SQ p2881:

Frances Eliza ["Fannie"] Simmons, daughter of James and Eady (Sparks)Simmons, was born about 1835 in Attala County, Mississippi. She marriedJames A. Bowman on December 22, 1863, in Collin County, Texas. She diedprior to 1880 and her three children were named as beneficiaries whentheir maternal grandfather's estate was settled. They were: Ada Bowman,Edwin Bowman, and Aldie Bowman.

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See Notes for Edith Arminda Sparks:

PAW: According to Mrs. J. S. Hardaway, Frances married James A. Bowmanin Collin County and had three children: Thomas, Edwin, and Ada Bowman.The children were named in the Power of Attorneyh given by the heirs ofEdith Simmons in 1898 to George W. Simmons of Clay County, Texas.

See the SPARKS QUARTERLY, June 1986, Whole No. 134, p. 2881:

"George Washington Simmons, son of James and Eady (Sparks) Simmons,was born on May 20, 1837, in Attala County, Mississippi. He served inCo. B, 16th Regiment Texas Cavalry, Confederate States Army from 1861 to1865. In July 1965, he married Martha Smith in Collin County, (TX). Shewas a daughter of A. C. Smith. She and George had one child, Robert.She died on May 11, 1867.

"George Simmons married (2nd) Lucy Jane Phelps on May 1 1870. She wasa daughter of Aquilla and Matilda (Glaze) Phelps. She and George hadnine children, six of whom attained adulthood. George died in 1920 andLucy Jane died in 1928. They were buried in Bellevue Cemetery in ClayCounty, Texas.

See SQ p. 2880:

George Washington Simmons, son of James and Rebecca (Cook) Simmons, wasborn on December 4, 1856, in Rusk County. He married, Charity Ann Hornabout 1879. She was born in July 1862 and was a daughter of William andRebecca (Fitzgerald) Horn. George and Charity were members of the OakGrove Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and lay preacher formany years. Charity died on August 4, 1937, and George died on March 22,1943. They had eleven children.

SQ pp 2879-80:

James J. Simmons, son of James and Eady (Sparks) Simmons, was born onSeptember 14, 1833, in Attala County, Mississippi, and was a young ladwhen he accompanied his parents to Rusk County, Texas. It was there thathe married Rebecca Ann E. Cook on May 8, 1855. She had been born onSeptember 19, 1836, in Mississippi and was a daughter of Franklin andSarah (Anderson) Cook. She died on June 11, 1905, in Navarro County,Texas.James J. Simmons died on January 8, 1914, in Rusk County, Texas. Heand his wife were buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery near Kerens, TexasThey were the parents of five children.

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See notes for Edith Arminda Sparks:

PAW: According to Deed Book B:331 of Attala County, [MS], JamesSimmons, Jr. bought land from the Tax Collector, David Eakin, for $11.50a parcel east 1/2 of SQ quarter of section 4, T/S 12, range 5 E. Thistransaction was dated 20 Feb 1843. This could not be the son of James H.Simmons, Sr.
His wife Rebecca had a twin sister, Sarah A. E. Cook. They weredaughters of Franklin Cook and Sarah (Anderson) Cook. James and hisbrother William married twin sisters.

SQ p 2878:

John Simmons, son of James and Eady (Sparks) Simmons, was born on October7, 1831, in Attala County, Mississippi, and was a young man when he wentwith his parents to Rusk County, Texas. It was there that he marriedEliza J. Newsom on August 16, 1857. She was born on December 28, 1843, inMadison County, Tennessee, and was a daughter of Lemuel and Nancy(Crowder) Newsom. She died on October 17, 1902, and John died on August29, 1908. They were buried in the New Salem Cemetery in Rusk County. Theyhad seven children.

PAW: "...never married. Taught school in Clay County, TX; died about1960 and is buried at Bellvue."

SQ p. 2882:

Mary Ann Simmons, daughter of James and Eady (Sparks) Simmons, was bornon February 29, 1840, in Attala County, Mississippi. On April 28, 1858,she married Thomas Hudson Williams in Rusk County. He was born onDecember 23, 1832, in Madison County, Tennessee. In 1860, he and Mary Annmoved to Collin County where they lived for the rest of their lives. Hedied on September 7, 1913, and Mary Ann died on March 30, 1925. They wereburied in the Fitzhugh Cemetery in Collin County, Texas. They hadfourteen children.

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See notes for Edith Arminda Sparks

PAW: "Two detailed newspaper clippings exist about her. "GrandmaWilliam's 84th Birthday. Many Friends Assemble to Help Mrs. Mary AnnWilliams Celebrate Her 84th Anniversary" notes that the affair was asurprise. Guests included her children, ministers, friends, andmentioned her mailman of 23 years. Her parents were James and EdithSimmons and Mary Ann was born February 29th 1840 in Attally [sic] County,MS. She came to Nacogdoches County, East Texas, with her parents in1846." The article includes her marriage date and lists all of theliving children in 1924. It notes that she had 15 children, 52grandchildren living and 20 dead; 58 great-grandchildren living, 11 dead,10 great-great grandchildren, all living."

