Family of Benjamin SIMONS and Mary Esther DUPRE

Husband:	Benjamin SIMONS (1672-1717)
Wife:	Mary Esther DUPRE (1674?-1737)
Children:	Peter SIMONS (1693-1724)
	? SIMONS (1695-1695)
	Samuel DuPre SIMONS (1696-1759)
	Francis SIMONS (1697-1731)
	Hannah "Ann" SIMONS (1699- )
	Mary Esther SIMONS (1701-1737)
	Elizabeth SIMONS (1704- )
	Martha SIMONS (1706- )
	Benjamin SIMONS (1708-1709)
	Esther SIMONS (1710- )
	Judith SIMONS (1712-1781)
	Benjamin SIMONS II. (1713-1772)
	Thomas SIMONS (1715-1716)
	Catherine SIMONS (1717-1731)
Marriage	1692

Husband: Benjamin SIMONS

Name:	Benjamin SIMONS
Sex:	Male
Father:	unknown SIMONS ( - )
Mother:	unknown BRABANT ( - )
Birth	1672	Ile de Râe, (Island in Atlantic just off La Rochelle), France
Death	18 Aug 1717 (age 44-45)	Berkeley County, SC
Burial		Pompion Hill Chapel, Berkeley County, SC

Wife: Mary Esther DUPRE

Name:	Mary Esther DUPRE
Sex:	Female
Father:	Josias DUPRE (1640-1712)
Mother:	Martha BRABANT (1648- )
Birth	1674 (app)	La Rochelle, Charente-Maritim, France
Death	15 Apr 1737 (age 62-63)	Berkely County, SC
Burial		Pompion Hill Church, Berkeley County, SC

Child 1: Peter SIMONS

Name:	Peter SIMONS
Sex:	Male
Spouse:	Magdalen CORDES (1693-1745)
Birth	9 Jul 1693	Charleston, SC Sunday 5 AM
Baptism		French Church
Death	1724 (age 30-31)

Child 2: ? SIMONS

Name:	? SIMONS
Sex:	Male
Birth	24 Apr 1695	the house of Pimlica Maptica
Death	15 May 1695 (age 0)
Burial		Pompion Hill

Child 3: Samuel DuPre SIMONS

Name:	Samuel DuPre SIMONS
Sex:	Male
Spouse:	Elizabeth BONNEAU (1708- )
Birth	14 May 1696	the house of Pimlica Maptica, Berkeley County, SC
Baptism	5 Jun 1696 (age 0)	By Rev. Elias Prioleau
Death	1759 (age 62-63)	Christ Church Parish, SC

Child 4: Francis SIMONS

Name:	Francis SIMONS
Sex:	Male
Spouse:	Ann CORDES (1703-1772)
Birth	7 Dec 1697	House at Maptica 10AM
Baptism	3 Jan 1698 (age 0)	By Rev. Elias Prioleau at Middleburg
Death	7 Jun 1731 (age 33)

Child 5: Hannah "Ann" SIMONS

Name:	Hannah "Ann" SIMONS
Sex:	Female
Spouse:	Stephen PROCTOR ( - )
Birth	21 Mar 1699	Middleburg Plantation 6PM
Baptism		By Rev. Elias Prioleau

Child 6: Mary Esther SIMONS

Name:	Mary Esther SIMONS
Sex:	Female
Spouse:	James MAXWELL (1700?- )
Birth	11 Sep 1701	Middleburg Plantation 11PM
Baptism	23 Sep 1701 (age 0)	By Rev. Paul L'Escot
Death	14 Apr 1737 (age 35)
Burial		Pompion Hill Chapel

Child 7: Elizabeth SIMONS

Name:	Elizabeth SIMONS
Sex:	Female
Spouse:	James Paul CORDES (1699-1774)
Birth	20 Apr 1704	Middleburg Plantation 5AM
Baptism		Middleburg Plantation

Child 8: Martha SIMONS

Name:	Martha SIMONS
Sex:	Female
Spouse:	Archibald YOUNG ( - )
Birth	8 Feb 1706	Middleburg Plantation - midnight
Baptism	14 Apr 1706 (age 0)	Church at Orange Quarter by Rev. Trourillard

