Fam. History: Origins of the Semmes Family; St. Mary's County, MD Contributed by Lisa Simms ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** The origins of the Semmes family of Maryland are not clear. I rediscovered a passage written by Harry Wright Newman in his introduction to The Maryland Semmes And Kindred Families (The Maryland Historical Society Baltimore, 1956) about the origins of the family-- " The Semmes family of Southern Maryland is considered to be of Norman origin with the name appearing in England after the Conquest in various forms such as Sim, Sims, Simms, Syms, Simme, and the like. The progenitor (Marmaduke) wrote his name as Semme and like wise his widow (Fortune) when she signed her last will and testament. By the third generation distinct differences in orthography occurred with the descendants of Anthony Semmes, though not always, adopting the shorter form of Simms and using it today, while the descendants of James, the second Son, consistently used Semmes. An English writer stated that the family appears to be of Scottish or border origin and the blazonry of the family coat-armour indicates some connection with Norway. In 1221 one Riccard de Syme was granted land at Handboville, Normandy, by Philippe Augustus, and as Normandy was conquered by the Norsemen or tribes from the region which is now Norway, the Norman tradition fits into the historic pattern. In the sixteenth century, however, the name was found among the county families of Northamptonshire and Gloucestershire." Of course, Harry doesn't say _which_ English writer and there's no bibliography in the book. I recently received a copy of SEMMES and Allied Families by Raphael T. Semmes, 1918, 381pp. Photocopy; Flex. Vinyl Covers. In it is a letter from Benedict Joseph Semmes of Memphis to his nephew. Since this volume is not generally available, I thought I'd publish the full-text hereŠ.and you can draw your own conclusions about his telling of the family's origins. Biloxi, Miss., February 19, 1895. Dear Frank: A few days since Malcolm [1] forwarded me your letter of 7th inst., [sic] with regard to the records of the Semmes family. I am sorry that during the war many valuable papers were destroyed or disappeared, and the old family Bible of my grandfather as well. I have my father's Bible only. A most valuable paper, the deed from Lord Baltimore to the first Joseph, [2] was destroyed by a bad companion of my lost brother Raphael. [3] That boy, Bob Wilson, tore off the great leaden seal of the "Lord Proprietor of Maryland" to make bullets of, and as my little brother told us, also destroyed the "skin paper' as he called it, or parchment. I have at home a deed to my father [4] from him for a portion of the Effton Hills estate. [5] Three separate parcels are conveyed in the deed, and one in particular called "Adams Choice," another "Evu's Delight," and both, when I was there in childhood, were known by these names, and as the best tobacco lands in the county. With regard to the order in which my father's brother and sisters were born, I cannot remember accurately; they were all down in the Semmes Bible lost in years past, with other relics, one of which was a piece of the old Jersey prison ship in which my grandfather, Capt. Jenkins, [6] was long a prisoner of the English. Clara [7] holds that the first Joseph was English; I know better, for Judge Middleton Semmes, [8] the Admiral's [9] brother, when a Judge of the Supreme Court of Maryland (the Court of Appeals) told us in Georgetown that he came across an act of the Provisional Council of that State, which he found in the old archives at Annapolis while investigating some old case, naturalizing Joseph Semmes from Normandy, in France, dated, I think, in 1664 or 1646; he could not hold land before that act. Two Normandy gentlemen named Semmes, visited the Admiral at Cherbourg, before the fight with the "Kearsage," [10] and claimed kinship, and said theirs was one of the oldest families of Normandy and there was no .other of the same name in France. He told us in Memphis after the war about this visit. Another gentleman, whose middle name, Spanish fashion with Spanish sirname [sic] attached to it, called upon him when in Cadiz, in command of the ship "Sumpter," his first cruiser, he told the Admiral that his grandfather was a French soldier from Normandy, who fell in love with a Spanish lady, and after the war returned to Spain and married her. I remember an old lady, and a fine one at that, who had a pretty estate in Maryland, which I have visited, and who was called by my father and mother "Aunt Middleton." She was my father's own aunt and was of Semmes blood. [11] The Admiral's brother, the Judge, was named Middleton. You know, I suppose, that I have the deed of Lord Baltimore for "Effton Hills" estate; it is not to our ancestor, for at that time he could not hold real estate, but to another person, though really for him, which accounts for the subsequent deed, of which I told you, made after the naturalization, and was destroyed by that Wilson boy. I used to know much more of the family history than I can now remember. The later events of my stirring life seem to have covered up in my memory many things of which I sometimes recall the incidents. The names of my two great-uncles, Semmes, I can not, with certainty recall, who were killed in the battle of Long Island and belonged to the "Maryland Line." Their names are recorded at Annapolis and perhaps in Washington. Should I recall anything useful I will write you. I have been here since 1st December with my wife and youngest grand