SIMMONS, John Lee

Prescott Evening Courier, Prescott, Arizona Thursday, July 2, 1936, page 1, column 5 J. L. Simmons, Pioneer Dies Old-time Cattleman Who Came To Prescott In 1864, Passes Away at Pioneer's Home in 73rd Year Death came during the night to a pioneer Yavapai county stockman, John L. Simmons, 73 years of age, who arrived in Prescott in 1864, the year Prescott was organized as a town and given its name by Richard McCormick, the secretary of state of the territory. He came to Arizona from his native Fort Scott, Kans., then an important outpost, where he was born Aug. 5, 1863, the son of Tom and Catherine Hoggins Simmons, who brought him here as an infant a year old. McClintock's history of the state, on page 321 of volume two (Arizona, the Youngest State), says: 'In the following January (i.e. 1865) was born Mollie Simmons, probably the first white child of Northern Arizona nativity.' She was John Simmons' sister. On June 11, 1936, he entered the Arizona Pioneer's Home from Prescott and on June 20 was returned to the home from a major operation in Phoenix. Survivors are two sons, Oliver E. Simmons of 623 Daughterty street, Prescott, and Albert Simmons of National City, Calif., and a daughter, Mrs. Stella Ford of San Bernardino, Calif. The body is at the Lester Ruffner Funeral Home, where services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday. Burial will be in Pioneer's Cemetery, and the Rev. S. Douglas Walters of the Westside Methodist church will be in charge.