From the book History of Walworth County Wisconsin, by Albert Clayton Beckwith, 
publ. 1912 - Pages 557 - 558
 
JAMES SIMMONS, son of John SIMMONS and Laura BELL, was, as understood, of an 
old and often honored family of Rhode Island.  He was born at Middlebury, 
Vermont, June 11, 1821; was graduated from Middlebury College in 1841; studied 
law; came to Geneva in 1843 and was admitted in the same year to law practice.  
He married November 12, 1848, Katherine, daughter of James and Jeannette 
McCOTTER.  She was born at Orwell, Vermont, November 29, 1822; died February 
14, 1895.  They had five children, of whom two died early.  The others were 
John BELL (married Miss Sarah BERNARD, daughter of George STURGES and Ann Maria 
HUMPHREY); James; Mary E.  Mrs. SIMMONS was what is called a "superior woman."  
That is, she was educated, broadly intelligent, and in all ways womanly.  Mr. 
SIMMONS has been made known in other chapters as lawyer, county officer, 
historian and poet of occasions.  Besides these labors of duty and of love, he 
had in hand, in his later life, the work of digesting the reports of judicial 
decisions in the courts of England, New York and Wisconsin.  He was not without 
ambition, but never had learned to grovel in order that he might rise.  He, 
like his friend John BAKER, was carelessly taken by his fellowmen at his too 
modest self-estimate, though his qualities as a citizen and neighbor were 
neither unseen nor unvalued; but this did not make him blame the world nor 
despise it.  His life was intellectual, moral and social; his convictions in 
matters of highest public and nearest personal concern were calmly formed and 
clearly defined; and he was quietly resolute in following them.  At home and 
among neighbors he was one of the best and kindest of men.
 
Submitted By:  Carol
(carolann612@charter.net)