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Biographies and photos
courtesy of Jackson County Historical Commission |
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Capt. Thomas Simons Captain Thomas Simons was born May 26, 1794, at Pelau House, near Birtly and Chesterle Street, in the city of Durham, England. His father gave him the best opportunity, of his time, for an education. He was sent off to school, where he spent four years without going home for vacations. After receiving his diploma at the end of four years, he returned home and was welcomed by his father. He informed his father that he wished to own a large passenger boat and be a seaman. This proposed profession called for schooling in engineering so he spent two years in learning the trade. He then became a navigator, a vessel master and owner. He won the title of captain, as he was commander of his ship. He was married to Susan Thomas July 15, 1817, at Cape Bretan, Nova Scotia. They were parents of fourteen children, whose careers are sketched briefly, in the following paragraphs. Pheba, born April 30, 1818, Halifax, Nova Scotia; died (yellow fever) October 8, 1834, New Orleans, La. Infant, born August 18, 1819; died at birth. Joseph T., born Sept. 18, 1820, Halifax, Nova Scotia; fought for Texas Independence; was a “Mier Prisoner,” and drew a white bean, but died before release, a prisoner in the Castle Perote, Mexico, on November 14, 1843. William, born February 20, 1822, Halifax, Nova Scotia; died July 21, 1835, Texana, Texas. Maurice Kavanaugh, born March 4, 1824, Halifax, Nova Scotia; married Elizabeth Hatcher of Lynchburg, Va.; died June 18, 1867, Texana. Thomas, born January 21, 1826, Halifax, Nova Scotia; fought under General Zachary Taylor in the Mexican War and died (smallpox) in Mexico, June 4, 1847, in the U. S. Service. Rachel Susan Frances, born November 14, 1828, Halifax, Nova Scotia; was married to Joseph H. Rogers, died July 1, 1863, Texana. Robert, born October 29, 1830, Halifax, Nova Scotia; died (yellow fever), October 10, 1834, New Orleans, La. Elizabeth Aston, born October 12, 1832, Halifax, Nova Scotia; was married to Sylvester A. Garrett; died February 28 1862, at Indianola. George Frances, born February 14, 1834, Halifax, Nova Scotia; married Flora Wells, and died October 11, 1910, Edna. Milam Travis, born September 24, 1836, Texana, Texas; was married to Lee Anna Walker Staples, of Virginia; died June 24, 1916, at Edna. Phoebe Ann, born September 22, 1838, at Texana; was married to Isaac Brugh; died January 14, 1864, at Texana. William Henry, born September 28, 1840, at Texana; died (yellow fever) September 20, 1864, Galveston, Texas. Mary Susan, born January 1, 1843, Texana; was married to Rev. O. A. Fisher; died June 17, 1912, at Edna. Captain Thomas Simons made his home in Halifax for a number of years after he married. It is thought he was engaged in business there for a time. The record shows that he was Mayor of Halifax for six years prior to 1834. In the same year he emigrated to Texas, making the voyage in his ship with his wife and nine children. He entered various ports while en route to Texas, to engage in coast trade. He lost three of his children, two at New Orleans with yellow fever, and the third at Texana within almost a year. He first landed at Dimmitt’s Point on the Navidad River in 1835. He continued his maritime pursuits until 1848. At this time he was actively engaged in the cotton carrying out of Port Lavaca. He became a surveyor and later a merchant. The Simons family prospered in their new home at Texana, and four more children were born there. His oldest children were patriots, and three of them took part in the struggle for Texas Independence, or in the Mexican War which followed. Joseph and Thomas died as martyrs for the cause of Texas liberty. Maurice narrowly escaped with the loss of a limb. Mrs. Susan Simons died July 18, 1844 at Texana. Capt. Thomas Simons married again in 1845; his second wife was Mrs. Judith Ann (Dibrell) Hatcher of Campbell County, Va. She was born June 26, 1808, at Buckingham, Va., and was a daughter of Anthony and Wilmuth (Watson) Dibrell. No children were born to this union. Capt. Thomas Simons was appointed Counsellor by the Texas Government soon after he came to Texas. There were two army camps in Jackson County, one on the Lavaca River and the other at the forks of the Lavaca and Navidad rivers. Serving as Counsellor, Captain Simons stayed at the clerk’s office most of the time. The soldiers were rough, drank quite a bit and had many fights. One day two soldiers got into a fist fight. Captain Simons ordered them to stop fighting, but they did not pay any attention to him. He knocked one down twice, and thus stopped the fight. Captain Simons died from cholera, June 11, 1852, and Mrs. Judith Ann Simons died from yellow fever at the same place on July 4, 1867. Captain Thomas Simons was the grand- and great-grandsire of the various branches of the Simons family in Jackson County, Goliad, and other South Texas counties.
