Person:Theophilus Simonton (2)

About Theophilus Simonton

Information is from Jhelmke@@sbcglobal.net

It is believed that Theophilus and wife Mary Smith Simonton came to America in about 1725 and landed in Lewes, Delaware. They lived in Lewes where Theophilus apparently worked with Mary's brother Archibald Smith. Mary Smith Simonton's brother Archibald had settled in Lewes, Delaware in about 1713 and was a successful merchant. There are a lot of land transactions on file in Delaware that were recorded by Archibald Smith. Archibald Smith died in 1729 and left some land to Mary, his sister. It appears that the Theophilus Simonton family sold this land and since Scotch-Irish settlers were being welcomed and the possibility of land was available in the territory of Pennsylvania, the family moved to Conestoga Manor Township,Lancaster Co., Penn. Theophilus Simonton came to this country with his entire family and very possibly, a sister Jane Ann and a brother John. In Delaware records, it appears that Jane Ann Simonton married Robert Frame. John Simonton is shown as a land owner around this period as well. Theophilus Simonton's children appeared to be between 1 and 20 years old when they arrived in America. Theophilus was a farmer who worked his own land with his family and very proudly referred to himself as a YEOMAN Farmer which means landowner and a person who works the land himself. The oldest child Theophilus II died in Lancaster Co., PA in 1750. In 1751 Tax list of Manor Township, Lancaster Co., there was a tax of 4s.6d paid, proving that Theophilus I was not the person whose will jacket was dated 1750. The other children, except for William married in PA, and then went to Rowan Co., NC around 1750-1754 and settled on land that was available through Granville Land Grants and the cost was much less than in PA. After Theophilus Simonton I died in 1754 in Lancaster, PA and was buried on his land in PA, Mary his wife, and his son William, his youngest son and the "grandchildren" came to Rowan Co. NC. We also believe that daughter Mary, who married Samuel Thornton, and Patrick Duffey came with them at this time. Patrick Duffey was a person who the senior Theophilus Simonton brought over from Ireland as he was a close friend of his family, or possibly a brother-in-law, and so he worked for the senior Theophilus in PA. Shortly after son William came to Rowan Co., he married Mary McKee. Mary, Theophilus Simonton's wife, died in Rowan Co. and she is buried in Statesville (Rowan), Iredell Co. Theophilus Simonton's will was probated in Rowan Co., but he died and he was buried in Lancaster Co., PA. The other Simontons who came to New Jersey, other places in PA, Maine and Delaware were undoubtedly cousins or brothers, as they all came from North Ireland. It is possible that they descended from a John Simonton who came to North Ireland in about 1630 and received 1000 acres in North Ireland during the "Plantation" of Scots to North Ireland by the English during this time. It can also be noted that around 1630 a John Symington who was the Baron of Symontoun lost the Barony because of financial hardship and he sold his assets in Scotland and there was not further record in Scotland of this John. This is the reason it is believed he went to Ireland to start over. Undoubtedly, there were numerous other Symingtons in Scotland that had moved to various places in Scotland and prospered. The Barony of Symons Town was originally granted to Symon Locard (Lockart) in about 1140. This included lands in Ayreshire where there is a Church that is one of the oldest Churches in Scotland and still in use. It is belived that Symon Locard is buried under the Altar of this church. Also included in the Barony was the Town of Symington in Lankashire Scotland and possible as well in Kyle. The Village of Symon Toun in Lanarkshire was thought to be the center of the Barony. This was lost by the Locard Family descendents in 1290 because the Baron Locard sided with the English King and signed the Ragman Roll. In the War between England and Robert the Bruce, Robert the Bruce won the war and took the barony and gave it to Richard Dixson who assisted the Black Douglas a close ally of Robert the Bruce in his battles. Richard Dixson was a descendent of a the Keith Clan and of the Douglas Clan and when he was awarded the Barony of Symons Toun, he was required to take the name of the Town. Therefore in 1309 the name of Symontoun was first originated. This name has numerous spellings which consist of Symington, Simonton, Symontoun and Simington and Simanton.