**************************************************************************** File contributed to the McLean County ILGenWeb Project Copyright 1997 to present, all rights reserved. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format without the written consent of the author, ilmcleanvcc@gmail.com. **************************************************************************** Contributed by: McLean Co. Coordinator **************************************************************************** DAVID SIMMONS Biography DAVID SIMMONS, retired farmer, has his residence in Bloomington, at No. 802 North Oak Street. Mr. S. is a native of the Old Dominion, having been born at the foot of Peter's Mountain, in Monroe County, W. Va., the date July 15, 1802. His parents were Ephraim and Elizabeth (Galaway) Simmons, natives of the same State, where they engaged in farming pursuits. Of the eight children born to the parents of our subject, only two are living, David and his sister Elizabeth. The latter, now Mrs. Jackson Lucas, of Bloomington. Ephraim Simmons departed this life in Cabell County, W. Va., in 1821. The subject of this sketch remained at home and worked on the farm until the death of his father. Then, with his mother and her family, he started West and locating in Decatur County, Ind., leased a tract of land which he farmed for a period of nine years. In 1830 he came to the south side of Blooming Grove, and purchased eighty acres, which he cultivated and improved until 1859. In 1836, Mr. Simmons entered 240 acres of land in Bloomington Township, and was the first man to put up a building on the prairie in that vicinity. With the exception of thirty-six days when he served as a soldier in the Black Hawk War, he has resided in this county continuously since that time. He improved his farm, building, and setting out trees, and hewed the logs for the first store building that was erected in Bloomington. For this labor he received seventy-five cents per day, without board. He is now eighty-four years old, never took a chew of tobacco, never smoked a cigar or pipe, and never took but one pinch of snuff, and that when a boy. He never signed a temperance pledge, and was never intoxicated but once, and that when he was about twenty-four years of age. He possessed all the energy and resolution of the genuine pioneer, and was ready for any emergency. Mr. Simmons was married in 1825, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Reuben and Martha JONES, natives of Georgia. Of this union there were born ten children, only four now living: Levi, of Wilmington, Kan.; Annie, now Mrs. Lash, of Bloomington Township; Benjamin, of Missouri, and Mary, Mrs. Fielder, of Randolph Township. Our subject purchased his present property in 1859. After living upon it one year he was placed in charge of the Poor House Farm, and remained its Superintendent for three years, when the institution was first established, this being the first of the kind in McLean County. Afterward, Mr. Simmons returned to his home in the city. In the fall of 1886 he sold the last of his lands, eighty acres, receiving for it _50 per acre. While in possession of his farm he engaged principally in stock and grain raising, which he carried on intelligently and successfully. When coming to this vicinity there was only one log cabin upon the ground which is now occupied by the beautiful and flourishing city of Bloomington, and he has watched with that pleasure and satisfaction enjoyed by most of the pioneers, the remarkable growth and prosperity of McLean County and its capital. He was the first Supervisor of Bloomington Township, which office he held several years, and with his wife has been a consistent member of the Christian Church since early in life. The latter still remains the affectionate and devoted companion of her husband, and they are patiently waiting until the summons shall come for them to cross over the river.