Child 9: Benjamin SIMONS

Name:	Benjamin SIMONS
Sex:	Male
Birth	21 Aug 1708	Middleburg Plantation 11PM
Baptism	23 Aug 1708 (age 0)	Pompion Hill by Mr. Hasell
Death	20 Aug 1709 (age 0)
Burial		Middleburg Plantation Garden, Charleston, SC

Child 10: Esther SIMONS

Name:	Esther SIMONS
Sex:	Female
Birth	1 Jun 1710	Middleburg Plantation
Baptism	21 Jun 1710 (age 0)	Pompion Chapel by Mr. Hasell

Child 11: Judith SIMONS

Name:	Judith SIMONS
Sex:	Female
Spouse:	Alexander SWINTON ( - )
Birth	2 Mar 1711/12	Middleburg Plantation, Berkeley County, SC
Baptism	"21 APR ????"
Death	Sep 1781 (age 69)

Child 12: Benjamin SIMONS II.

Name:	Benjamin SIMONS II.
Sex:	Male
Spouse 1:	Ann KEATING (1718-1754)
Spouse 2:	Ann DYMES DEWICK (1735?-1776)
Birth	12 Jun 1713	Middleburg Plantation
Baptism	19 Jun 1713 (age 0)	Pompion Hill by Mr. Hasell
Death	30 Apr 1772 (age 58)	Charelston, SC
Burial	1 May 1772 (age 58)	Pumpkin (Pompion) Hill Chapel

Child 13: Thomas SIMONS

Name:	Thomas SIMONS
Sex:	Male
Birth	15 Jul 1715
Death	11 Jul 1716 (age 0)

Child 14: Catherine SIMONS

Name:	Catherine SIMONS
Sex:	Female
Birth	17 Oct 1717
Death	Oct 1731 (age 13-14)

Note on Husband: Benjamin SIMONS

Warrant 15 July 1697, 100 A., in Berkley Co, Grant 5 May 1704 for 350 A. SOUTH CAROLINA HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL MAGAZINE, Vol. XVIII, p. 21, as quoted in THE DUPRE TRAIL, Vol. 1, p. 145

 

From http://www.rootsweb.com/~scbchs/

Grant of Land From The Lords Proprietors to

Benjamin Simons, 7 May 1709

WHEREAS His Excellency William Lord Craven Palatine John Lord Carteret Maurice Ashly Esqr. John Colleton Barrt. & the rest of the true & absolute Lords & Proprietors of Carolina, By their Commission & under their hands & seals bearing date this eighth day of March Anno Domini 170- [1704] Have empowered us the Right Honble Sr. William Johnson Knt. Governor: of South & North Carolina The Honble Nicholas Trott Thos. Broughton Robt. Gibbs Henry Noble & John Ashby Esqrs or any of them to give and grant land whose names are hereunder written Do for an.d in consideration of the Sum of seventy pounds current money to our Receiver Genl in hand paid Give and Grant unto Benjamin Simmons a Plantaton containing One Thousand acres of Land English Measure now in the possession of the said Benjamin Simmons situate & lying in Berkley County and butting & bounding as appears by a plot thereof hereunto annexed To Have and Hold the said plantation to The said Benjamin Simmons his heirs and assigns for Ever in Free and Common Soccage with the privilege of hawking hunting fishing & fowling within bounds of the same with all woods and trees & waters thereon standing & Growing or therein being or thereunto by any manner of ways or means belonging or in any wise appertaining wtsoever Except all Royal Mines & Quarrys of Gemms & precious stones & one sixth part of all base mines after these same be Digged & washed & one Tenth part of the Same when & after Refined he or they Yielding& Paying therefor yearly to the Lords Proprietors their heirs or assigns or to their Receivers by them or the Maj or part of them authorized on every first of Xber after Xber 1709 after ye rate of Ten Shillings and or the value thereof in such Commodities & at such prices as are ascertained by Directions of an Act Entitled an Act to ascertain ye prices of Lands & the forms of Conveyance & the manner for Recovery of Rents for Lands & the prices of the Several Commodities the sums may be paid in Lieu of & for all Manner of Service due to the Lords proprietor and Lords of the Fee Given under the Great Seal appointed for that purpose at Charles Town the seventh Day of May Anno Domini 1709 [endorsed]

The Lords Proprietors

to

Benjamin Simons } Granted for 1000 acres of Land in Berkley County

Date 7 May 1709

[A memorial of Five Hundred acres of Land bequeathed to Samuel Simons son of Benjamin Simons was entered in the auditor's office the 18th day of April 1733]

