John F. Simmons, keeper of a
first-class livery at Weatherford, was born
June 26, 1857, in Alabama,
and at the age of twelve years came to Texas
with his father, locating
first in Bosque County and afterward in
Comanche County, where they
engaged in the livestock business. In 1872
the children were sent to
Emporia, Kansas, for an education. John
spent the winter of 1872-73 in
Colorado, with stock, and, returning to
Kansas, attended school there.
The Indians got to ranging upon the
territory so much that Mr. Simmons had to
remove to the eastward. There
were no fights with these savages, but they
ran by, stealing a great
deal of livestock. In the spring of 1875,
Mr. Simmons went to southern
Texas and purchased more cattle, came north
and moved his stock to
Kansas. From 1872 to 1878 he handled cattle
on the trail, and in the
latter year he located a ranch in Palo Pinto
County, where he remained
until 1881, with his stock. In 1883 he moved
to Parker County. In 1880
he married, and in coming to this county he
settled upon a farm and
engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1890,
when he moved into
Weatherford and engaged at first in the
dairy business, next in the
grain trade, and finally in the livery
business, in which he is now
prospering, as he has a good stock and
understands well the need of his
customers, treating them according to the
stock and understands well
the need of his customers, treating them
according to the principles of
business and honesty.
His parents were Dr. A. S. and
Martha (Garrett) Simmons, of Alabama. In the
spring of 1872, his father
discontinued practice and engaged fully in
the livestock business. In
1886 he went to Mexico, where he engaged in
the same occupation a year,
and then returned to Parker County and dealt
in cattle here and in the
Territory until 1892, since which time he
has been in the livery
business at Denison, Texas. He had five
children, all sons, two of whom
died young. Of the living, the subject of
this sketch is the eldest;
Daniel died at the age of seventeen years;
and James L. died in 1892,
leaving a wife and one child. The mother of
these children died in
1889, and their father has again married.
Mr. John F. Simmons married Miss
Flora Barthold, a daughter of Charles
Barthold, who is a prominent
merchant of Weatherford. Mr. and Mrs.
Simmons have one child, Fred, who
is now nine years of age.
Mr. Simmons takes an active
interest in public affairs, sympathizing
with the views of the
Democratic party, and he is a member of the
order of Knights of Honor.
He has seen much of the rough side of life
in Texas, and has by his own
energies and strict principles arisen from
the humble position of
cow-boy to his present eviable station in
life, wherein he is
prominently identified with the best
interests of Weatherford and seems
well and comfortably settled for the
remainder of his days.
