cove. They had several sons including William Simmons, who became the forefather of all the Simmons’ on the island.

William married the widow Mary Pike. Mary had 9 children from her marriage with Edward Pike. William and Mary had 3 children, John, James and William.

The Simmons’ lived at Lower Island Cove until at least 1836 when they moved to Mosquito down the road. At some point there are only two brothers who have descendents – John and James.

James and John married sisters Elizabeth and Virtue Maria Pynn. Their half brother Edward Pike married another sister. The Pynn sisters were the daughters of Charles and Hannah Pynn. Charles originally came from Portsmouth, England.

James Simmons

James Simmons moved towards Harbour Main over the next few years, and eventually his family moved to St Johns. A number of James’ descendents moved to America over the next 100 years. This included one of his granddaughters Elizabeth who married James Rumrill.

Elizabeth and James had 11 children. The Rumrills found some claims to fame whilst being in America. Their grandson George was sunk at Pearl Harbor. He was shot down three times. The last time over Japan, and he was prisoner of war for last year. After the war, went fishing and drowned. His brother Edmund was in the US Marines during the War. Their uncle Oran was a professional wrestler and their auntie Anne May was a singer who was well known in Boston area. Her stage name was Anna Russell. Anne May married Meyer Nadelberg. He was a professional boxer. In his career he Fought as Billy Myers. His name was the Concrete Kid. Only knocked off his feet twice in over 400 fights. He was head of veterans Boxing assoc. Taught boxing to youngsters. Motto " A boy who can use his fists will never use a gun". Retired from Record American Newspaper.

John Simmons

John Simmons moved to Green’s Harbour in 1857. He married Virtuous Maria Pynn (1803 - 12 May 1892) on the 25th September 1820. They had 13 children: - Mary Ann (14 Jan 1821 -), John Thomas  (9 May 1827 - 1830), Michael  (15 Jun 1830 -), John James Carrington  (10 Jun 1832 -), Hariot  (19 Feb 1834), Samuel  (22 Nov 1835 - 30 Jul 1899), Benjamin  (19 Apr 1838), Edward  (3 May 1840 - 25 Dec 1907), Ambrose  (3 May 1840 - 2 Jan 1919), Pamelia  (4 Sep 1842), Virtue Maria  (3 Sep 1844), Archibald (15 Jun 1846), and Catherine  (9 Feb 1851).

The Simmons’ in Green’s harbour were always fishermen. In 1871 Greens Harbour is described as a large fishing settlement on south side of Trinity Bay, district of Trinity. The people are engaged in ship building and farming to some extent. The scenery around here is remarkably beautiful. Distant from Heart's Content 23 miles by road, and from New Harbour 9 miles by road. Mail weekly. Population 210. There are four fishermen who have the surname Simmons they are Edward, Eli, John and Samuel. Green’s Harbour was a small place with only 210 people living there in 1881. The events of Green’s Harbour are as follows.

John died on 10 Feb 1878, at age 77 and Virtue Simmons died 12th May 1892. Of the 13 children that John and Virtue had it is only known what happened to Edward, Ambrose and Samuel.

Samuel Simmons was born 22 Nov 1835 and died 30 Jul 1899. He was a fisherman and was born in Mosquito. (The town where the Simmons’ came form before moving to Green’s Harbour was Mosquito). He married Sarah Jane (1836 - 1 Jun 1903) and had three children: - Alfreda Simmons (15 Apr 1863), Ann Eliza Simmons (13 Sep 1874 - 11 May 1891) and Fanny Simmons (12 Aug 1877). Samuel died of cancer. Dr Kendall treated him, and the clergyman was Mr Matthews.

In 1889 Voters list Ambrose Simmons age 46, Born in Mosquito, fisherman, Father was John Samuel Simmons age 57 Born in Mosquito, fisherman, Father was John Edward Simmons age 40 Born in Mosquito, fisherman Father was John

Edward Simmons

Edward Simmons was born on 3 May 1840 in Mosquito, NFLD and died on 25 Dec 1907 in Green's Harbour, Newfoundland, at age 67.Edward was a fisherman.

