Simmons History. 349

Located in Portland Township, Chautauqua County, NY in 1840406

Located in Onondaga County, Oisco Township in 1810.407

In 1818 an original Land purchasher in Township 4 of Portland, Chautauqua County, NY, Lot # 31.405

In History of Chautauqua County by Young pg. 498, Zuriel is listed as an "Original Land Purchaser" - township 4, Chautauqua, NY - July 1818. In politics he was a Whig and in religion a baptist. He built church and school on his farm.

According to obit of son Philander, Zuriel & Sarah began housekeeping in Washington Cty, NY about 1794, removed to Ononadaga Cty in 1806, and in the fall of 1817 removed to Portand, Chautauqua Cty, NY. They had 6 children b. in Washington Cty, 3 in Ononadaga, and 1 in Portland.

Historical Sketches of the Town of Portland, NY by H.C. Taylor, pg. 372.

103 Zuriel SIMMONS - was b. in Conn. He m. Sally HUNT, who was also b. in that state. They settled in Washington Cty, NY, but some years later removed to Onondaga Cty. They came to Portland from there in the fall of 1817 and settled part of lot 31, T4, now the south line of the town, land located by their sons Philander and Hiram earlier in the season. The task of reaching their purchase was a tedious one, as there was no road through the woods from the residence of Elisha FAY on lot 25, T5. The winter following was unusally severe and nearly all of their provisions were "backed" from Fredonia. Their one cow was kept mostly on browse; what hay they had was brought on back for one and a half miles; no team could get through. In 1820 three log houses were built and the old shanty abandoned. In these they lived until 1830 when a frame house was built, which in part is now standing and is occupied by Joseph FARRAR. Mr. SIMMONS died upon this farm January 19, 1846. Mrs. SIMMONS died here September 4, 1850. The farm was sold in 1856 by Philander, the second son, who removed to Jamestown, this county. Mr. SIMMONS was a Baptist, and politically a democrat.
Family of Mr. & Mrs. SIMMONS - (1) Hiram, (2) Philander, (3) Ebenezer, (4) Elvira, (5) Sally, (6) Ziba, (7) Tryphena, (8) Calista. `360 408