 

http://members.tripod.com/~The_Huguenot/fam.htm

Benjamin Simons I ( 1672-1717 ) was born in 1672 in the region of LaRochelle and the Ile de Re on the Bay of Biscay. Orphaned early, he was adopted by his aunt Martha DuPre, the wife of Josias DuPre, a Huguenot minister. When Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685, the DuPre family was among the Huguenots who fled from France. Benjamin went with his foster parents to the Netherlands - to Middleburg -, the capital of the Province of Zeeland, Walcheron Island, at the mouth of the River Schelde. From here the family proceeded to England and soon crossed the Atlantic to Carolina; and, although there is no evidence that they came in the Royal Navy Frigate, Richmond, which made several trips, it is known that by 1686 they were in Carolina, living in the Orange Quarter on the south bank of the East Branch of the Cooper River.

When he was twenty years old, he married his first cousin Mary Esther DuPre, the daughter of his foster parents. ( Josias DuPre, Jr., the brother of Mary Esther, married Sarah Garnier in 1701 and had five children. However, "the two sons of M. DuPre, unaccustomed to the privations and labors incident to emigrant life soon became tired of it and returned to La Belle France.") Their first three children were baptized "in the house of Maptica." As there is no record of a house or plantation of that name, it is believed that this may have been an Indian name applied to the place afterwards called "Middleburg,"

or possibly to the house of the Rev. Josias DuPre nearby. Their fourth child was baptized in the house near Pompion Hill which Benjamin Simons built and called "Middleburg" in remembrance of his first place of refuge.

 

The Early Families of Berkeley County, John J. Simons III, Home Page: Berkeley County Historical Society

The oral history handed down of this worthy man is that the family of Josias DuPre who were respectable people in France had to fly from thence to England at the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, and while in England they found Benjamin Simons, a French child, whom they took into their family and brought him to settle in the wilderness of South Carolina, and that he afterwards married one of the daughters of Mr. DuPre by the name of Mary Esther, but there is no record to be found of the time of their marriage. Benjamin Simons died the 18th of August, 1717 and was buried at Pumpkin Hill and the little children were taken out of the garden and buried close by their father. He was the father of fourteen children.

 

Grant of Land From The Lords Proprietors to

Benjamin Simons, 7 May 1709

WHEREAS His Excellency William Lord Craven Palatine John Lord Carteret Maurice Ashly Esqr John Colleton Barrt. & the rest of the true & absolute Lords & Proprietors of Carolina, By their Commission & under their hands & seals bearing date this eighth day of March Anno Domini 170- [1704] Have empowered us the Right Honble Sr. William Johnson Knt. Governor: of South & North Carolina The Honble Nicholas Trott Thos. Broughton Robt. Gibbs Henry Noble & John Ashby Esqrs or any of them to give and grant land whose names are hereunder written Do for an.d in consideration of the Sum of seventy pounds current money to our Receiver Genl in hand paid Give and Grant unto Benjamin Simmons a Plantaton containing One Thousand acres of Land English Measure now in the possession of the said Benjamin Simmons situate & lying in Berkley County and butting & bounding as appears by a plot thereof hereunto annexed To Have and Hold the said plantation to The said Benjamin Simmons his heirs and assigns for Ever in Free and Common Soccage with the privilege of hawking hunting fishing & fowling within bounds of the same with all woods and trees & waters thereon standing & Growing or therein being or thereunto by any manner of ways or means belonging or in any wise appertaining wtsoever Except all Royal Mines & Quarrys of Gemms & precious stones & one sixth part of all base mines after these same be Digged & washed & one Tenth part of the Same when & after Refined he or they Yielding& Paying therefor yearly to the Lords Proprietors their heirs or assigns or to their Receivers by them or the Maj or part of them authorized on every first of Xber after Xber 1709 after ye rate of Ten Shillings and or the value thereof in such Commodities & at such prices as are ascertained by Directions of an Act Entitled an Act to ascertain ye prices of Lands & the forms of Conveyance & the manner for Recovery of Rents for Lands & the prices of the Several Commodities the sums may be paid in Lieu of & for all Manner of Service due to the Lords proprietor and Lords of the Fee Given under the Great Seal appointed for that purpose at Charles Town the seventh Day of May Anno Domini 1709 [endorsed]

 

The Lords Proprietors

to } Granted for 1000 acres

Benjamin Simons of Land in Berkley County

Date 7 May 1709

 

[A memorial of Five Hundred acres of Land bequeathed to Samuel Simons son of Benjamin Simons was entered in the auditor's office the 18th day of April 1733]

 

The Huguenots of Colonial South Carolina, Chapter II, The Huguenot Settlements. Page 22.

