Symons Family of Massachusetts>New York>North Carolina>Indiana

 

Symons Family History
Symmons/Simons/Simonds/etc.

space
space WorldConnect on RootsWeb space
  browse

Amy Hedrick's Family Research

space

The earliest known Symons in my family is one William Symons born about 1620, possibly in England, who may have first settled in Massachusetts around Lynn, Essex County.  William's was also one of the first families to settle East Hampton, Suffolk County, New York.

Many court records have been found regarding William and his sons, buying land, selling land, and some very intriguing personal records as well.  The Symons lived at a very lively and exciting time for America, as they were some of the first settlers of this New World.

Many internet trees show William Symons as having married a Mary Conkling, or a Mary Alice Robbins Conkling.  But what you don't see, is the source documentation for this discovery.  How have they come about this marriage?  I personally have found absolutely no marriage record for William marrying a Mary Conkling or an Alice Robbins or any other combination of that name.   Also, the date of the marriage given was 18 January 1643 in Woburn, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts.

How was this marriage found?  I can tell you that you will find a marriage between a William Simons and a Judith Haward on that date.  It does appear that this is not the William we are looking for though.

So you might ask, maybe William and Mary are not the ones you are looking for at all.  Well, they are.  The Symons family were devout Quakers.  My first Symons ancestor was Sarah Symons, my fourth great grandmother.  I have successfully traced her family through Quaker records back to a Thomas Symons, my 8th great grandfather born about 1648, possible in Massachusetts.  From Quaker records we make the jump to court and legal documents.  Thomas Symons shows up in many documents buying and selling family property.

In one such record he mentions that he is the son of William Symons, deceased, and the letter is dated about 1684.  So we have a father's name, and an approximate date of death, and a geographic location of William Symons death.  Thomas was writing from Pasquotank Co., North Carolina back to East Hampton, New York, to David Gardiner, about selling family property.  It is safe to assume that William Symons died in North Carolina, after all, why would Thomas have to write back to New York and tell folks there that his father had died?

One document has been found that states William's wife's first name being Mary.  Of all the documents ever found involving the couple, she was always referred to as Goody Symons.  A land warrant was obtained by Thomas Symons entitling him to 400 acres of land for the transportation of 8 persons.  Those eight people listed were:  [Illegible name] Symons, Mary Symons, Wm. Symons, Rebecca Symons, Eliz. Symons, Jer. Symons, Mary Symons, negroe boy named Will.  The first Mary was most likely Thomas' mother, the rest of the people were his siblings.  The illegibile named Symons could have been the father.  This warrant was granted right before William Symons died.

So we have the parents, and a list of children, all from one court document, and from Quaker records, we can obtain more dates.  But lets go back to William and Mary for just a bit.

Who was Mary Symons?  Was she a Conkling?  I'm beginning to think not.  I recently came across another researcher who is adamantly trying to solve this puzzle, and has come up with some very insightful information.  So far, we have not found and eligible Conkling woman to be William's wife.  But what if she wasn't a Conkling?  There are some letters where Thomas is asking to be remembered to his Uncle Fithian when he is writing back home to New York from North Carolina.  What if Mary was a Fithian?  Or maybe she was a Gardiner?  All of these families were living in close proximity to each other, she could be any of one of these families.  But try as I might, I can not find a Conkling connection.

Now, on to Thomas Symons.  Many online trees have his wife as Rebecca White, I did too, until recently.  This same researcher I have been working with has been trying to beat it into my brain that this couldn't be so.  I don't like to follow just one person though, I want to see someone else with these ideas too.  Well, she sent me some back up research, and one little line in this research sold me on the idea.

Thomas' son, John Symons married who?  Damaris White who is the daughter of who?  Henry White.  And he would be the brother of Rebecca White and that would make John and Damaris first cousins, and the Quakers do NOT allow such marriages to happen.

Not only that, but in Henry White Sr.'s will, the supposed father of Rebecca and Henry White, she is not mentioned, wouldn't she if she was his daughter?  All of the other children were.  Back in 1968 a gentleman by the name of William Perry Johnson compiled a Symons genealogy for the "North Carolina Genealogy" Spring 1968 issue.  In it, he too was not sold on Rebecca White, only he had no proof.  My fellow researcher has found a wife that fits, she is in the area, her family is too, they intermarried with the White family too.  Her name is Rebecca West sister of Mary West who married either Henry or Arnold White [don't know which as they both married a Mary one married Thomas Symons' sister Mary].

Seeing as how this family line starts with my fourth great grandmother, there will be limited information, such as photos and obituaries.  I will try, as time permits, to located estate and land papers on this family.  The "Documentation" section will be dedicated to articles, websites, and write-ups located on the Symons family.

 

Descendants

Court Records

Documentation

  Obituaries  

 

Line
Line Message Boards on RootsWeb Line
  Browse Button

Symons Message Board

Line
Line
Line Mailing Lists On RootsWeb Line

SYMONS Surname and Family Lists

Line
subscribe L Subscribe D