mayor of Vevay, and a printer by trade, is a native of Oneida County, N.Y. He was born in 1815, to Amos and Hannah (Leavitt) Simmons, natives of Vermont and Massachusetts, respectively. His parents moved to this county in 1824, where his father died two years later, his mother surviving till 1871. Our subject was reared a farmer. He also taught school, and in 1843 began the publication of the Indiana "Palladium" with Isaac Stevens, subsequently removing to New Albany, and thence to Louisville, where he was engaged in the newspaper business. Returning to Vevay he was employed for a time as clerk and then engaged in business himself at East Enterprise. After three years at Markland he removed to Vevay in 1873, where he has since been engaged on the wharf-boat with Isaac Turner. In 1884 he was elected justice of the peace, served one year and resigned to assume the duties of the office of mayor of Vevay. He is a member of the I.O.O.F. and Masons, and also of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Simmons was married, in 1844, to Miss Jane Hatch, a native of Ohio County, and the children born to them are Benjamin W., Charles C., Sallie E., Eliza J., Robert M., Lorin M., Lorinda M., Mary L. and Abbie C.
Source: History of Switzerland County, Indiana 1885. Chicago, Illinois: Weakley, Harraman & Co., 1885
Transcribed by: Sheila Kell