Individual Details
George McIntosh Troup Simmons
(Abt, 1836 - April 14, 1897)
"George McIntosh Troup Simmons, the eight child of Holman Freeman Simmons and Sarah Eliza Burns is named after two of his mother's relatives: George Michael Troup, who was a Gov. of Georgia around 1825 and William McIntosh, who was a Chieftain of the Wind Clan in the Creek Nation. Very little is known about George's boyhood and youth. However, it is known that he was brought up on a wealthy and prosperous plantation in Millerville, Clay County, Alabama, with many servants to wait upon him and his brothers and sisters. Their favorite pastimes were riding horses, hunting, and fishing.
"George was sent to college to become a doctor and surgeon (Which college is unknown at this time.). In 1862 he traveled to Florida with his brother, Henry Clay to join up with another brother - Holman Felix Simmons, who was captain of Co. F, Florida 8th Infantry. He was mustered in on May 17, 1862 and assigned to the Talladelga Hospital in Alabama as an assistant surgeon. (source: Military records of the National Archives). On February 11, 1864, on a furlough back to Florida, he married Anne Eliza Gough, the spirited daughter of James H. Gough and Anne Eliza Whiddon. After the war George returned to Florida and to his wife who was pregnant at the time with her first child. They did not have a home of their own yet and when George returned home, so did his valet and friend he had since childhood. This man's name was Simeon and Simeon would not leave the Doctor and his wife until he built him a home. He said " I'm not leaving you here with a pregnant wife and no home, no sir, I'll build you a home and then go back to my family in Alabama. George and Simeon never saw one another again. George became the first permanent doctor in the area. He was also a farmer and owned a large farm on the east side of Bushnell about two miles from town. He also owned an orange grove and shipped his fruit on cargo boats on the Withlacoochee River. There was a lake in front of their house that was called Lake Annie. Now it is called Simmons Pond.
"It has been told that GMT and Anne Eliza were both tender-hearted and would take people in who were down and out and had no place to go or nothing to eat. They were very respected in the community. GMT was humble and easy going. GMT was a Mason, and if he saw a man coming up the road and the man hailed him or yelled to him, he would say, that man is a Mason, lets give him food and water. Dr. Simmons charged five dollars to deliver a baby and when he was gone half the night attending to his patients, Anne Eliza would stay up and always ask about the baby and mother. When people were to poor to pay he would take produce or chicken for payment, not that he needed it with a farm of his own.
"Anne Eliza was a devout Catholic and had attended a convent in Savannah before her marriage to GMT. After they were married the priest from Tampa, Father Fox, would come every three months to their home in Bushnell to hear their confession. He would always get a little bottle of water from the well and bless it and it became Holy Water. George and his daughter Mary, went to New Hope Methodist Church in Ishatattca,Florida, where GMT was one of the first members.
"During Troupie's childhood, the Simmons family, their aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents would all go to the beach and rent houses and spend the summer in Bayport, Florida. The men would come for the weekend. One man would stay at a time to help and protect the family. They went fishing and swimming, had picnics, fish fries, dances, long buggy rides and just relaxed. At Christmas time, the whole family went in the buggy to find a proper tree and on Christmas eve night, they decorated it with home made ornaments and place their presents under it. They also observed the twelve days of Christmas.
"George, besides being a doctor and farmer, when needed would fill in as a school teacher. When he would be teaching and was called out to attend to a patient, he would leave one of his older students in charge until he returned.
"One day a man with T. B. was dropped off at the Simmons home by a relative, knowing that Dr. Simmons would not turn this poor soul away. Well, before the man died, he contaminated the household with the T.B. bacteria. Dr.George and Anne Eliza both caught T.B. and died within a few months of each other. Also, their daughter Susan caught T.B. and died in 1901. Ten years later, their youngest daughter, Troupie Reid, also died from T.B. as did Anne Eliza's mother, Anne Eliza Whiddon Gough Stanley, presumably of T. B. in 1898." (Story written by Bobbie Lewis.)
"On June 17, 1889, George applied and received on land grant for 159.12 acres of land in Sumter County, Florida. This entry is listed as a Homestead entry. In 1873 he was elected as Clerk of the County Court in Sumter County and held the position for four years. Dr. Simmons was a well-respected and highly regarded individual in the community of Bushnell and the surrounding countryside." (Barbara Daugherty, barjene3@juno.com, 2005.)