Edward married Lydia Green, daughter of James Hickson Green and Marion. Edward’s brother Ambrose married Mary Green – Lydia’s sister.They had ten children: Phebe, Melinda, Alonzo Lorenzo, Virtue Maria, Laura, Olivia, James, Henry, Miriam, John Frederick, and Gertrude.

We don’t know what happened to Phebe, Virtue Maria, James Henry, Miriam, Gertrude and Melinda Simmons. Laura died young. Olivia was crippled from polio.

Alonzo Lorenzo Simmons was born on 8 Aug 1869 in Green's Harbour and was christened on 15 Aug 1869 in Hant's Harbour. He died on 3 Oct 1941 in Verdun, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, at age 72.Alonzo married Lilias Boutcher daughter of Thomas Boutcher and Julia Hollet, on 7 Dec 1895. They had five children: Hazel J M, Marian Gertrude, Evelyn May, William Frederick Erland, and Ralph P.

William Frederick Erland Simmons was born on 20 December 1906 in Green's Harbour, and died on 2 Feb 1972 in Vancouver, Clark, Washington, at age 65.William married Margaret Igles Niddrie in 1936. They had three children: Walter Douglas, Robert G, and Judyth.

Ralph P Simmons was born in 1908 and died on 9 Jun 1944 in Normandy, at age 36.

John Frederick Simmons was born on 21 Jan 1883 and died after 1921, after age 38.In 1921 he was listed as fisherman/small farming. Also listed as married but no wife with him on census night.

Ambrose Simmons

Ambrose Simmons was born on 3 May 1840 in Bristol's Hope, (Mosquito) Newfoundland and died on 2 Jan 1919 in Green's Harbour, at age 78. He died of TB. Ambrose had one leg; he lost one in an accident laying the transatlantic cable. Ambrose was a fisherman. According to Hettie Simmons who remembered him, he had a fierce temper.

Ambrose married Mary Ann Green, daughter of James Hickson Green and Marion. They had six children: Charles, Lorenzo Alonso, Aseanth, Benjamin, James Edward, and Isabel.

In 1921 Mary Ann was living with her grandson William Simmons. Mary Ann died at in 1929 and was living with her son James in Bishop Falls, Newfoundland. Mary Ann was also known as Polly and she was the local midwife along with her daughter –in law Mary.

In Green’s Harbour most of the Simmons’ lived in one road – Simmons Road.

Asenath Simmons

Asenath Simmons was born in Dec 1872. Asenath married Alfred George Reid. They had two children: Sussie and Ellwood. Sussie Reid was born on 2 Dec 1899, died on 2 Apr 1915, at age 15. Ellwood Reid died on 23 May 1918 in France.

Benjamin Simmons

Benjamin Simmons was born in Jan 1875, and died on 15 Jun 1914 in Green's Harbour, at age 39. Benjamin married Caroline Ann Brace, daughter of Josiah Brace and Lucretia Jane Cooper, in Green's Harbour. They had seven children: Naomi, Daniel John, Mary Jane, Mahetable, Alfred James, Hubert William, and Hayward Maxwell.

Daniel John Simmons was born on 15 Mar 1897 and died in Oct 1981, at age 84. Daniel married Janet Green. They had eight children: Morgan John, Mahetable Jane, Ralph Maxwell, Gerald Bruce, Annie Winifred, Lillian Rose, Margaret Geneva, and Vernon Roy.

Mary Jane Simmons was born in Aug 1899 and died in 1982, at age 83. Mary married Ralph Coates, They had four children: Claude George, Meta, Robert Eugene Maxwell, and Kenneth Elwood.

Mahetable Simmons was born on 13 Jan 1902. She had her 100th Birthday in Feb 2002.Mahetable married Maxwell Nelson Bennett, son of Stephen George Bennett and Mary Hannah Thorn. They had eight children: Nelson, Marion, Donald, Alma, Roy, Lloyd, Howard, and Graham.

Alfred James Simmons was born on 20 Aug 1904 and died on 3 Apr 1986, at age 81. Alfred married Lillian Florence Rodgers, They had one child: Robert.

Hubert William Simmons was born on 30 Sep 1906, and died on 10 Mar 1994, at age 87. Hubert married Sarah Florence Burgess. They had six children: George Henry, Pearl, Elizabeth, Margaret, Lois, and Florence.

Hayward Maxwell Simmons was born on 8 Jan 1913 and died on 31 Mar 1914, at age 1.

