History of Hamilton County Ohio
Portrait, and biography, of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Simonson
between pages 224 & 225
transcribed by Linda Boorom

Barney SIMONSON came from New Jersey to Crosby (now Harrison) township in 1818, and settled upon an unimproved tract (except for a small cabin upon it), the same in part as that owned and occupied by his son Charles. Here he spent the remainder of his life, and died here upon the seventy-third anniversary of his birth. He was born in September, 1774, and departed this life the same day of September, 1847. His wife was Catharine FREEMAN, also a native of New Jersey. She was of English and Holland stock; her husband of Holland and French extraction. Their children are consequently of mixed Dutch, British, and Gaelic blood, with the first predominating. They had eleven children, six daughters and five sons, viz: Nancy, Catharine, Lavina, Eliza, Sarah, Julia Ann, Jesse, Aaron, Barney, William, and Charles. Only Eliza (now Mrs. Joseph ATHERTON of Stark county, Illinois), Sarah (Mrs. Milton ATHERTON, of Kewanee, Illinois), Julia Ann (now Mrs. James RINICE, residing near Indianapolis), Barney (a farmer in Indiana near Harrison), Jesse (a farmer and formerly a local Methodist preacher near Eaton, Preble county), and Charles are now living; and the last named, the youngest, is in his sixty-fifth year. He was born at the ancestral home in Essex township, Essex county, New Jersey, October 13, 1816, and was consequently scarcely two years old when brought by his parents to this county. He received his formal education altogether in the schools of the neighborhood, and shared the labors of the farm with his father until the death of the latter, when he came into possession of the home farm, to which he has since made large additions by purchase, his place now comprising four hundred and forty acres of fine woodland and cleared fields. The elegant mansion he now occupies was built in part by his father, over half a century ago, to which handsome improvements were effected by him about 1866, making of it a spacious, comfortable, and very sightly residence. All the buildings upon the premises, including two large barns, a carriage-house, and other conveniences, are painted white, making the group a conspicuous object in the landscape for a long distance in nearly every direction, even from New Haven village, in Crosby township. The residence and part of the outbuildings appear to advantage in the illustration accompanying this sketch. Mr. SIMONSON has served as township trustee two or three terms, but has not been much in public life, confining his attention almost exclusively to the legitimate business of a farmer. He takes no very active part in politics, but aims always to vote, especially at elections of importance. He has been a Republican ever since the party had a being, and was a Whig before that. His first vote for President was cast for General HARRISON. in 1840. He is not a member of any religions or secret organization. except the Patrons of Husbandry, which has a society in the neighborhood, called Sand Hill Grange, No. 700. He lives the quiet life of a prosperous farmer, in tranquillity and ease, much respected by his fellow citizens, and bidding every way fair to leave an honorable record behind him.

Mr. SIMONSON was married to Miss Liscetta BAUGHMAN, of the same neighborhood, October 4, 1844. The children by this marriage are two --Jennie, now the wife of Mr. Harry BOWLES, a farmer in Whitewater township, married to him May 2, 1866; and William H., married Sally WRIGHT, November 19, 1868, and residing upon his farm, formerly a part of his father's estate, in a dwelling a short distance south of the old home. Mr. SIMONSON lost his first wife by death December 3, 1849, and was remarried June 25, 1863, to Miss Sarah Jane GARD, of an old Preble county family, her father having immigrated thither in 1812. She is the second daughter of LITTLEJOHN aud Nancy (WRIGHT) Gard, born at the old home in Preble county, February 28, 1830. She was trained in the home schools of that day, and remained with her parents upon a farm at Sugar Valley, between Eaton and Camden, Preble county, until her marriage with Mr. SIMONSON, as before noted. She is of a family of school-teachers, and doubtless owes much of her intelligence and quickness of mind to this fact, but she herself never taught school. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Harrison. Since her marriage, which has proved childless, her history has been, of course, identified with that of her husband, in the peaceful life of the farm and homestead.