North and back: an odyssey.

by Lisa Y. Henderson

On 20 September 1865, Montreville Simmons, 22, born in NC, residing in Chatham Township, Kent County, Ontario, Canada, son of John C. and Hepsie Simmons, married Victoria Brown, 16, born in Indiana, daughter of John and Mary Brown.  Witnesses: Edwin Simons and C. Moore.

In the 1850 census of the South Side of the Neuse River, Wayne County: Calvin Simmons, 42, wife Hepsey, 46, and children Harriet, 13, Susan, 11, Montrival, 9, Jno. R., 7, Margaret, 5, Dixon, 3, and Geo. W. Simmons, 1, plus Robert Aldridge, 26, hireling.

In the 1861 census of Chatham and Gore townships, Kent County, Ontario: John C. Simmons, 50, wife Hepsy, 55, and children S.M., 16, Montreville, 15, John R., 14, Margaret A., 12, Dickie, 10, and George Simmons, 9.  All reported being born in the US, and all were Baptist.

By 1870, Calvin Simmons and his youngest sons had returned to North Carolina, and are listed in Brogden township, Wayne County: Calvin Simons, 63, and Montville, 29, John R., 26, Dickson H., 21, and George W. Simmons, 20.  On 3 March 1871, in Duplin County, Montville Simmons, son of Calvin Simmons and Hepsey Whitley, married Anna Henderson (1852-1906), daughter of James Henderson and Louisa Armwood.

By 1881, Montreville Simmons (40, farmer), wife Annie (29) and children Elizabeth (8), Doctor T. (7), Susan M. (4) and Montreville (2) are listed in the census of Chatham, Kent, Ontario. All were born in the US except Doctor and Montreville jr., who were born in Ontario, and all were Baptist.  By 1900, the family was back in the United States, and are found in the census of Eel, Cass County, Indiana:  on Park Avenue in Logansport, farmer Montville Simmons (Apr 1850), wife Anna (Mar 1861) and children James R. (Dec 1879), Montville (Jun 1881), and Dock (Dec 1879).  Montville and Anna were born in NC; their sons in Canada.  Montville and Anna had been married 28 years and reported 5 of 5 children living.

Marriage Registers, Kent County, Ontario, Canada; Canada census records; marriage register, Register of Deeds, Duplin County NC; US population schedules.