"George was sent to college to become a doctor and surgeon (Which college is unknown at this time.). In 1862 he traveled to Florida with his brother, Henry Clay to join up with another brother - Holman Felix Simmons, who was captain of Co. F, Florida 8th Infantry. He was mustered in on May 17, 1862 and assigned to the Talladelga Hospital in Alabama as an assistant surgeon. (source: Military records of the National Archives). On February 11, 1864, on a furlough back to Florida, he married Anne Eliza Gough, the spirited daughter of James H. Gough and Anne Eliza Whiddon. After the war George returned to Florida and to his wife who was pregnant at the time with her first child. They did not have a home of their own yet and when George returned home, so did his valet and friend he had since childhood. This man's name was Simeon and Simeon would not leave the Doctor and his wife until he built him a home. He said " I'm not leaving you here with a pregnant wife and no home, no sir, I'll build you a home and then go back to my family in Alabama. George and Simeon never saw one another again. George became the first permanent doctor in the area. He was also a farmer and owned a large farm on the east side of Bushnell about two miles from town. He also owned an orange grove and shipped his fruit on cargo boats on the Withlacoochee River. There was a lake in front of their house that was called Lake Annie. Now it is called Simmons Pond.
"It has been told that GMT and Anne Eliza were both tender-hearted and would take people in who were down and out and had no place to go or nothing to eat. They were very respected in the community. GMT was humble and easy going. GMT was a Mason, and if he saw a man coming up the road and the man hailed him or yelled to him, he would say, that man is a Mason, lets give him food and water. Dr. Simmons charged five dollars to deliver a baby and when he was gone half the night attending to his patients, Anne Eliza would stay up and always ask about the baby and mother. When people were to poor to pay he would take produce or chicken for payment, not that he needed it with a farm of his own.
"Anne Eliza was a devout Catholic and had attended a convent in Savannah before her marriage to GMT. After they were married the priest from Tampa, Father Fox, would come every three months to their home in Bushnell to hear their confession. He would always get a little bottle of water from the well and bless it and it became Holy Water. George and his daughter Mary, went to New Hope Methodist Church in Ishatattca,Florida, where GMT was one of the first members.
"During Troupie's childhood, the Simmons family, their aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents would all go to the beach and rent houses and spend the summer in Bayport, Florida. The men would come for the weekend. One man would stay at a time to help and protect the family. They went fishing and swimming, had picnics, fish fries, dances, long buggy rides and just relaxed. At Christmas time, the whole family went in the buggy to find a proper tree and on Christmas eve night, they decorated it with home made ornaments and place their presents under it. They also observed the twelve days of Christmas.
"George, besides being a doctor and farmer, when needed would fill in as a school teacher. When he would be teaching and was called out to attend to a patient, he would leave one of his older students in charge until he returned.
"One day a man with T. B. was dropped off at the Simmons home by a relative, knowing that Dr. Simmons would not turn this poor soul away. Well, before the man died, he contaminated the household with the T.B. bacteria. Dr.George and Anne Eliza both caught T.B. and died within a few months of each other. Also, their daughter Susan caught T.B. and died in 1901. Ten years later, their youngest daughter, Troupie Reid, also died from T.B. as did Anne Eliza's mother, Anne Eliza Whiddon Gough Stanley, presumably of T. B. in 1898." (Story written by Bobbie Lewis.)
"On June 17, 1889, George applied and received on land grant for 159.12 acres of land in Sumter County, Florida. This entry is listed as a Homestead entry. In 1873 he was elected as Clerk of the County Court in Sumter County and held the position for four years. Dr. Simmons was a well-respected and highly regarded individual in the community of Bushnell and the surrounding countryside." (Barbara Daugherty, barjene3@juno.com, 2005.)
Events
| Birth | Abt, 1836 | Taladelga Territory, Alabama | |||
| Marriage | February 11, 1864 | Florida - Anne Eliza Gough | |||
| Death | April 14, 1897 | Bushnell, Sumter County, Florida | |||
| Burial | