ASHTABULA COUNTY OHIO - BIO: SIMONDS, C. Henry (published 1925)

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HISTORY OF OHIO, The American Historical Society, Inc., 1925
Volume IV, page 267, 268

        C. HENRY SIMONDS is one of the leading business men and loyal and
public-spirited citizens of Conneaut, Ashtabula County, in which attractive
little city he is senior member of the firm of Simonds & Bennett, which
conducts a large and well equipped furniture store, besides which he is
president of the Citizens Banking & Trust Company. His deep interest in all
that concerns the welfare and advancement of Ashtabula County is not only a
matter of appreciation but is characterized also by the loyalty of a native
son. Mr. Simonds was born at Jefferson, this county, November 19, 1844, and
is a son of Charles Stetson Simonds, who was born in Vermont, in 1815, and
whose death occurred at Jefferson, Ohio in 1815, and whose death occurred
at Jefferson, Ohio, in 1891. Moses Simonds, grandfather of him whose name
introduces this paragraph, likewise is a native of the old Green Mountain
State, and was a representative of a family that was founded in New England
in the Colonial era of our national history. Moses Simonds came with his
wife and their young children to Ashtabula County, Ohio, in the pioneer
days, instituted the development of a farm near Saybrook, and there his
death occurred a few years later, his wife, whose maiden name was Priscilla
Cook, having likewise been born in Vermont, and having survived him a
number of years, she having passed the closing period of her life at
Saybrook, Ashtabula County. Charles S. Simonds became a successful exponent
of pioneer farm industry in Ashtabula County, near Saybrook, whence he
later removed to Jefferson, where his marriage was solemnized, and where he
studied law in the office of the firm of Wade & Ranney. He was in due
course admitted to the bar, and he became one of the successful and
representatives members of the bar of Ashtabula County, where he continued
in the practice of his profession, at Jefferson, for many years. He was a
leader in the local councils of the republican party, and was a man who
ever commanded unqualified popular confidence and esteem. His wife, whose
maiden name was Louise Warner, was born at Jefferson, this county, in 1822,
and there her death occurred in 1898, a venerable representative of another
of the sterling pioneer families of Ashtabula County. Of the five children,
C. Henry, of this review, was the first born; Albert C. acquired a large
orange ranch in Los Angeles County, California, and in the  City of Los
Angeles his death occurred May 3, 1922; Maria is the widow of Edward C.
Wade, an able lawyer who died at Jefferson, Ashtabula County, and she now
resides at West Chester, Pennsylvania; Adeline is the widow of Clinton C.
Canfield, who was engaged in the wholesale business in the City of
Cleveland and whose death occurred at Ravenna, this state, where his widow
still resides; Amelia is the wife of Benjamin F. Beardsley, who is engaged
in the insurance business in the City of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
        In the public schools of Jefferson, C. Henry Simonds continued his
studies until he had completed a course in the high school, and at the age
of seventeen years he entered upon an apprenticeship to the tinner's trade
at Geneva, this county, where he remained two years. He then moved to
Ashtabula, where he followed his trade three years, at the expiration of
which he returned to his native town of Jefferson. There he was engaged in
the general merchandise business a number of years, and where he served two
years as deputy county clerk. He was then elected county clerk, in which
office he served nine years, 1879-88. Thereafter he showed his deep filial
solitude by caring for his father in the latter's final illness, which was
prolonged.
        In June, 1893, about two years after the death of his father, Mr.
Simonds moved from Jefferson to Conneaut and here purchased an interest in
a furniture store. The business was thereafter continued under the firm
name of Putnam & Simonds until March, 1899, and the firm of Simonds &
Bennett has since conducted the substantial and representative business,
which, under the progressive policies of Mr. Simonds, now gives the firm
precedence as conducting the leading furniture store in Conneaut. The large
and modern building in which the business is carried on, at 221 Broad
Street, was erected by Mr. Simonds in the year 1899, is owned by him, and
here the furniture business of his firm has been continuously conducted
since 1900. Mr. Simonds here owns also his attractive home place at 378
Liberty Street. He has been president of the Citizens Banking & Trust
Company at Conneaut since 1919, and is a stockholder also in the Conneaut
Leather Company and the News-Herald Publishing Company. He is a valued
member of the Conneaut Chamber of Commerce and a staunch supporter of its
progressive civic and business policies. He gave an effective
administration as mayor of Conneaut during one term of two years, and for
an equal period was a member of the City Council. In the Masonic fraternity
he is past master of Tuscan Lodge No. 342, Free and Accepted Masons, at
Jefferson, his present ancient-craft affiliation, at Conneaut, being with
the Evergreen Lodge No. 222. Here also he is a member of Conneaut Chapter,
Royal Arch Masons; Conneaut Council No. 40, Royal and Select Masters; and
Cache Commandery, Knights Templar, of which he is a past commander. In the
capital branch of the York Rite he is a past high priest of Jefferson
Chapter No. 141, Royal Arch Masons. In Lake Erie Consistory of the Valley
of Cleveland he has received the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite,
and he formerly held active membership in  Al Koran Temple of the Mystic
Shrine in Cleveland. He is a member also of Conneaut Lodge No. 256,
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
        In February, 1915, at Conneaut, was solemnized the marriage of Mr.
Simonds and Miss Kathleen Willard, daughter of Frank and Miranda (Buss)
Willard, the former of whom died in Western New York and the latter of whom
now resides at Conneaut. Mr. and Mrs. Simonds have no children. In politics
he is a stalwart republican.


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