The Cavalcade of Jackson County, Third Edition, pages 421-423 |
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Joseph T. Simons Sept. 18, 1820, Halifax, Nova Scotia - November 14, 1843, Mexico |
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William Simons February 20, 1822, Halifax, Nova Scotia - July 21, 1835, Texana, Texas |
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Maurice Kavanaugh Simons March 4, 1824, Halifax, Nova Scotia - June 18, 1867, Texana
Married
Major Maurice Kavanaugh Simons was the son of Capt. Thomas and Susan (Thomas) Simons. He was born at Halifax, Nova Scotia, March 4, 1824, and came to Texas with his parents in 1834. He was too young to accompany his brother, Joseph, in the early Texas struggle between the Texans and Mexicans. He was undaunted by his older brother’s fate and promptly joined the army of the United States in 1846 to fight in the Mexican War. He was accompanied his younger brother, Thomas. Maurice was in the Commissary Department and served at critical times with other units, particularly with Capt. Walker’s Company of Texas Rangers. He was one of the three men who escaped the slaughter of a detachment of that company at the beginning of hostility on the Rio Grande. During the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, he acted as guide to the left wing of the army on the latter field. At the siege and capture of Monterrey he was a volunteer in this great battle. On February 22, 1847, at Buena Vista, General Zachary Taylor found his 5,000 soldiers almost surrounded by 15,000 Mexican soldiers under their able and daring leader, Santa Anna. It was necessary to get a dispatch through to General Marshall, who with the artillery was at Rincondo, thirty-five miles distant. Several attempts were made to penetrate the enemy’s lines, but all in vain. This was the position of the American Army, when Maurice K. Simons, age twenty-three, was called into the General’s tent and offered a choice of horses and pistols. He carried the message through to General Marshall and saved the American Army from a disastrous defeat. The feat made him a great hero. After the Mexican War, he returned home and married Miss Elizabeth Hatcher of Lynchburg, Va., June 1, 1858. He retired to private life. He died June 18, 1867 at Texana.
The Cavalcade of Jackson County, Third Edition, pages 418-419 |
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Robert Simons October 29, 1830, Halifax, Nova Scotia - October 10, 1834, New Orleans, La. |
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Elizabeth Aston Simons October 12, 1832, Halifax, Nova Scotia - February 28 1862, Indianola, Texas
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George Francis Simons
Married
George
F. Simons, Sr.
He was united in marriage to Miss Flora Wells, a daughter of Dr. and Mrs. F. F. Wells, and a native of Jackson County. They were married June 6, 1860, at old Texana, and to this union three children were born: C. S. Simons, Dr. F. W. Simons, and George T. Simons, Jr. George F. Simons, Sr., lived when Texas pioneers were inured to hardships, danger and privations which often tried the courage and character or men. It is interesting to give here some of his reminiscences of pioneer days that were published in the Galveston News several years ago. They are valuable as historic facts, and also give his experiences, some of which follow. “In these days, when congregations enter their beautiful and elegant churches and cathedrals whose domes and spires reach heavenward, with costly furniture and all the comforts and conveniences of modern times; the ladies attired in the richest silks, velvets and other superb trimmings and trappings, and the men clothed in broadcloth and dress suits, all riding in magnificent carriages and equipages with trained servants, a comparison of pioneer days is most striking and interesting. Look back to the rude and unpretentious brush arbor, with huge logs for seats, located in some convenient and friendly grove. Look across the great grass covered prairie and see the pious husband and wife, each mounted on pony and each with two or three children mounted behind, and a sack of venison and bread for dinner, winding their way among wild flowers and herds of deer and other game to the sacred spot where God was worshipped in Christian purity and simplicity. Many came afoot, and the ladies who wore homespun dresses in the week usually wore a plain calico dress on Sunday, but the men wore the same suits, deer skin pants, flannel shirts and coon-skin caps, on Sunday as any other day. The children were generally dressed in clothing made out of old-fashioned bed ticking. There was such equality and similarity of dress that remarks