Talbot-Banks-Jasper County GaArchives Biographies.....Simmons, John January 4, 1738 - 1837 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: John Simmons http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00030.html#0007486 December 25, 2019, 3:35 pm Source: personal research Author: John Simmons John Simmons Jr. was born about 1738 in Craven County, North Carolina. His parents were John Simmons and Dinah Herbert. His father inherited land in Virginia and sold that land in 1738. John's parents then moved to Craven County, North Carolina. The area where they lived became part of Johnston County, North Carolina when it was created out of a portion of Craven County in 1746. John was not listed on any of the wills, but his father is called John Simmons, Sr. in a number of places. John Jr. and his family lived in Johnston County throughout the 1750s and 1760s. The area where the Simmons family lived became part of Wake County when it was created in 1771. County records indicate that John Jr. was very active in land deals, farming, owning slaves, serving on juries, appraising estates, proving documents, heading road work crews, etc. John enlisted his service in the North Carolina Colonial Militia. He is listed with his brother Adam in the Johnston County militia in the 1760s under the command of Simon Turner. John was married to Margaret Nutt in 1766 in Johnston County, North Carolina. John's father died in 1770. Wake County was formed in 1771 from Cumberland, Johnston, and Orange Counties. John's brother Willis died in 1771. While the Simmons families were living in Wake County news came to New Bern in May of 1775 that war erupted in the colonies with the confrontation between the local militia and British troops at Lexington Green in Massachusetts on 14 April 1775. Throughout 1775, North Carolina Whigs organized their resistance to the Crown. Provincial Congresses were called to order. Two months later, on April 12, 1776, the Fourth Provincial Congress passed the Halifax Resolves, officially endorsing independence from Great Britain. North Carolina representatives presented the resolves to the Continental Congress on May 27, the same day that Virginia offered a similar resolution. In early 1776, British authorities planned to exploit the allegiances of thousands of Scottish settlers who lived along the Cape Fear River near Cross Creek (present day Fayetteville). Word was sent to the Loyalists to organize and prepare for a landing of British regulars along the coast. Soon hundreds of Highland Scots were enlisting in Tory regiments in the region and marching towards Wilmington. The Council of Safety acted swiftly to counteract their intentions, and on February 27, 1776, Patriot troops intercepted and destroyed the Loyalist force at Moore’s Creek Bridge. Among those troops was the Wake County Militia and Lt. Col. Theophilus Hunter. By July 4th of 1776 the Continental congress had met in Philadelphia and declared for independence from Great Britain. War raged on in the northern colonies and eventually came to the southern colonies. No battles were actually fought in Wake County where the Simmons families lived. However Wake County patriots fought in major battles in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The North Carolina militia was also in the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina. The Wake County Militia was at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.. This was not a victory for the patriots but Cornwallis lost so many men killed and wounded that he had to withdraw. John Simmons,Jr., his son, William, Isaac Nutt and possibly John and William Nutt, enlisted in the North Carolina Militia. They fought in several small skirmishes with the British in 1780. Then they fought in the major Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina in January of 1781. This was one of the most decisive battles for the Americans during the Revolutionary War. John Simmons, Jr., suffered a severe injury to his left leg which was hit by a musket ball. His brother in law Isaac Nutt was killed. John, Jr.'s son, William Simmons came thru the battle uninjured.William's enlistment was cut short so he could accompany his injured father home to Wake County. To perpetuate the honor and memory of Isaac Nutt, John, Jr., William Simmons added "Isaac" to his name. With the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown in Virginia in 1782 the war came to a close. After the war ended John's father in law, Robert Nutt died in Wake County in 1785. John is named as husband of Margaret Nutt and received money in the last will of Robert Nutt. John and son William (Isaac) moved their families to Baldwin County, Georgia.John Simmons, Jr. and his son Isaac lived on their land in Baldwin County until 1816. According to county tax and deed records, three of their closest neighboring families were the George Thompson family, the Joshua Schurlock family and the Joseph Westmoreland family. Several marriages between the children and grandchildren of these families occurred. The Oconee River was a natural territorial line between the white settlers on the east and the Creek Indians on the west as proclaimed by President Washington. However, it was difficult to enforce. The white settlers kept moving across the river to the west and the Indians kept slipping across to the east and raiding the whites. The attempt at enforcement of the border did not last long. In 1816, the John Simmons, Jr., family, the Isaac Simmons family, the John J. Simmons family, and the Joseph Westmoreland family sold their land in Baldwin County. In the Jan 31 1816 issue of the Georgia Journal, published at Milledgeville, county seat of Baldwin County, the following was advertised for sale by John and Isaac Simmons: 410 acres on Deriso Creek, 1 brown Bay Mare, 1 yoke of oxen and cart, 22 head cattle, 9 head sheep, 2 sows and 10 pigs. The families then moved to the northwest about 40 miles to Jasper County. This was in the vicinity of Monticello. Isaac Simmons is shown on the 1820 census in Jasper County. By this time, John Simmons, Jr. was in his 80's and living with Isaac Simmons. The George Thompson family, the John J. Simmons family and the Joseph Westmoreland family left Jasper County by 1818 and moved to Montgomery County, Alabama. By 1830, the John Simmons, Jr., family and the Isaac Simmons family had moved westward to Talbot County, Georgia about 30 miles northeast of Columbus in Muscogee County.They were in Dupree's District. By this time, John, Jr., was in his 90's and still living with Isaac. According to son, Isaac's, war pension application, John Jr. died in 1837 in Talbot County, his age being about 99 years and he died as a result of his war injury. No info has been found on the time and location of his wife, Margaret's death. The exact day and month for his death has not been determined. The location of his grave has also not been determined. He was most likely buried on the land of his son Isaac. Isaac remained in Talbot County and was living there when he made a pension application for his service in the Revolutionary War. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/talbot/bios/simmons439bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 7.5 Kb