Aaron Simmons c. 1755-1832 Private Maryland Line Ancestor of David S. Mazzeo Ancestor of Michael J. Mazzeo, Jr.

Aaron Simmons was born about 1755. He resided in Durham Parish, Charles County, Maryland.

The American Revolution began in April 1775. On December 27, 1776, three months after the Continental Army had been fixed at eighty-eight battalions, Congress authorized General Washington to raise sixteen regiments at large as a supplementary force. Raised at large in Virginia and Maryland, the regiment was attached to General Charles Scott’s brigade in 1777. William Grayson, assistant secretary and aide-to-camp of General Washington, was made Colonel of these additional infantry regiments. On July 18, 1777, Aaron Simmons enlisted as a Private under Captain Heaberd Smallwood’s Company of the Regiment of Foot commanded by Colonel William Grayson of the Continental Line in the American Revolution. Also designated at various times as Grayson’s Regiment or the 16th Virginia Regiment, this regiment fought in the Pennsylvania campaigns of 1777.

In April 1779 this regiment, whose ranks had been ravaged by smallpox, merged with Colonel Nathaniel Gist’s additional regiment. (Grayson was subsequently put in command of the Continental War Office.) Aaron Simmons became a member of the 4th Company under the command of Captain Strother Jones. Gist’s enlarged regiments were sent south late in 1779 and most of its officers and men were captured when Charleston, South Carolina fell on May 12, 1780. On November 1, 1780, a general order disbanded Gist’s regiment, effective January 1, 1781.

During his enlistment, Aaron Simmons received 6 2/3 dollars per month. His service included Camp Paramus, Pennsylvania; Camp White Plains, New York; North River, Robinson Plains, New York and Camp Middle Brook, New Jersey.

He was discharged in July 1781 and on August 23, 1782 received 77 pounds, 1 shilling and 5 pence depreciation money issued by the state of Maryland to officers and soldiers of Colonel Grayson’s Regiment.

On 30 January 1783 he was married to Sarah Thompson by the Reverend George H. Worsley of the Port Tobacco Parish. Sarah Thompson, was born about 1757 and was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Thompson and granddaughter of Smallwood Thompson, all of Charles County, Maryland.

In April 1791 Durham Episcopal Church in Ironsides was in need of repair. Aaron Simmons was listed as being one of the parish members to pledge on May 9, 1791, “30,750 pounds of tobacco and 177 pounds, 16 shillings to restore the spirit of their religion and the flourishing state Durham Parish was in previous to the late glorious revolution”.

On February 19, 1819 his revolutionary war pension was passed by the Treasurer of the Western Shore of Maryland to pay him, quarterly during his life, half pay of a Private.

Aaron Simmons died March 1, 1832 in Charles County. His Last Will and Testament, dated November 23, 1831 and probated May 30, 1833, mentions his wife Sarah, son Asa, son George, son Thomas, son David, daughter Adah, daughter Priscilla Beall, and daughter Sarah Franklin.

On December 23, 1839, at the age of eighty-two, Aaron Simmons’ widow, Sarah Simmons, applied for a widow’s pension for services rendered by her husband in the American Revolution. Her pension was issued January 3, 1840. She received a payment of $280.00 retroactive to 1838, and $40.00 more until her death on March 4, 1840.

The children of Aaron and Sarah (Thompson) Simmons:

· Adah Simmons, born about 1784, and married a Richard Simmons.

· Priscilla Simmons, married a Francis Beall.

· Jane Simmons, married a Holly C. Farrell.

· Polly Simmons, married a Mr. Sutherland.

· Elizabeth A. Simmons, married a Mr. Cofer.

· David Simmons, born about 1796. He was married 29 December 1813 to Chloe Haislip. David Simmons enlisted as a private at Port Tobacco on 9 June 1814 in the forty-third Regiment (Hamilton’s), commanded by Colonel Henry Ashton, Maryland Militia, in the War of 1812. He served from 14 July 1814 to 25 July 1814 in St. Mary’s County under Captain Thomas D. Claggett and received $3.49 pay and rations. He next served from 22 July 1814 to 26 July 1814 under Captain Gustavus Brown and received $1.91 pay and rations. He was honorably discharged 1 September 1814 at Yates Old Fields, Charles County. He died 10 August 1834 in Charles County. (David Simmons’ son, Benjamin Simmons is the great-great-great-great grandfather of David S. Mazzeo and Michael J. Mazzeo, Jr.)

· George S. Simmons, born about 1798 and died about 1836.

· Thomas Simmons, born about 1800.

· Sarah Simmons, born about 1801 and was married 1 January 1815 to Hezekiah Franklin, a wheelwright, from Charles County. He was born about 1789 and died 11 July 1874. He enlisted as a private at Port Tobacco on 9 June 1814 in the forty-third Regiment (Hamilton’s ), commanded by Colonel Henry Ashton, Maryland Militia, in the War of 1812. He served from 15 June 1814 to 24 June 1814 under Captain Roger Dunnington and received $2.83 pay and rations. He next served from 14 July 1814 to 16 August 1814 at St. Mary’s County under Captain William Dent and received $9.26 pay and rations. He was honorably discharged 1 September 1814 at Yates Old Fields, Charles County. On 15 April 1852 Hezekiah Franklin was awarded forty acres of land for services rendered in the War of 1812 and on 7 July 1855 was awarded 120 acres of land located in Hennepin County, Minnesota, which he subsequently sold the following month. Hezekiah Franklin also received a pension from the state of Maryland for services rendered in the War of 1812. He was paid quarterly from 1867 until his death in 1874 at the annual amount of $80.00. (Sarah (Simmons) Franklin’s daughter, Charlotte (Franklin) Bowie, wife of Uriah Bowie, is the great-great-great-great grandmother of David S. Mazzeo and Michael J. Mazzeo, Jr. Sarah (Simmons) Franklin’s daughter Ann (Franklin) Johnson, wife of Richard Johnson is the great-great-great grandmother of David S. Mazzeo and Michael J. Mazzeo, Jr.)

· Asa Simmons, born about 1804.

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