as to how this and that neighbor was dressed were never heard. We always utilized the preacher’s time in full and held services all day, and then the people from the abundance of the heart enjoyed their religion. At dinner time all met together and enjoyed the frugal repast, with creek water for drink. Now, while those methods and customs were crude and primitive, I look back to those days as the happiest and most cherished memories of the past when every man was a truthworthy friend and neighbor. “The Methodist Church at Texana, built about 1848, was the first church building erected in the county, and though it would be regarded as a cheap structure today, it was then considered quite an imposing edifice. But the people now, surrounded as they are with luxuries and all other conveniences that make life easy cannot rightly appreciate the trials and hardships of pioneer days. For instance, when one family was fortunate enough to secure a supply of coffee, even without sugar, or as we said then, without ‘sweetening,’ it as such a treat and rarity that a day was set, and the neighbors for several miles around were invited to come and enjoy the delightful beverage. At that time, the county was so sparsely settled that the coffee drinkings, as occasions for bringing friends and neighbors together, were indeed delightful and enjoyable. “When a boy only seven years old, my father sent me with Captain Sam Wildy across the Colorado River, a distance of forty miles or more, to purchase 50 cents worth of flour to make biscuits and tea cakes for the children’s Christmas stockings. The flour was procured and that Christmas is still remembered by me as one of real childish joy and happiness.” Mr. Simons joined the Methodist Church at Texana at the age of eight years. In later years he served the Methodist Sunday School at Edna for thirty-eight years as superintendent. In 1862 he joined the Confederate Army, participated in the Battle of Shiloh, endured the horrors of the siege of Vicksburg, and returned home when hostilities had closed with a splendid record as a soldier. He died after he passed his seventy-sixth birthday in 1914. He rendered valuable service to his church and county for many years.
Mrs. Flora
A. Simons Mrs. Flora A. Simons was born at Texana, December 31, 1833 at a time when Mexico governed Texas. She was born under the Mexican flag and resided under three different governments without changing her residence. She was a daughter of Dr. and Mrs. F. F. Wells, who were Jackson County’s most distinguished pioneer citizens She was married to George F. Simons in Texana in the home of her father, June 6, 1860. Mr. and Mrs. Simons, and George F. Simons, Jr. She was one of the best-known and loved ladies in Jackson County. She was a very devoted Christian and was a member of the Methodist Church for a great number of years. She died in Edna at the home of her son, George Simons, December 25, 1914.
The Cavalcade of Jackson County, Third Edition, pages 416-418 |
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Milam Travis Simons
Married
Milam
T. Simons, Sr. Milam T. Simons was a son of Capt. Thomas and Susan (Thomas) Simons. He was born September 24, 1836, at Texana, Texas. He was united in marriage to Miss Lee Anna W. Staples, Dec. 20, 1860, at old Texana. Lee Anna W. Staples was born in Virginia October 20, 1840. Children born to this union are all living [in 1930] and are as follows: Mary Lee, who became the wife of P. W. Clement Maurice Kavanaugh, who married Earl Lane Edwin Percy, who married Nannie Gayle Milam Travis, Jr., who married Gena Gayle Mattie Dibrell, who became Mrs. M. D. Pumphrey Eugene Herbert, who married Clay Wharton Mr. Simons served as sheriff of Jackson County at Texana during the Civil War, and belonged to the Home Guards through the war days. He was a member of the Methodist Church and a Mason. He always ranked among the truest, noblest and most worthy citizens of the county. He was fair, frank and honest in all his dealings with his fellowmen. He was a leader in the social, religious, business and political welfare of the county. Milam Travis Simons, Sr., died June 24, 1916. His wife died July 6, 1925.
The Cavalcade of Jackson County, Third Edition, pages 420 |
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Phoebe Ann Simons September 22, 1838, Texana - January 14, 1864, Texana.
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William Henry Simons September 28, 1840, Texana - September 20, 1864, Galveston, Texas |
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Copyright 2022-
Present by Simons Family and source contributors |
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| Created Jun. 24, 2022 |
Updated Jun. 24, 2022 |