James Edward Simmons

James Edward Simmons was born on 27 Dec 1876 in and died in 1949, at age 73. James moved from Green's Harbour to Bishop Falls between 1904 and 1921.

In 1921 at Bishop Falls, he was a blacksmith. James married Elizabeth Annie Soper. They had six children: Maria, Samuel Hector, Virtue Maria, Kenneth James, Malazier, and Isabel. A piece of land he owned in Green’s Harbour he sold to his nephew Cyril Wilfred Simmons.

Maria Simmons was born on 30 Jul 1902 died before 1921, before age 19. Samuel Hector Simmons was born in Sep 1904 He joined the armed Forces: 1939-1945 during the War.

Virtue Maria Simmons was born in May 1908. Wedding December 22, 1927 Jacob Harvey SMITH, age 21, Bishop's Falls of Thomas & Virtue Maria SIMMONS, age 20, Bishop's Falls at Church of St. Andrew, Bishop's Falls by W. K. Pitcher, Priest Witnesses: Kenneth Simmonds, Malazier Simmonds. They had two children: Reginald and Susanna.

Kenneth James Simmons was born on 4 Jul 1911 in Green's Harbour. Malazier Simmons was born on 11 Jun 1913. Another name for Malazier is Molly. Isabel Simmons was born on 18 Mar 1915 in Green's Harbour and died before 1921, before age 6.

Lorenzo Simmons

Lorenzo Alonso Simmons was born in Feb 1869.Lorenzo married Harriet Annie. They had six children: Isabella, Frances, Miriam Gertrude, Minnie, Allan, and William Lewis.

Isabel Simmons

Isabel Simmons was born on 20 Aug 1879. It is not known what happened to Isabel

Charles Simmons and Bridget

Charles Simmons was born in Oct 1867 in Green's Harbour and died on 12 Aug 1926, at age 58.He was a fisherman. He was described as gentle but strict withhis crew on his boat. His ship was called Victoria and on several of his children's baptism's he is listed as John Charles Simmons. He died of consumption. Charles had a total of 17 children.

Charles married Bridget on an unknown date. They had six children: Florence, Ann Eliza, William John, Aseanth, James S, and Mary. Bridget was badly injured after falling into the harbour whilst pregnant. She did give birth to Mary but died in childbirth.

Florence Simmons was born on 23 Sep 1892 and died on 28 Aug 1900.She died of whooping cough. Ann Eliza Simmons was born on 1 Oct 1894 and died on 26 Oct 1894.

William John Simmons was born on 8 Nov 1895 and died on 12 Jan 1959, at age 63. He served in World War 1, as part of the Newfoundland Forestry Corp. He was a private and had the number of 8205. He was awarded the British Medal for his service. William was a fisherman and also an excellent bandsman in the Salvation Army band. William married Margaret Geneva. They had six children: Charles Stewart, Theodore, Jennie Florence, Ethel Virture, Agnes, and Stanley James. Charles, Theodore, and Ethel all died in their teens from a TB epidemic. Agnes and Stanley died young. Only Jennie lived a full life and moved to Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband Arthur Deadmarch.William married again to Clara Jackson.

Aseanth Simmons was born in Mar 1899.She moved to Moreton’s Harbour by 1921 with her husband Watson Small and his sisters. They had no children.

James S Simmons was born on 17 Jul 1899 and died young. Mary Simmons was born on 10 Apr 1901 and died on 29 Mar 1902 in Green's Harbour.

Charles Simmons and Mary Gushue

Charles next married Mary Josephine Gushue, daughter of Charles Gushue and Ellen Mcdonald, on 14 November 1901. They had 11 children: Ambrose, Lucy Agnes, Victor John, Mildred, Eric, Mary Ellen Nellie, Charles Bernard, Cyril Wilfred, Veronica Agnes, Harry, and Clarence George.

Mary was also known as Johannah. She was tall about 5ft 10in, and stood very straight, with a slim built. Her hair was mostly grey. Johannah was a midwife, and John Gushue remembers her walking to Bacon Cove to deliver children while visiting Conception Hr. He remembers the black medical bag she had when she stopped for tea. According to Nelson Simmons she fell out with family due to her marrying a protestant, her family were catholic.