Simons, Merle 1885-1962 & Jessie Hawkins Family

SIMONS, HAWKINS, CHENHALL, MOIR

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 8/20/2023 at 15:50:10

Simons, Merle 1885-1962 & Jessie Hawkins Family

This story was taken from page 471 of the Ireton Centennial Book (1882-1982). The story was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Some research notes were added.

Merle was born July 16, 1885 at Marcus, Ia. He was the son of William and Annie (Chenhall) Simons. For 2 years he homestaked and lived on a claim near Philip, S.D., when parts of Dakota were opened for development in early 1900. In 1914, he purchased and moved to a farm 2 miles south of Ireton in Reading Twp.

His wife, Jessie Hawkins, was born July 25, 1886, at Maurice, Ia. She was the daughter of Henry Jackson Hawkins and Margaret Rose (Moir). Her father was owner of beautiful Clydesdale horses weighing a ton. She joined the United Presbyterian Church in 1903 at Ireton. The old church is now Boyer Pump Service. She attended Western Union College at LeMars and taught rural schools near Maurice.

Their children:
Eileen (Mrs. Raymond Anderson), Merrill, Ia. 4 children; Lois (Mrs. Irvin Mawsley), Moline, Il. 4 children;
Grace (Mrs. Dale Mowbray), Atlanta, Ga. 4 children; Helen (Mrs. Boyd Kehrberg), LeMars, Ia. 3 children;
Lloyd married Beulah Nanninga, Ireton, Ia. daughter of Warren Nanninga, 3 children.

(note from submitter – Lloyd’s family information was emphasized in this family story on page 471 of the Centennial book, details on all of the children will be included later)

Lloyd lives on the farm in Reading Twp. which has been in the family for 67 years. He is involved in general farming of grain and livestock and raises Quarter Horses. He attended Iowa State College, WWII Vet Air Force, member of Methodist Church, Saddle Club, Masons, Farm Bureau, Sioux Co. Pork Producers, Sioux Co. Cattle Ass’n, and charter member and past president of West Sioux School Board.

Wife-Beulah (Nanninga)-graduate of Western Union College, LeMars, former teacher, member of Methodist Church. U.M.W. and Eastern Star.

Children: (of Lloyd)
Loren L.-Graduate of S.D. State College with B.S. in Animal Science, manager of the Sioux Co. Pork Operation. Wife-Carolyn (Meether), Tower City, N.D., daughter of Rev. Arthur Meether. She is a registered nurse at Akron Hospital. Children-Theresa-age 3 and Cheryl-2 months.
Lynn Eliot-Fort Worth, Tx.-Graduate of Texas Christian Univ., sales representative-Hydratex Oil Co. Wife-Andrea Simons, daughter of Judge J. Simons, Fort Lauderdale, Fl. Lynn and Andrea raise and show, nationally, Paint Horses..
Duane Eldon-Sioux City, Ia.-graduate of S.D. St. College, sales representative for Ceba Geigy Co.
All graduated from Ireton High School and have earned college degrees.

End of story in the Ireton Centennial book, exact author unknown.

RESEARCH NOTES: Added by Wilma J. Vande Berg Family report on ancestry.com public member trees.

Merle Orin Simons born 16 Jul 1885 Cherokee County IA died 27 Feb 1962 Le Mars IA. He was the son of William Eugen Simons 1851-1938 and Ella Chenhall 1854-1939. He married Jessie Agnes Hawkins 1886-1966 in Sioux county on 25 Mar 1914.

Jessie Agnes Hawkins born 25 Jul 1886 Sherman Township Sioux Co. IA died 1966. She was the daughter of Henry Jackson Hawkins 1858-1929 and Margaret Ross Moir 1859-1924. She and Merle had five children.

CHILDREN: Sources – obituaries and ancestry.com reports.
1. M. Eileen Simons 1915-1983 Obituary -
Hawarden Independent of June 2, 1983 Mrs. Eileen Anderson, 68, of Merrill died Thursday, May 28 in a Sioux City after a brief illness. Services were at 1:30 p.m. Sunday May 29 m the Hinton United Methodist Church. The Rev. Dale Stone officiated. Burial was in the Merrill Hillside Cemetery. Mrs. Anderson, the former M. Eileen Simons, born April 5,1915, at Ireton. She graduated from Ireton High School and the University of Northern Iowa, and taught school in Hinton. She married Raymond E. Anderson August 25,1938, at Ireton. She lived most of her life in the Merrill-Hinton area where they farmed She was a member of the United Methodist Church. Survivors include her husband; two sons, R. Kent of Maryland and Craig A. of Merrill; three daughters, Mary G. Young of California, Carole J. DeRaad of Michigan and Barbara K. Williams of Des Moines; one brother , Lloyd M. of Ireton; three sisters, Mrs. Irvin (Lois) Mawdaley of Moline, IL, Mrs. Dale (Grace) Mowbray of Atlanta GA, and Mrs. Boyd (Helen) Kehrberg of rural LeMars and four grandchildren

2. Lois Margaret Simons 1917 IRETON, Iowa – Mrs. Irwin Mawdsley of Moline, Ill.,
Soc Sec deaths, she was born 2 Aug 1916 and died 23 Sep 1984 Moline, IL
Partial obit info from the Argus of Moline IL. Lists husband as Irwin Harold Mawdsley. Married 1940 Ireton IA. Children – Joyce Wilkins, Merlee Hunt, Ralph D. Mawdsley and Harold J. Mawdsley.