{46} S. C. Gaz., July 27, 1734; Sept. 14, 1734; Dec. 21, 1738; Jan. 4, 1739; Feb. 26, 1741; March 5, 1741; June 8, 1747; Sept. 14, 1747; May 21, 1753. Daniel Jaudon, James Bilbeau, the Trezvants, Varambants, Henry Videau, Anthony Bonneau, Henry Mouzon, John Dutarque, and Benjamin Simons.

 

Ile de Râe has the following Communes:

Portes-en-Râe (Les) -This is where several SIMON families lived.

Ars-en-Râe

Bois-Plage-en-Râe (Le)

Brâee-les-Bains (La)

Chãateau-d'Olâeron (Le)

Couarde-sur-Mer (La)

Dolus-d'Olâeron

Flotte (La)

Grand-Village-Plage (Le)

Loix

Rivedoux-Plage

Saint-Clâement-des-Baleines

Saint-Denis-d'Olâeron

Sainte-Marie-de-Râe

Saint-Georges-d'Olâeron

Saint-Martin-de-Râe (Huguenot Church here)

Saint-Pierre-d'Olâeron

Saint-Trojan-les-Bains

Nearby island Ile-d'Aix

 

Page 10 of folder 2 of the Andrea SIMON file says -

"The Simons family is said, and believed to be, descended from

the distinguished family of St. Simon in France; and this

was confirmed by a gentleman in England, among the best informed

in the study of heraldry, to Dr. Benjamon B. Simons."

Saint-Simon is a commune in the Charente region of France. However, Saint Simon of Trent

was a 2 1/2 year old boy that disappeared, so we could not be descended from him. Saint

Simon Stock, lived in England, but died on a trip to France.

 

From SC Historical Society, Simons folder, Mrs. Logerris (Spelling?) C.D.Q. papers -

Benj. Simons (1st) - Member Commons House 1718, 1714 and Justice of the Peace.

 

Source of parents, Joe Lee.

 

Middleburg, Zeeland, Netherlands, is just North of Belguim.

Note on Wife: Mary Esther DUPRE

http://pitdata.tripod.com/pafn88.htm

Sources :

(1) John Cantzon Foster , P.O. Box 276 , Varnville, South Carolina 29944, Phone 803-943-5186 , Email:

jcf456@aol.com

(2) " Josias & Martha Dupre and Some of Their Descendents ",SouthCarolina Genealogies, Volume II, page 121, Petrona Royall McIver,

(3) " World Family Tree ", Volume 22, Tree # 0431.

(4)http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/s/i/m/John-J-Simons-iii/index.html>; John James Simons, III; P O BOX 884; Eutawville, South Carolina;29048; Phone : ( 803 ) 492-7523.

(5) " Gaillard Genealogy ", 1974, Compiled by Dorothy Kelly MacDowell,Pages 92, 276, 278 & 280.

 

According to an article from Thomas Grange Simons III, His Forebearsand Relations Benjaman Simons I and his wife, Mary Esther DuPre, arethought to be buried under the present Pompion Hill Chapel.

Note on Child 1: Peter SIMONS

SOUTH CAROLINA HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL MAGAZINE, Vol. 43.

p. 135. Magdalen Cordes was b. in Carolina ca 1693. She married 1) a Mr. Harris, No children. She married 2nd ca 1716, Peter Simons, son of Benjamin Simons and his wife, Mary Esther DuPre. He was b. July 9, 1693 - was Captain of Militia in St. Thomas Parish and was shot by the Dutartres in 1724 when he attempted to arrest Peter Rombert. His Estate was valued (1724) at 4,500 Lbs.

 

http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=syf&id=I0069

He was baptized in the French Chruch by Mr. Trevilar, Minister. (Family Bible, Andrea files and others)

Note on Child 3: Samuel DuPre SIMONS

From the St. Thomas and St. Denis Registry:

Samuel Simmons - The sone of Benjamin Symonds (sic) and Mary his wife was born y 14th of May and was Christned y 5th of June.

