The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1860-11-15
.plron WlNcnEsrEn HOVE JOURNAL:

AA''''
Dear Sir One of our Oldest and
most respected citizens has died. VIM.
Simmons breathed his last at his resi-
dence in Franklin County, on the 7th
of November, 1850, at he~advanced age
Of eighty.two years and five days. He
was born in Virginia, on the I'd day Of
November, ITS, and emigrated to Ten
nessec, and settled on Beams Creek in
Franklin County, about the year 1906.
Mr.. Simmons was n of the men
perhaps tho last m in the county
who come here and settled in the cane.
brake, while the track Of the Indian
and the wild beast were yet fresh upon
the sand. 1t required no little forth
tude and moral courage for a man to
leave all the comforts and conveniences
which the happy land of Virginia affor-
ded, and take upon himself the priva-
tons, to say nothing Of the dangers
which a home in this, then Western
wilderness, would bring. There is no
act ofhcroism more daring, and certain
ly none more worthy Of example than
that of leaving acountry OF convenlen-
ccs and attachmel Is for u new and wild
country Of Inconvenience,
Some years ago, in our county town,
[ heard tried a heavy land suit, involv-
in old titles, in which Squire Simmons
was the principal witness. He was u
man of good memory, and the incidents
which made the sun Of his testimony,
were those which surrounded and ut.
tended him at the very earliest settle
ment Of the country. / scarcely ever
saw him from that time up TO the day
ofhis death, without having my mind
turned back to the privations and pccu.
l~iaritics ofhis early life in Tennessee.
The Incidents ofsuch Il life would make
an interesting study if they were all
spread out before us. Esq. Simmons
came to this-now old and well-known
county-whcn Il large portion Of the
county resombIod the great p%ralries of
the West, with but few white inhabi-
tants. The creek bottoms were mat
ted with cane, except here and there Il
bold advcnturcr from some Of t.nv ola
StH..ees naa pitched his tent, and was
cleaning up a patch, lie lived to see a
thriving and Industrious population
spring up around him, who for long
wears titled tho soil and boated their
produce down to the Father OF Waters,
and on to the great city Of tho South,
Esq. Simmons was one OF this genera
ton, but it passed away, and there
came another, bold, majestic and enter
) prising, who lcvelied the hills, filled NJ
= the valleys, and cut through the noun
tains, making roads over which Il com
mercc that the first generation never
drcamed of, continue ly pours. o
this last race Of men, Esq. Simmon;
was one, and after the great thorough
fare. connecting the Atlantic sca-board
with the Mississippi Valley was finish
) cd, he sold out his farm in FrankllI
= county, not Immediately OF the road
; and moved to the village of Decherd
I Immediately on the road, where h
p, could daily see the many cars, a
l they flew across the plains with thu
fc5lncss ofthc deer, which he had seen
$ upon the same g.ound fifty years be
! fore.
: Esq. Simaons was a quiet, unobtru
. sivo man, (much respected by mis- neigh
l bors,) who, in all his dealings, askc,
not 50 much what can | get by the law
but what is right. He was, for IL pas
number Of years previous to his death
Il member of tho Christian Church,
firm b~eIiovcrin the truth Of Holy writ
and entirely resigned to his fate, wait
ing with patience and Christion torti
: tude for the which finally re
moved him from his home on earth t
Q the Court above.
lie has left II widow and numer III
, children and grandchildren, to mourn
! h 8 departure. q.