James Eads Simmons was born in 1845 in Hancock County, Illinois.  He was the son of Calvin Duncan Simmons and Maranda Hart.

During the Civil War James served in Company A, 64th Illinois Infantry Regiment, also known as Yates' Sharpshooters.  The following details are from the Muster and Descriptive Rolls compiled by the Illinois Adjutant General's Office.

Name   SIMMONS, JAMES
Rank   PVT   Company A  Unit  64 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics
Residence   TENNESSEE, McDONOUGH CO, IL
Age 16   Height 5' 10"   Hair BLACK   Eyes BLACK   Complexion DARK
Marital Status   SINGLE   Occupation   FARMER   Nativity   HANCOCK CO, IL

Service Record
Joined When   DEC 13, 1861   Joined Where   TENNESSEE, IL
Joined By Whom   JOHN MORRILL   Period   3 YRS
Muster In   NOV 20, 1861   Muster In Where   CAMP BUTLER, IL
Muster In By Whom   N/A   Muster Out   N/A
Muster Out Where   N/A   Muster Out By Whom   N/A
Remarks   DISCHARGED FOR DISABILITY SEP 17, 1862

James married Catherine Lucinda Brady in June of 1875 in McDonough County, Illinois.

Catherine, also known as Kittie or Kitty, was the daughter of Samuel and Catherine Brady, both of whom were born about 1815 in Pennsylvania.  Kittie was born December 28, 1848, in Bureau County, Illinois, near Princeton.

In November of 1879 James filed for and was subsequently granted a disability pension based on his service during the Civil War.  At right, the pension application form.

Kittie Simmons kept a daily diary in which she noted events of the day.  A few excerpts were published in the SOUVENIR and Historical Sketch Of The MAJORVILLE CHURCH,
page 16.  Return to this page with your browser button.

James died August 3, 1915, and was buried at Friendship Cemetery, McDonough County, Illinois.  At the end of August Kittie applied for a widow's pension; it, too, was awarded.

Kittie died December 26, 1927, at Tennessee, McDonough County, and was buried next to James at Friendship Cemetery. Obituary

The children of James Eads Simmons and Catherine Brady were probably all born in Fountain Green Township:

i.	Calvin William Simmons, born March 19, 1876.  He died December 4, 1962, burial at Friendship Cemetery, McDonough County.
ii.	Meta M. Simmons, born about 1877.  In August of 1936, Meta Simmons "of Chicago" attended the Majorville Reunion commemorating the construction of the second church. Some family members think that Meta was a nickname, that her full name was Margaret Miranda Simmons.  She is buried at Rosemont Cemetery, Plymouth, Hancock County.
iii.	Grace Catherine Simmons, born about 1879.  She died June 14, 1942, in Tennessee, McDonough County; burial at Rosemont Cemetery, Plymouth, Hancock County.
iv.	Anna "Annie" Brady Simmons, born in 1881.  On November 27, 1901, at her parents' home, Annie married Luther Jackson from St. Mary's Township, Hancock County.  He was born April 9, 1880, the son of Jesse B. Jackson and Mary Elizabeth Harrison.  Annie and Luther became the parents of three sons, Paul, Bluford W. and James B. (all of whom were pallbearers at Kittie Simmons' funeral), and two daughters, Leah and Elizabeth.  Luther died in 1952.  Annie died in 1964.  They are both buried at St. Mary's Cemetery, St. Mary, St. Mary's Township.

Calvin D Simmons, 41, male, farmer, value of real estate 1200, born KY
Maranda, 38, female, born KY
Pinckney D, 17, male, teacher, born IL
Matilda J, 14, female, born IL
Ninian E, 11, male, born IL
Andrew R, 7, male, born IL
James E, 6, male, born IL
Sidney S, 3, male, born IL

Samuel Brady, 35, male, carpenter, value of real estate 1200, born PA
Catherine [middle initial ?] Brady, 35, female, born PA
John G, 13, male, born PA, attended school within the year
Mary E, 11, female, born PA, attended school within the year
Issabell, 8, female, born OH, attended school within the year
Constantia, 6, female, born OH, attended school within the year
Premetta, 4, female, born IL
Catharine L, 1, female, born IL

