Simmons, Mary B. (1821-1909)

SIMMONS

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 12:46:36

MARY B. ALLEN SIMMONS (1821 - 1909)

Pioneer Sketches –by Leonard S. Spencer [Advocate Tribune, Indianola, Iowa, Thursday, March 12, 1885, p.6, col.1]
“No snow falls lighter than the snow of age; but none falls heavier; for it never melts.”
In searching the scriptures we find that they represent age by reference to the almond tree, which produces blossoms of the purest white. Solomon in giving his advice to the young (Eccl. 12:5) requesting them to remember their Creator in the days of their youth, refers to the almond tree as a memento of purity, when they shall become old and feeble.
“It never melts, no, never; age is inexorable.” The wheels of time must move onward. It makes no difference how rough or muddy the highway of life is, there is no retrograde movement. It must go ahead, not backward. The old man may sit and sing, “I would I were a boy again,” or the old lady, “I were a girl again.” But they grow older as they sing. They may read of the elixir of youth; but they will never find it. They may sigh for the secrets of that alchemy which is able to make them young once more, but they cannot find it; sighing brings it not. They sit and gaze backward with an eye of longing upon the rosy scenes of their early years, as one gazes on his home from the deck of a departing ship that is to take him to a foreign land. Every moment carries him farther and farther away.
“It never melts.” The annual snow of winter comes and sheds its white blessing upon the mountain top and the valley beneath; but soon warm genial spring comes along and smiles it all away. But not so with the snow that falls upon the tottering veteran. There is no spring, no summer, no warmth that can penetrate its eternal frosts. It came to stay. Flake by flake it fell unnoticed, it is chilled there; like the avalanche from the mountains, it increases until we are laid in the grave. “There it shall be absorbed by the eternal darkness;” for there is no age in Heaven. Such is being the case with the subject of our sketch.
Mary B. Allen was born in Spencer County, Indiana, August 26, 1821. Should her days be lengthened out until the 26th day of August, 1885, she will have reached her 64 years. Her father was born in Kentucky, Nov 10, 1794. Her grandfather on the paternal side was born in Ireland, emigrating to this country several years before it threw off the allegiance to the crown of Great Britain.
Whether he was a connection of Col. Eathen, of Ticonderoga and Crown Point fame we are unable to learn, Miss Mary herself, not being able to give us any information on that point. When the Revolution broke out, we find young Allen enrolled in the cause of freedom – he shouldered his musket, marched to the front. Her grandfather on the maternal side was born in Pennsylvania, of German parents, and he, too, as far as we can learn, took a part in the scenes of the Revolutionary struggle. So that she has sprung from good strong patriotic blood, from families that were capable of enduring the hardships of a pioneer life.
At an early period of her life she , with her parents, moved to Pike County, Illinois, and there remained until she was sixteen years of age. Her native state was only five years old when she was born. They both have grown to womanhood; yet while Miss Mary has turned the downward lane of life, her state is in the maidenhood; both have endured the privations of the early settlements. Her first adopted state, Illinois, was only three years of age when she was born. They both being born on the same day of the month, August 26.
Miss Mary was born and raised a farmer’s daughter, was taught the art of laboring and doing the work that had to be done by the farmers’ wives and daughters at that early day. A great portion of this work was given in the sketch of Miss Martha Bassett, now Mrs. Martha Smith.
Pike County at the time of their emigration was a thinly settled county and of course the conveniences of life were nothing extra. Although some fourteen years had passed and the Allen family has by economy and industry made a good living and laid by something for “a wet day.” The country was either not the kind he wished to remain in or it was becoming too thickly settle for an early pioneer. He made up his mind to try another new country, so they emigrated to Van Buren County, Iowa in 1837.
Here Miss Mary fell in love with a young man by the name of William C. Cimmons, and was married Dec 24, 1837. The young couple remained here for three years, and then pulled up stakes and emigrated to Andrew County, MO. They lived there for six years. Not liking it very well, they then returned to Iowa, came to Warren County, and settled upon the farm they now reside upon. This was in 1845, March 16.
William C. Cimmons was born Oct 6, 1819, in Meade County, Kentucky, across the Ohio river from Indiana. The Cimmons’ were originally from Pennsylvania. William C.’s father was born in Maryland, emigrating to Illinois in 1824. Here they remained until 1833, when they moved to Henry County, Iowa. This was before the Indians had left. William C. then went to Van Buren County where he became acquainted with the subject of our sketch.
On their arrival in Warren County they found but few neighbors, but what few they found were neighbors. They raised a house, or a cabin, and moved into it the same day. They here, like all of the early settler, found no mills, no school houses, no churches, nor anything but wild animals and wild land. On their arrival there they had to go 75 miles to mill, none being nearer than Oskaloosa, Iowa. We find in this family a strong friend of the common school system; and a man that did as much for the foundation of schools as any other man in the county of Warren. Mrs. C. told the writer that all the cooking utensils she had for some time after he coming to this place was composed of an iron skillet, and iron bake kittle with an iron cover and a coffee pot, her cooking all being done by a fire place. Young lady of today, what think you of this? I fear we are more than filling our allotted space and we will have to concentrate. They came here in an early day, they tried to do their duty as to education, they lived a hard, yet enjoyed life, even in those new settlements. Mrs. Cimmons told the writer that she would be perfectly willing to go to another new country, even at her age, if she could enjoy life as she enjoyed it in Iowa, she would like no greater pleasure, even at her period of life.
Mr. C for several years before his death endured very poor health, being confined to his house, a great part of the time to his room. The great destroyer finally came and he had to go, leaving what he had worked for, for the enjoyment of others. Some seven months before his departure he gave up all hope as he was confined to his bed most of the time, yet he lived as one that had a future hope. He believed in what his Bible told him. His death took place Sept 17, 1876; leaving his wife and large number of friends to mourn his loss. She remains yet behind to follow him soon. His religious views were Calvinistic Baptist. He died as he lived, a Christian. May her days be lengthened that she may teach her children that when the frost of age shall come upon them how blessed it is to follow in the Christian path of life.[Note; Mary B. Allen was born Aug 26, 1821 in Spencer Co., IN. and in Van Buren Co., IA, Dec 24, 1837 she married William C. Simmons (1819 - 1876). They moved to Warren Co. in 1845. Mary died Apr 23, 1909. Both Mary and William Simmons are buried in Webb Cemetery, Norwalk, Iowa.]