child, LaValette, the son Maude [12] left last April a year ago. My health was very wretched, in fact I was near death; I have improved much, but I am still feeble and cannot get strength. The winter has surpassed anything ever known on the Gulf and has retarded my improvement. The houses here are not built for cold weather. Up to the 27th December we had flowers, tropical plants, all in bloom, but all are killed, even the water cresses. Give my kindest regards to your wife, who I hope some day to meet. Your aunt joins me in love to you both. Yours affectionately, .. (Signed) B. J. SEMMES. Your Aunt Jo is 66 today. NOTE: Letter from B. J. Semmes of Memphis, Tenn., to his nephew, Frank Ives. ----------------- 1. Joseph Malcolm Semmes, his son, b. 1852, m. Eleanor Wingfield MARTIN (1) Marmaduke SEMME Gent. (~1635-1692) & Fortune (1640-<<1701) (2) James SEMMES (~1670-1727) & Mary Goodrick (1673-1746) (3) James SEMMES Lieut.* (1713-1787) & Anne BARNES (-<<1744) (3) James SEMMES Lieut.* (1713-1787) & Mary SIMPSON (-1787) (4) Benedict Joseph SEMMES (~1753-1824) & Henrietta THOMPSON (1755-1833) (5) Raphael SEMMES (1786-1846) & Mary Matilda JENKINS (1800-1881) (6) Major Benedict Joseph SEMMES CSA (1823-1902) & Jorantha JORDAN (7) Joseph Malcolm SEMMES (1852-) & Eleanor Wingfield MARTIN 2. The "first" Joseph Semmes. According to family oral history at that time, the progenitor of the Semmes in Maryland was a Joseph. No evidence, other than this reference, has been found to support this theory. The description of the deed is compelling, however. 3. Raphael Semmes (1836-1853) was lost at sea from the S.S. "Antelope" en route from San Francisco to New York City. 4. Raphael SEMMES (1786-1846) who married Mary Matilda JENKINS (1800-1881) 5. "Effton Hills" came into the Semmes family in 1808 through the Winter family. According to Newman, Admiral Raphael Semmes (1809-1877) and Judge Samuel Middleton Semmes (1811-1867) were born at "Effton Hills." Their father was Richard Thompson Semmes (1781-1823) who married Catherine Middleton, widow of Captain William Winter of Effton Hills in 1808. It is likely the deed of which he speaks contains the name Winter. On July 17, 1822, Raphael Semmes (of Joseph and Henrietta Thompson Semmes) conveyed to Alexander Gray, of Charles County, "Effton's Hills" which he had purchased from Richard H. Winter. (Newman, pps. 65-67) 6. Capt. Thomas Jenkins, son of William and Elizabeth Mitchell Jenkins. The following is copied from the notice of his death printed in the Port Tobacco Times, which was, and is yet, pasted in the old family Bible of Henry Jenkins, son of Capt. Thos. Jenkins: DEATH OF CAPT. THOMAS JENKINS Died at his residence in Charles County, Md., on the 14th inst., Capt. Thomas Jenkins, aged 71. In early life he was devoted to the sea, and during our Revolutionary struggle he had the misfortune to be captured by the enemy, and lay nine months a prisoner at New York aboard the memorable "Old Jersey." Here, after suffering all the horrors of disease and want, he was sent on shore to die of a malignant fever contracted on board the prison ship, but by the aid of a strong constitution and the protecting hand of Providence was restored to health and his friends. Several years after this he married and raised a numerous family of children, six sons and two daughters. To the characteristic bluntness and rough manner of a sailor he united the most rigid principles of probity with the finest feelings of humanity. Respected and esteemed by his neighbors, revered and beloved by his children and numerous relations, he died lamented by all, but by none more than the poor of his neighborhood, who can with sorrowful truth say, "We have lost a friend." This is no panegyric, it is simply the truth and known to be such by the whole circle of his friends. (Semmes, p 296) 7. Clara Elizabeth Semmes, sister, (1830- aft 1895) m. William Bushby FITZGERALD 8. Judge Samuel Middleton Semmes (1811-1875) m. Eleanor GUEST 9. Admiral Raphael Semmes (1809-1877) & Anne SPENCER (1819-1892) 10. The S.S. Kearsage was the ship which sunk Admiral Raphael Semmes' S.S. Alabama off the coast of France. Semmes surrendered, but the Kearsage sunk the ship nonetheless. Semmes captured more enemy merchant ships than any other cruiser captain in maritime history. 11. Middleton/Semmes Marriages- MIDDLETON, Catherine Taliaferro m. Richard Thompson SEMMES MIDDLETON, Martha m. Marmaduke V SEMMES, Dr. MIDDLETON, Sarah m. Edward, SEMMES, Dr. 12. LaValette Semmes of Maude- (1) Marmaduke SEMME Gent. (~1635-1692) & Fortune (1640-<<1701) (2) James SEMMES (~1670-1727) & Mary Goodrick (1673-1746) (3) James SEMMES Lieut.* (1713-1787) & Anne BARNES (-<<1744) (3) James SEMMES Lieut.* (1713-1787) & Mary SIMPSON (-1787) (4) Benedict Joseph SEMMES (~1753-1824) & Henrietta THOMPSON (1755-1833) (5) Raphael SEMMES (1786-1846) & Mary Matilda JENKINS (1800-1881) (6) Major Benedict Joseph SEMMES CSA (1823-1902) & Jorantha JORDAN (7) Raphael Eustace SEMMES & Maude DUVAL (-1893) (8) LaValette Duval SEMMES (1893-) ------- CHAP. XXX. An ACT to make valid a deed from Joseph Semmes, of the kingdom of France, to Charles Goodrick, of Charles county. PR. 1779 http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000203/html/am203--234.html (copy and paste link to your browser) The date of the Act eliminates this Joseph as an American progenitor in the 1600 timeframe, but lends credence to a French link for the Semmes family. He appears to be the Joseph whose ownership of land needed the tweak of lawfulness per Benedict Joseph's letter, which was written almost 100 years later.