Calvin Simmons, 52, male, farmer, value of real estate 4000, value of personal estate 2000,
born KY
Amanda, 48, female, born KY
Martha, 22, female, born IL
Martin E [Ninian], 21, male, farmer, born IL, attended school within the year
Andy, 17, male, farmer, born IL, attended school within the year
James, 15, male, farmer, born IL, attended school within the year
Sidney, 12, male, born IL, attended school within the year
Rachael, 10, female, born IL, attended school within the year  [Rachel Dye]

William Carse, 43, male, merchant, value of real estate 16000, born Ireland
Elizabeth Carse, 39, female, born PA
Mary Ann S Carse, 13, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Margaret A Carse, 9, female, born IL, attended school within the year
William Carse, 4, male, born IL
Elizabeth Bubach, 61, female, born PA
Catharine Brady, 12, female, born IL, [no indication of school attendance]
Emma Herrold, 19, female, housework, born OH
Henry Carse, 27, male, merchant, value of real estate 1000, value of personal estate 500,
born OH

Simmons, Calvin D, 62, male, white, farmer, value of real estate 20000, value of personal estate 3000, born KY, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 years or more
Maranda, 58, female, white, keeping house, born KY
James, 25, male, white, farmer, born KY, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 years or more
Sidney, 22, male, white, farmer, born KY, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 years or more
Booze, Calvin, 21, male, white, born IL [citizenship not indicated]
[Booze] Amanda, 18, female, white, born IL, attended school within the year

Simmons, Miranda, white, female, 68, widow, at home, born KY, both parents born KY
James E, white, male, 35, son, married, farmer, born IL, both parents born KY
Catharine, white, female, 31, wife, married, keeping house, born IL, both parents born PA
Willie, white, male, 4, grandson, single, at home, could not read or write, born IL, both parents born IL
Meta, white, female, 3, granddaughter, single, at home, could not read or write, born IL, both parents born IL
Grace, white, female, 1, granddaughter, single, at home, could not read or write, born IL, both parents born IL
Earl, George,white, male, 20, farm laborer, single, farm laborer, born MI, father born NJ, mother born CT

Simmons, James E, head, white, male, born Mar 1845, 54, married for 25 years, born IL, both parents born KY, farmer, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English, paying on the mortgage of his farm home, farm schedule 161

Kittie L, wife, white, female, born Dec 1848, 51, married for 25 years; mother of 4 children, all living; born IL, both parents born PA, could read, write and speak English

William C, son, white, male, Mar 1876, 24, married, born IL, both parents born IL, farmer, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English

Meta M, daughter, white, female, June 1877, 22, single, born IL, both parents born IL, school teacher, months not employed - 3, could read, write and speak English

Grace C, daughter, white, female, Aug 1879, 20, single, born IL, both parents born IL, school teacher, months not employed - 3, could read, write and speak English

Anna B, daughter, white, female, May 1881, 19, single, born IL, both parents born IL, school teacher, months not employed - 3, could read, write and speak English

Simmons, James E, head, male, white, 65, married (1st) for 36 years, born IL, father born TN, mother born KY, spoke English, farmer, general farm, employer, could read and write, paying on a mortgage on his farm home, farm schedule 181

Kittie, wife, female, white, 61, married (1st) for 36 years; mother of 4 children, all living, born IL, both parents born PA, spoke English, could read and write

William, son, male, white, 34, married (1st) for 11 years, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, laborer, home farm, employee, could read and write

Margaret, daughter-in-law, female, white, 32, married (1st) for 11 years; mother of 3 children, all living; born IL, father born IL, mother born NY, spoke English, could read and write

Arthur, grandson, male, white, 8, single, born IL, both parents born IL, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Leona, granddaughter, female, white, 6, single, born IL, both parents born IL, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Harold, [no relationship entry], male, white, 10, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Simmens, W C, head, paying on a mortgage, male, white, 43, married, could read and write, born IL, father born IL, mother born NY, spoke English, farmer, general farm, working on own account, farm schedule 64

Margaret, wife, female, white, 41, married, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Harold, son, male, white, 20, single, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, farmer, home farm

Arthur, son, male, white, 18, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, farmer, home farm

Leona, daughter, female, white, 16, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Kitty L, mother, female, white, 71, widow, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English