My Genealogy Hound

Benjamin C. Simmons, a teacher residing at Double Bridges, Tenn., was born in Hardeman County, Tenn., August 24, 1838, and is the fifth child of a family of four sons and two daughters born to Willoughby D. and Maria (Brady) Simmons, and is of French-Scotch descent. His father was born in Halifax County, N. C., in 1802, and came to Tennessee in 1836, settling in Gibson County, near Trenton. A year later he moved to Hardeman County and in 1849 to Fayette County, where he died March 16, 1855. The mother was born in Edgecombe County, N. C., and died in Hardeman County, Tenn., in 1843. Our subject was raised on a farm, and after attending the schools in the county entered Madison College, at Spring Creek, Madison Co., Tenn.; then took a course at Leddin’s Commercial College, at Memphis, Tenn., and from the time he left college until 1868, he followed book-keeping; then commenced teaching, which he still continues. He enlisted in the Confederate Army, Ninth Tennessee Infantry, and served four years; was in the battles of Shiloh, Murfreesboro, Perryville and Chickamauga; was captured several times, but only held a prisoner a short time. He was wounded four times at Chickamauga and was paroled at Atlanta at the close of the war. He was married in Fayette County July 10, 1872, to Miss Emma Nevills, a daughter of Andrew Nevills, a farmer. Two daughters were born to this union: Rhea, born November 12, 1876, and Oma Iola, born July 12, 1878. Mrs. Simmons was born in Hardeman County, October 15, 1855. Mr. Simmons is a Democrat and cast his first presidential vote for Jefferson Davis, of the Confederate States, and the next for Horace Greeley. He is a member of the F. & A. M., the K. of H. and of the G. C., and of the Baptist Church. He owns 165 acres of fine land, his residence being at Double Bridges, fifteen miles north of Ripley, Tenn.