Rowland Simmons

SIMMONS, ROWLAND

Posted By: Ava Simmons (email)
Date: 2/24/2005 at 18:33:19

"SORROW IN THE SIMMONS HOME
Eleven Year Old Son Died at Oakland Calif.
Body Will Arrive Tonight

Rowland, the eleven year old son of Mrs. and Mrs. C.J. Simmons, died on February 27th at Oakland, Calif. to which place the mother and the two boys went last fall for a winters visit the Mrs. and Mrs. D.M. Rowland, parents of Mrs. Simmons. The boy had been sick for two weeks and an operation for appendicitis was soon followed by an operation for an intestinal disorder. The boy appeared to be getting along nicely and daily telegrams to the father were very encouraging.

Friday morning came the black message of sorrow; the boy died on the Friday morning and the news of his death cast a gloom over the town.

The body was prepared for shipment and on Monday night the mother, son Mervin, and Mr. Lincoln Rowland, brother of Mrs. Simmons, left Oakland for Williamsburg. They arrived at Marion this afternoon and will reach Williamsburg tonight on the late train. Mr. Simmons left last night for Marion in order to meet his grief-stricken wife upon her arrival.

The funeral services will be held at ten o'clock Saturday, March 7th, at St. Mary's church, Williamsburg.

The wire never dropped sadder news at Williamsburg than when it told of the death of Rowland Simmons; it was but a few months ago that the mother and two sons left on what was planned to be a winter of pleasure and enjoyment with the parents and grandparents in the genial climate of the Pacific Coast. The little white coffin, the dark shadow in the parental heart, the tear so seared with sorrow that it cannot flow, the blight of winter coming with the spring, these are the markings of a period of grief that came when least expected.

Rowland Simmons was eleven years old last December. He was born in Williamsburg and was developing into a boy of brightest promise. A general favorite with all, his familiar presence brought the sunshine of his happy disposition and increased the welcome of his coming and deepens the sorrow for his death.

The bereaved parents have the sincerest sympathy of the entire community in this their hour of sorrow and affliction."

Williamsburg Journal-Tribune, Iowa County, Iowa, 5 Mar 1914, 1:1