Biographical Sketch of Hon. James Riley Simmons, Texas County, Missouri

>From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas,
Pulaski, Phelps & Dent Counties, Missouri, from Earliest Times to the
Present" Published by Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1889.

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Hon. James Riley Simmons, who figures prominently in the farming and
stock raising interests of Cass Township, was born in Marshall County,
Tenn., January 10, 1848, being the son of Lewis and Malinda (Gant)
Simmons, both natives of North Carolina, and grandson of Lewis Simmons,
Sr., who was also a native of North Carolina, and who made a home for
himself and family in Tennessee at a very early date.  The Simmons 
trace their ancestry back to a settlement made in North Carolina by a
native of Ireland previous to the Revolutionary War.  They were people
of medium stature, of strong physique, and were rather tenacious of
their religious belief, although their descendant, Lewis Simmons, Jr.,
was liberal in that regard and tending toward a belief in Universalism.
The Gants were of Irish extraction, and made settlements in North Caro-
lina after Revolutionary War times.  They followed in general the
characteristics of the Simmons.  On both sides they were agricultural
people, and never owned slaves.  Hon. James Riley Simmons was one of
three sons and two daughters born to his parents.  He was reared in
Texas County, where his father had located in 1855, from Marshall
County, Tenn., and where his death had occurred from small pox in 1864,
after an active, useful life.  The mother is still living, and makes 
her home with James R.  The latter, as soon as grown, engaged in farm-
ing and stock raising, and has placed it on a good footing here.  He 
pays attention to the raising and breeding of Short-horn and Durham 
cattle, Poland-China and Berkshire hogs, Cotswold Sheep, etc.  He owns
600 acres of land, 350 under cultivation.  He was married in Texas 
County to Miss Mary E. Rust, a native of Warren County, Tenn., and the
daughter of Robert and Margaret (Eddy) Rust, natives of Tennessee, who 
made a home in Texas County about 1854.  Mr. Rust lost his life in the
Confederate service, in 1863, under Gen. Price.  To Mr. and Mrs. 
Simmons were born five sons and three daughters: Irene, Lewis, Gouley,
Lee, Oscar, John R., Jr., Perley and buried Annie, the second daughter.
Mr. Simmons has given his children good educational advantages, which
have not been neglected.  Mrs. Simmons is a devoted member of the
Christian Church.  Mr. Simmons is a member of the Masonic Blue Lodge,
is Past Master of both Texas and Barnes' lodges and is an Odd Fellow.
He has always taken an active part in the politics of the Democratic
party, and has ever advocated the principles of the same.  In 1887 the
people of Texas County signified their appreciation of Mr. Simmons'
labors by giving him a unanimous election as their representative to 
the Thirty-fourth General Assembly, in which he has served on commit-
tees of Agriculture, Claims and Labor.  He has always given an import-
ant support to all measures tending to the general advancement of his
county and State.  He has, for the past eleven years, taken an import-
part in the detection and bringing to justice of criminals, who have
sought a haven of safety within the limits of Texas County, and has
extended his work in this direction to many points far beyond the 
limits of this County.

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