Family:Whitney, Sarah (s1777-a1806)
Sarah Whitney, parentage unknown, was born say 1777, possibly in Watertown, MA, and died after 1806, when a child was baptized.
Marriage intentions were published 25 Mar 1797, Watertown, MA, for her and James Simmons "both of Watertown".[1]
Children of James and Sarah (Whitney) Simmons:
i. Sarah Simmons, b. 3 May 1798, Watertown, MA;[2] bapt. 2 Aug 1801, Watertown, MA.[3] ii. Mary Simmons, bapt. 2 Aug 1801, Watertown, MA;[4] m. (int. 23 Mar 1822, Watertown, MA), Edward Fogg, "both of Watertown".[5] iii. Anna Simmons, bapt. 6 Mar 1803, Watertown, MA.[6] iv. James Simmons, bapt. 18 Nov 1804, Watertown, MA.[7] v. Stephen Simmons, bapt. 7 Dec 1806, Watertown, MA.[8]
Notes
James Simmons might be related to Edward Simmons "of Watertown" whose m. int. were pub. 25 Aug 1798, Watertown, MA, with Kezia Burridge "of Dover".
Notes
There is a burial in Common Street Cemetery in Watertown, from "Massachusetts DAR GRC report; sl v048: gravestone inscriptions, Village Cemetery, Watertown, MA/Watertown Chapter." The inscription reads "Simmons, Simon Whitney, son of James and Sally Whitney. Died 29 Sept. 1817; aet. 2 y. 2m." This was apparently an otherwise unknown son of the above couple.
Now this raises an issue. Since the child is named Simon Whitney Simmons, it would seem to me that it was likely that a father or brother or uncle or grandfather would have been named Simon Whitney. Now the only Simon Whitney I can find with a relative Sarah not otherwise accounted for is Family:Whitney, Simon (1727-1797), and he did, indeed, live in Watertown, MA. There are birth records for two daughters Sarah/Sally to Simon and his wives (one for each wife), one given by Henry Bond and the other from the published Watertown vital records. Those two given names are generally interchangeable, Sally being a common nickname for Sarah. The similarity of the birth dates (Jan vs. Jun and 1773 vs. 1775) are why I wrote what I did on Simon's web page under the two daughters' accounts.
The elder of the two daughters I have given a marriage to Phineas Jennison, based on Henry Bond's Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts, ... (1855-1859), p. 309 and 648. The younger is an outstanding candidate for the above marriage to James Simmons. This would explain much. The fly in the ointment is that both daughters would have had to live to maturity. That and the similarity of the birth dates (Jan vs. Jun and 1773 vs. 1775) are why I wrote what I did on Simon's web page under the two daughters' accounts.
So were there two daughters of the "same" name living at the same time, half-sisters? Or was there just one daughter, and which marriage did she contract? The fact that Simon did not leave a will means that we cannot use that means to answer the question. The administration of his estate does not mention either daughter, who would be adults and already married, which is not a surprise.
References
1.^ "James Simmons & Sally Whitney, b. of Watertown, int. 25 Mar 1797," according to Watertown Records, Comprising the Fourth Book of Town Proceedings and the Second Book of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, from 1738 to 1822 (Watertown, MA: Historical Society, c1903), volume 3, page 228.
2.^ "Sarah Simmons Daughter of James & Sarah Simmons Born May 3d 1798", according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 191.
3.^ "Augt 2 1801 Baptized by R. R. Eliot: Sarah, Child of James Simmons", according to Watertown Records, Comprising East Congregational and Precinct Affairs, 1697 to 1737. Also, Record Book of the Pastors, 1686-1819 (Watertown, MA: Historical Society, 1906), volume 4, page 188.
4.^ "Augt 2 1801 Baptized by R. R. Eliot: Mary, Child of James Simmons", according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 4, page 188.
5.^ "March 23d 1822 Mary Simmons and Edward Fogg both of Watertown. Intention view Watertown", according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 243.
6.^ "March 6th 1803 Baptized by R. R. Eliot: Anna, Daughter of James Simmons", according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 4, page 189.
7.^ "Novr 18 1804 Baptized by R. R. Eliot: James, Son of James Simmons", according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 4, page 190.
8.^ "Decr 7 1806 Baptized by R. R. Eliot: Stephen, Son of James Simmons", according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 4, page 190.
Copyright © 2008, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group
