James Felix Simmons

Personal and Family Information

James was born on 4 Jun 1885 in Tupelo, Jackson County, Arkansas, the son of Benjamin Fletcher Simmons and Lucy James Rotenberry.

He died on 20 Mar 1968 in Tupelo, Jackson County, Arkansas.^{[Note 2]}

He had two marriages/partners. His first partner was Nora Jones, but they were never married. Their only known child was Rex Dale (1910-1980).

His second wife was Sallie Edwina Johnson, who he married on 2 JUL 1911 in Jackson County, Arkansas. Their four known children were Margery Mae (1916-1993), Benjamin Felix (1922-1985), Sybil (1929-2008) and Lucy Jane (1930-2016).

Pedigree Chart (3 generations)

Events

Event	Date	Details	Source	Multimedia	Notes
Birth	4 JUN 1885	Place: Tupelo, Jackson County, Arkansas
Death	20 MAR 1968	Place: Tupelo, Jackson County, Arkansas Age: 82y, 9m, 17d Agency: from tombstone in Walnut Grove by A Bowie 15Jun00		DeathCert-Simmons, James Felix 1968	See Note 2
Census	1 JUN 1900	Place: Jackson County, Arkansas Age: 14 Address: Breckenridge Twp with father, grandmother, 6 siblings and 3 cousins	Census 1900 Arkansas, Jackson County, Breckenridge,ED 53 Union ED 61 Source: Census 1900 Arkansas, Jackson County, Breckenridge,ED 53 Union ED 61 Publisher: Twelfth Census of the US	Census-1900-Arkansas, Jackson,Breckridge A Census-1900-Arkansas, Jackson,Breckridge B
Census	22 APR 1910	Place: Jackson County, Arkansas Age: 24 b Ark Address: Breckenridge, dwelling 109, family 113 with father and stepmother Agency: census 1910 Ark	Census 1910 Arkansas, Jackson Cty Breckendridge ED 63 and Union ED 73 Source: Census 1910 Arkansas, Jackson Cty Breckendridge ED 63 and Union ED 73 Publisher: US Department of Commerence
Census	13 JAN 1920	Place: Jackson County, Arkansas Age: 25 born Arkansas Address: Breckendidge Twp, dwelling 21, family 22 with wife, daughter and brother Saxon Agency: 1920 census	Census 1920 Arkansas, Jackson County , ED 71 Newport, ED 181 Breckendridge Twp Source: Census 1920 Arkansas, Jackson County , ED 71 Newport, ED 181 Breckendridge Twp Date: JAN 1920 Publisher: US Deptartment of Commerence
Census	2 APR 1930	Place: Tupelo, Jackson County, Arkansas Age: 44, b Ark Address: Breckenridge Twp, Dwelling 2, shared and rented with Sax with wife, 2 daughters and 1 son Agency: 1930 census Ark	Census 1930 Arkansas, Jackson Cty, Tupelo, Breckenridge Twp ED 34 -6 and 34 -8 Source: Census 1930 Arkansas, Jackson Cty, Tupelo, Breckenridge Twp ED 34 -6 and 34 -8
Census	17 APR 1940	Place: Jackson County, Arkansas Age: 54 born Ark Address: Breckenridge, Simmons Switch Road to Cashe River, Dwelling 187 Simmons, Felix 54, wife Sallie 46, Felix Jr 17, Dyble 11, Jane 9, Lippman Maggie mother in law 63 widow practical nurse
Burial	1968	Place: Jackson County, Arkansas Age: 82y, 9m, 17d Address: section F row 7 N35° 36.894’ W91° 16.165’ Walnut Grove Cemetery beside grandfather HF Simmons see also http://arkansasgravestones.org/ Find A Grave Memorial# 33240860 Agency: from tombstone in Walnut Grove by A Bowie 6/15/2008		Cemeteries -Jackson County Arkansas Grav-SimSal Walnut Grove, Lot description and burials, by Walter Heard Simmons, HF, family group of 10 spaces
Probate	1968	Place: Jackson County, Arkansas Address: file 1396

Multimedia

James Felix ...	Dwg-Jackson ...	Obit - Felix...	Doc-Simmons,...	Felix and Sa...	Bio-SimmonsB...
Sallie & Fel...	Simmons, Fel...	Simmons,Mary...

Notes

Note 1

Felix was a farmer and his favorite pastime was fishing. He and younger brother Lon fished together a lot in their later years.

Their father Ben often said that Felix could eat more buffalo fish than anyone else...claimed that Felix would eat the whole fish and spit out the bones afterward. The common or bigmouth Buffalo is a large, important commercial species of sucker fish, It is very common in Jackson County and surrounding area, very boney, but low price and generally good flavor when properly prepared.

Doris in 1966 letter to Bobby said Felix was charter member of SAE at UA Fayetteville. However Arkansas Alpha-Upsilon Chapter ("AR A-U") was founded on July 9, 1894 to early for Felix to be there, so maybe off in her memory, either another uncle or another frat. check Sigma Chi established at UofA 1905 when Felix was age 20. So far no confirmation that Felix even attended UA. Max (UA) and Bobby Bowie(Ark State) both were Sigma Chi.

Note 2

James F. Simmons

(obit from Gazette State News Service)

James Felix Simmons, aged 82, of Tupelo (Jackson County) died Wednesday. He was a Mason and a member of the First Methodist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Mrs Sally Johnson Simmons; a son Ben F Simmons of Mississippi; Three daughters, Mrs. Noel Bone of Batesville, Mrs Fletcher Sullard of Corning and Mrs Ranson Hayden Jr. of Missouri; a sister, Mrs Earl Eckhart of Texas and eight grandchildren.

Funeral will be at 2 pm today at the First Methodist Church at Tupelo. Burial will be at Walnut Grove Cemetery by Jackson Funeral Service.

Sources

1. Census 1900 Arkansas, Jackson County, Breckenridge,ED 53 Union ED 61

   Source:	Census 1900 Arkansas, Jackson County, Breckenridge,ED 53 Union ED 61
   Publisher:	Twelfth Census of the US

2. Census 1910 Arkansas, Jackson Cty Breckendridge ED 63 and Union ED 73

   Source:	Census 1910 Arkansas, Jackson Cty Breckendridge ED 63 and Union ED 73
   Publisher:	US Department of Commerence

3. Census 1920 Arkansas, Jackson County , ED 71 Newport, ED 181 Breckendridge Twp

   Source:	Census 1920 Arkansas, Jackson County , ED 71 Newport, ED 181 Breckendridge Twp
   Date:	JAN 1920
   Publisher:	US Deptartment of Commerence

4. Census 1930 Arkansas, Jackson Cty, Tupelo, Breckenridge Twp ED 34 -6 and 34 -8

   Source:	Census 1930 Arkansas, Jackson Cty, Tupelo, Breckenridge Twp ED 34 -6 and 34 -8