Life Sketch of George Simmons



George Simmons 1822-1897

LIFE SKETCH OF

GEORGE SIMMONS

(Written by his grand daughter-in-law)

 

George Simmons, son of William and Hannah Phillips, was born in Hickstead Sussex England, April 15, 1822.  He spent his boyhood days in the village of his birth.

 

He was married to Mary Ann Ford, December 24, 1849, at Brighton, England.  George Simmons attained considerable proficiency as a carpenter and he and his brother accepted large jobs on a contract basis.  They hired men to work for them.  A Mormon employee, brought Mormon Missionaries to George and his wife.  They joined the Latter-day Saints, September 6, 1852.  They had two small children, a son and a daughter, when one day George and his wife decided they would go to Utah.  On April 17 1855, they set sail from Liverpool on the ship Chrimborazo, under the direction of Captain Edward Stevenson.  



Henry Hollist, Missionary who baptized
George and Mary Ann Simmons



Ship Chrimborazo

They landed in Philadelphia after a long voyage of six weeks.  They traveled westward from Philadelphia over the Allaghany Mountains by train in cattle cars.  The traveling was very dangerous over the mountains and in some places the cars were pulled up with ropes.  They arrive in St. Louis after traveling up the Mississippi River by boat.  They stayed in St Louis one day, then went to the camping grounds called "Mormon Grove."  There they stayed two weeks preparing for the journey across the country to Utah.  They left the grove with an ox team, with Richard Ballantine as their captain.  George drove the ox team all the way across the plains.  His wife gave birth to a baby boy on the journey, but it only lived a few hours.

After many thrilling experiences with buffalo, Indians and the elements, they arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah, September 25, 1855, numbering 45 wagons and ox teams and 402 souls.  George Simmons was one of the number that went to meet Johnson's Army.  Also went as far as Provo in the move south.

Johnston's Army marching through
 Salt Lake City June 26,1858

 

On the 10th of July, 1858 they went to the Endowment House and had their endowments.  George and Mary Ann were sealed for time and all eternity.  George spent most of his time while in Salt Lake City working on Church buildings: in turn for his services, he received food for his family from the Tithing office.

 

In 1861 he moved his family to Morgan City, Utah and settled on some farming land and then fought grasshoppers again.  George Simmons made most of the caskets for burials in that community for many years.  He helped build the railroad, the highway bridge over the Weber River, and did most of the carpenter work on homes in Morgan City.  He also owned the first brick house in Morgan County (a seven-room house).  In addition, he raised fine crops on his farm and cut all his grain with a cradle and bound it by hand.  He had three sons to help him.

 

George was the father of twelve children, and all who lived were married and went to the temple.  George and his wife came to Utah for the gospel's sake.  He never pushed himself forward but was always in the front ranks in the march across the plains, always ready to mend the wagons.  He was very handy at those kind of things.  His counsel was a great help to the leaders.  He was a good provider and a loving father  He died a true Latter-day Saint at the age of 75 years, on September 21, 1897 at Morgan.

 

Children of George Simmons were: George W. Simmons, Mary Ann Simmons, Walter Simmons (died on the Plains), Agnes Augusta Simmons, Margaret Mary Simmons, Ida Simmons, William George Simmons, Julia Jane Simmons, John James Simmons, Elizabeth Ida Simmons, Minnie Laura Simmons, and Ada Eliza Simmons.





George Simmons Memorial
Morgan Cemetery Morgan Utah

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Source:
Ancestry.com
Findagrave.com
Johnston Army Blog