"The McKinney DAILY COURIER-GAZETTE on April 1, 1925, page 1 featuredher obituary, "Funeral Services Held for Long-Time Resident of County:Mrs. Mary Ann Williams came here in 1860." This article repeats a lot ofinformation which was printed for her 84th birthday. Her living childrenare listed. Her tombstone is inscribed "I know that my redeemerlivveth." and pearly gates are shown. Mrs. J. S. Hardaway wrote in theRustk Co. History that Thomas and Mary Ann got married near Clear Rock,Rusk Co., TX. She had red hair."

SQ p2881:

Rufus Brissco Simmons was born on January 9, 1888. He was married twice.His first marriage was to Mary Amanda Norton on July 15, 1906. She was adaughter of Josiah and Phebe Ann Alexander) Norton. She and Rufus hadthree children before her untimely death on October 20, 1918, during theflu epidemic. They were: Hollis, Calvin, and R. B. Rufus married (2nd)Lillie Mae Smith, and they had four children: Lillian, Betty, Rufus, andEthel. Rufus died on December 14, 1971.

See Notes for Edith Arminda Sparks:

PAW: "Her obituary notes that she lived one mile north of Lucas and thatshe had been partially paralyzed for several months. She was one of theearly settlers of Collin County. She was a member of the PrimitiveBaptist Church, holding fellowship with the Orchard congregation threemiles from Lucas. Burial was in Forest Grove Cemetery and services wereconducted by the Rev. Webb of McKinney. She had four daughters and oneson: Mesdames Allen and Will Biddy, Mrs. Newsome, wife of the Rev. W. T.Newsome, and James Graham, unmarried, who was still at home. She was adaughter of Mrs. Simmons, deceased, one of the pioneer settlers of thiscounty." Obituary of Sallie (Simmons) Graham, THE DEMOCRAT, M cKinneyCollin County, TX (Thursday, 3 December 1903, Vol. 20, No. 44, pgae 1].Her husband served in the CSA in the Civil War.

Information relating to the descendants of Sarah Francis Simmons wasreceived on December 12, 2000, from Penny Dennis Holmes (email:pjholmes@@cox-internet.com) Mrs. Holmes is a great-great granddaughter ofSarah Francis Simmons. She lives at 4707 Scrimshaw Lane, CollegeStation, Texas. She is documenting her line and is attempting to qualifyher mother for a certificate from the State of Texas certifying her as amember of the First Families of Texas and would appreciate any assistancefrom persons having documentation concerning her descendancy from Matthewand Sarah (Thompson) Sparks and their son William C. and Mary (Fielder)Sparks.

See SQ, p 2879: He was married twice...Audrey Simmons was a Baptistminister and two of his sons, Jack and Ralph, also became Baptistministers.

SQ pp 2777-78:

William F. ("Bill") Simmons, son of James and Eady (Sparks) Simmons, wasborn about 1829 in Mississippi. (The "F" may have been for Fielder.) Hemarried Mrs. Emily (Cook) Addison on June 10, 1849. She was born about1829 in Alabama and was a daughter of Franklin and Sarah (Anderson)Cook. When the 1860 census was taken of Rusk County, William and Emilyhad two children. He died sometime prior to 1880, and his two childrenwere named as beneficiaries in the settlement of their paternalgrandfather's estate. At that time, they were living in Kaufman County.

PAW: "A family member contributed the following to a biography ofWilliam F. Simmons in a Rusk Co. (?) Texas history. "William FielderSimmons...served in the Confederate Army in the Civil War as did hisbrothers, John, James J. and George W., and his brothers-in-law. WilliamF. wrote a letter to his sister Sarah on July 20, 1864, when he was in aCamp on Bayou Flacen, Louisiana. He had seen his brother John, who hadreceived a 'fine cake' fr om Eliza and had saved him a big piece. He hadseen Tom (Williams) [Patsy West's great-grandfather] five daysago...Tom's Company was ready to go on down on the Atchafalaya [Bay?River?]. News was all rumors...but all good. It was reported thatGeneral Grant is leaving Richmond with his forces and falling back towardWashington City...[there is more to this letter but I don't have the restof it.]

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!NOTES:
SQ pg 4460: She was married to George W. Lamphiew and they had twelve children. We have learned the names of only three of them: Walt er,Zulieme, and Bertha May. She was married to James Calvin Jones a nd theyhad five children, May, James Jr., Nancy Eudora, Ada Elizabet h and JackJones.

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!NOTES:
SQ pg 4461: U. Valdie Burns "Kelly" Sims was born on February 6 ,1888 in a covered wagon enroute to Kent County, Texas.

See SQ p. 2890: "Lydia Sizemore was a daugher of Ned Sizemore, afull-blod Cherokee Indian."