 

http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=syf&id=I0347

From family Bible (also in Andrea files)

Samuel DuPre Simons, the third child God gave Benjamin Simons and Mary Esther DuPre, was born on Tuesday, 19th 0f April 1696 at ten o'clock in the morning in the house of Mapticee; baptized three weeks afterwards by Mr. Prioleau, Minister in the Orange Quarter. Mr. Peter Prioleau residing in Charleston, SC was Godfather and Mrs. Blandhar was Godmother. Samuel DuPre Simons married Elizabeth Bonneau, the daugther of Anthoine Bonneau and Jeanne Elizabeth Videau, in December 04, 1724.

This Samuel is the Grandfather of the present Dr. B. B. SIMONS ( 1820)

 

Annals of St Thomas and St Denis Parish, page 82

Simons, 3--Parents--Samuel and Elizabeth Bonneau.

Elizabeth . . . . . . . born Dec. 28, 1725

Samuel . . . . . . . . born Oct. 3, 1727

Magdalen . . . . . . born Sep. 19, 1729

Henry . . . . . . . . born Aug. 25, 1733

Anthony . . . . . . . born (???)

(???)da . . . . . . . born (???) bap. Aug. 9, 1747

 

SC Colonial Probate Index - 1759.

Note on Child 4: Francis SIMONS

Will Book 1729-1731 Page 158 (have copy). Lists Wife: Ann. Son: Francis, under 21 years and unmarrid. Daus: Ann, Hanna,

Hester, under age and unmarried. Wit: Sam. Wigfall, henry Videau, Anthony Bonneau. D; 7 June 1731. P: 29 July 1731

R: 29 July 1731, p.538 Book for 1729-1731, S.C. Colonial Wills.

 

Family Bible (Andrea files)

The fourth is a boy, born Tuesday, 7th December, at 10 O'Clock in the morning, in the house of Maptica. Baptised in the house

at Pumpkin Hill, Mr. Prioleau, minister, on Monday, 3rd January, 1698; Mr. Blanchar and wife, Grandfather and Grandmother; and

was named Francis --- Francis had issue but are now extinct.

Note on Child 6: Mary Esther SIMONS

She was baptized on the 23rd of September, 1701 in the French Church in Charleston by Mr. Lescot, Minister. Mr. Francis Blanchar was her Godfather and Mrs. Mary Lee Crugier was her Godmother.

Note on Child 7: Elizabeth SIMONS

Family Bible (Andrea file)

The seventh, a girl, born on 20th April, 1704 on Friday, 5 O'Clock in the morning, in the house on our plantation. Baptised by

Mr. Samuel Thomas, English minister, in the house at Pumpkin Hill, where divine service was usually performed. Myself and

wife (Father and Mother) were Godfather and Godmother, and she was named Elizabeth. --- Married Mr. James Corde and

died leaving no issue.

Note on Child 10: Esther SIMONS

Family Bible (Andrea files) lived to a good old age and died single.

Note on Child 12: Benjamin SIMONS II.

He became the owner of Middleburg Plantation. He was a factor in Charleston, S. C. with a countinghouse on Motte's Whalf at the end of Tradd Street. He was also an extensive and prosperious rice planter. He served as Commissary General (1766-1771), a member of the Commons House of Assembly (1760-1769), and Justice of the Peace 1761.

(from web site, "Early Families of South Carolina," edited by John J. Simons III, URL: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=syf&id=I1011)

 

Children records from Family Bible now in SC Historical Society as printed in So. Ca. Historical and Genealogical Magazine

V. 37, 1936 page 144.

 

He became the owner of Middleburg at the age of 4. He increased the size from 350 to over 3,000 acres. (Macky Hill).

 

"South Carolina as a Royal Province 1719-1776" by W. Roy Smith, page 412 lists Benjamin SIMONS as Commissary General from 1766-1771. This is Benjamin

SIMONS II. Also, the South Carolina Gazzette, Monday 8 Dec 1766, "Tis said, Benjamin SIMONS, Esq., will be appointed to suceed Mr. Pinkney as Commisary General."

Note on Child 14: Catherine SIMONS

Family Bible (Andea files) - died without issue.