3. Lloyd Merritt Simons 1919-2000 See his story included in the above story published in the Ireton Centernnial book 1882-1892.
Obit of Lloyd Simons
Lloyd M. Simons, 80, of Ireton died Tuesday, June 13, 2000, at Hillcrest Health Care Center in Hawarden, Iowa. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at United Methodist Church in Ireton, with the Rev. Dean Shelly officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Visitation will begin at noon Thursday, with the family present at 7 p.m. and a prayer service at 8 p.m., at Porter Funeral Home in Ireton.
Mr. Simons was born July 13, 1919, in Ireton, the son of Merle and Jessie (Hawkins) Simons. He graduated from Ireton High School in 1937 and attended Iowa State College in Ames, Iowa, studying animal husbandry. He married Beulah Nannings on Sept, 8, 1946, in Ireton. The couple owned and operated the family farm in Reading Township. They retired into Ireton in 1988. He served on many community boards and was a charter member of West Sioux School board, where he later served as president. He was a member of Ireton United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife: three sons and their wives, Loren and Carolyn of Ireton, Lynn and Andrea of Aubrey, Texas, and Duane and Jane of Sioux Falls, SD.: seven grandchildren, Theresa. Cheryl, Mark, Sara, Jana. Brian and Scott; two sisters. Grace Mowbray of Jonesboro, Ga., and Helen Kehrberg: of Le Mars, Iowa: and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by two sisters, Eileen Anderson and Lois Mawdsley.
Source; Local newspaper after 6-13-200

4. Helen LeVon Simons 1926-2019 Kehrberg of Le Mars.
Helen L. Kehrberg 92, of Le Mars, died Friday, May 24, 2019, at Good Smaritan Society Le Mars. Helen was born in ireton to Merle and Jesse Simons, the youngest of five children. She graduated from Ireton High School in 1944. She attended Morningside College and after graduation was a kindergarten teacher in Fort Dodge. In 1949, Helen was united in marriage to Boyd R. Kehrberg a farm in Elgin Township and farmed there for more than 50 years while raising their three children. Helen was a long time member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Le Mars and was active in many church activities. She enjoyed many hobbies, including square dancing with Boyd, playing the piano, and creating beautiful oil paintings of landscapes and flowers. Helen is survived by her children: Mark Kehrberg, Janet Tempel, and Jean (Wes) Lussman; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Boyd; her parents; her siblings and their spouses; and one nephew.
Source: Rexwinkel Funeral Home online obituary.

5. Grace Simons Grace Mowbray 1924-2012
Grace (Simons) Mowbray, 87, died May 27, 2012. A memorial service was held in Gainesville, GA. Grace Simons was born at her parents farm near Ireton on Dec. 18, 1924. She graduated from Ireton High School in 1942. Following high school she attended Iowa State Teachers College at Cedar Falls. After graduation, she accepted a teaching position at Grundy Center, IA, where she met and married Dale Mowbray on June 8, 1947. As Dale was on active duty in the military service, their early married life was spent at various military posts in the United States and Hawaii. Following Dale's discharge from the military, they settled in Georgia. She finished her Bachelor's degree in library science and a Master's degree. She taught at high schools in Hapeville and College Park, GA, retiring in 1990. She is survived by her husband, a daughter, three sons, a sister, and numerous grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by two sisters and a brother.
Source: Hawarden Independent/Ireton Examiner of July 5, 2012
OBITUARY OF MERLE SIMONS
Merle O. Simons, 76,died Thursday March 1, at the hospital in Le Mars after a month's illness.
Mr. Simons was born near Marcus July 16, 1885. On March 25 1914 he married Miss Jessie Hawkins, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jackson Hawkins at Maurice. They made their home on the farm southwest of Ireton, now occupied by their son, Lloyd. They retired in 1944 and moved to Le Mars. He was a member of the First Presbyterian church, a 50 year member of Seba Losde. A.F.& A.M., and the Order of Eastern Star, both at Marcus.
He is survived by the widow; one son, Lloyd of Ireton; four daughters, Mrs. Raymond Anderson of Merrill, Mrs. Irwin Mawdsley of Moline, Ill., Mrs. Dale Mowbray of Atlanta, GA., and Mrs. Boyd Kehrberg of Le Mars; 19 grandchildren; two brothers and a sister.
Funeral services were held Saturday at the First Presbyterian church. Rev. James Ransom and Rev. Golden Thompson officiated. Burial was in the Le Mars cemetery.
Source: Hawarden Independent(3-8-1962)

OBITUARY OF JESSIE SIMONS
Hawarden Independent, Hawarden, Sioux, Iowa, USA December 29, 1966
Mother of Ireton Man Dies at 80
Mrs. Merle Simons, 80, of Le Mars, mother of Lloyd Simons of rural Ireton, died Sunday at the
Le Mars hospital after an illness of several weeks.
Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at the First Presbyterian church at Le Mars.
Burial was in the Le Mars Memorial cemetery.
The former Jessie Hawkins, she Was born July 25, 1886, at Maurice where a brother, Merritt, still resides. Before going to Le Mars in 1945, Mr. and Mrs. Simons resided on a farm near Ireton. Mr. Simons died in 1962. They were married March 25, 1914, at Maurice.
-----------------------------
She was graduated from Maurice High School and Western Union College in Le Mars. Before her marriage, she taught school.
Survivors include a son, Lloyd of Ireton; four daughters, Mrs. Raymond Anderson of Merrill, Iowa; Mrs. Irvin Mawdsley of Moline, Ill.; Mrs. Dale Mowbray of Germany; and Mrs. Boyd Kehrberg of Le Mars; a brother, Merritt Hawkins of Maurice; and 19 grandchildren.
Source: December 27, 1966 Sioux City Journal

Picture from the Ireton Centennial book 1882-1982 page 471.

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