THE FACTS
Robert Simmons was born on January 3, 1758 in Abbeville District, South Carolina. It is believed that he is the son of John and Ann (Pickens) Simmons although some have John's brother Benjamin as Robert's father. Robert served during the Revolutionary war in Anderson's Regiment. He married Ann Miller (1762-1843) on 8 Sep 1781 in Abbeville. She is the daughter of Robert Miller and Jane Pickens. They had eight children. The family was in Abbeville for the 1800 census but by December of 1801 they were on a journey taking them to Louisiana. Anne's brother Robert had gone to Louisiana shortly after the Revolution. The fact that he had been a loyalist most likely prompted his move. The following letter was written to Ann's mother:
13 December 1801, Tennessee State
Jefferson District French Broad River
thirty miles below Warm Springs
Dear Moter,
We take the opertunity of wrightin to let you know that we are all well at preasent but Bekey, and she has got the ague, but we hope youar well. I wrout to you before about our jurney. I know not wheather you got it or not. Odom lefte me about Sixteen Miles before we stoped and was at me to get into helpe make a boat, but I turned him of for his past conduct on the Road and I know not what has become of him since, and am makeing a boat Myself and will have it don in three or four weke. We wold bee glad you cold come and go down with us as you will never have a beter chanc again. If you cold come by the midel of next Month, we are settled with sober people and have preaching once in too weeks. It is a prisbetarin minnistar by the name of Henderson. We have got a house free while we stay in thes parts. We wuld be glad to see you hear. i think some of the boys might come with you and fetch jinin with you or send her as jean is very uneasey about her. We has nomor at present, but remain your Most Obedient Son & Daughter until death. Robert & Anne Simmons
I have seen mentioned that Robert is noted on the Indian Agent's records as being given a pass to go by flatboat down the Tennessee River to Mississippi River to Natchez in 1802 with 34 people in all, two families, the other Richard Fennell. It was while building the flatboat in the Cookville, Tennessee area that Robert's daughter, Jane, met James Raulston. She married him in 1801 and stayed behind in Tennessee. According to the 1810 census Robert and his family were living in Amite County on the Bogue Chitto River in the Mississippi Territory. Three of Robert's son and two sons-in-law fought in the War of 1812. In 1820 he is enumerated in Washington Parish, Louisiana as the head and his son Robert and the two youngest girls are at home. In 1830 Anne is living with her son Robert but the elder Robert is not listed. Then in January of 1844 there is an agreement whereby Robert M. Simmons relinquished all right, title and interest in the personal property of the estate to the other heirs and those heirs relinquished their right to the tract of land where on the deceased died bounded by north Jesse Day, east by R.M. Simmons, south by J.M. Simmons. To me this indicates that Robert Simmons Sr. had died. Many have his death as 1850 but that is when his son Robert died.
CHILDREN OF ROBERT SIMMONS
1. ELIZABETH SIMMONS (1782-1835)
Elizabeth was born in Abbeville, South Carolina. She married Nathaniel Wells in Abbeville in 1800. In 1804 their family made the same trip to the Mississippi Territory with two of Nathaniel's brothers. Nathaniel was a military man and raised a company of Cavalry to fight in the Creek Indian War. In 1814 he was elect a Major served in the Battle of New Orleans. In 1821 he became a member of the Mississippi legislature. Elizabeth and Nathaniel had 11 children.
2. JANE SIMMON (1783-1870)
Jane was born in South Carolina. Jane met and married John Roulston in Tennessee during her parents stay-over to build a flatboat. John operated an inn with his brother-in-law, known as Roulston's Stand. He also had a mill, distillery and large farm. in 1808 he moved to Sequatche Valley and entered 20,000 acres of land. In 1817 he discovered that his home was actually on the Tennessee Alabama state line. He was located near the Indian villages of Nickajack, Running Water and Long Island and because there was much resentment and unrest among the Indians about the loss of their, land, Roulston was called on by Andrew Jackson to organize for an expedition against the Creek Indiana. In 1814 Colonel Raulston was in the Battle of New Orleans. In 1823 Roulston rearranged his living quarters and declared himself a resident of Alabama and served in the Alabama legislature.
Jane and James had fourteen children between 1802 and 1826.
3. ROBERT MILLER SIMMONS (1789-1850)
Robert was born in South Carolina and moved to the Mississippi Territory with his parents. The following letter is from Robert Miller [nephew of Anne Miller Simmons, her brother Andrew's son] to Ebenezer Miller [Anne's brother in South Carolina]:
3 Mar 1818
I have never been at Uncle Simmons. Saw William Simmons last summer, the only one of the family i have see. They were all well the last accounts I had from them. John Simmons is married and living in Tennessee Robert and William are both single and living with their father. Nathaniel Wells was in this place a short time since (at the time the Legislature was setting). He was elected a member of the Senate form Pike county.
Robert is single in 1818 and also in the 1830 and 1840 census as he is living with his mother. However in the 1850 census, Robert, age 61 is living with Elizabeth age 17, and it is indicated they were both married in the last year. Were they married to each other? Can't know for sure since there is no relationship shown in that census.
4. JOHN SIMMONS 1790-1868
John was born in South Carolina and accompanied his parents to Louisiana. John joined the 13th Louisiana Militia when the invasion by the British was imminent. John contacted Col Raulston, his brother in law, from the 3rd Tennessee regiment and accompanied him back to Tennessee. There he met and married Naomi Jared, a niece of Raulston in 1815. They moved to Missouri when the Civil War began as he was a southern sympathizer. The story is that it nearly cost him his life. Threatened with arrest for having served Confederate cavalry in his shop, he refused to be taken. His daughter Elizabeth seized a hoe and holding its sharp point over the head of the Union soldier whose pistol was leveled at her father, shouted, "Shoot and I will sink this hoe in your brain!" This display of courage and devotion struck at the heart of the Union commander. He ordered his men out, congratulated Elizabeth, saluted and left. John and Naomi had 11 children who migrated to Oklahoma, Texas, and Missouri.
5. WILLIAM SIMMONS 1793-1850
Not much is known about William. He was born in South Carolina and made the trip with his parents to Louisiana. There is a William Simmons listed as deserted from Red River in Nov 1821 by Lt. Col. Taylor. As mentioned in the above letter he was single. On the 1850 mortality schedule Will Simmons, age 57, born in South Carolina, occupation farmer, died in September, cause unknown, ill one day.
6. REBECCA SIMMONS 1797 -?
Rebecca was born in South Carolina and was very young when she made the journey to Louisiana. She married Samuel Davis in 1818. They had seven children. Samuel was deceased by 1850 as Rebecca was enumerated as head of household. She was living next to her brother Robert.
7. ELEANOR C. SIMMONS "Nelly" 1804-aft 1869
Eleanor was born in Mississippi. She married Thomas William Day about 1830 in Louisiana. They had two children.
8. ANNE SIMMONS abt 1810 - ?
Anne was born in Louisiana. She married John W. Williams.
HOW ARE WE RELATED - Robert is the 5th great grandfather of my husband
Robert Simmons
Jane Simmons
Samuel W. Raulston
Robert S. Raulston
Stella Raulston
Mary Elizabeth Dietzen
Joseph Frank Towles Sr.
Joseph Frank Towles Jr.
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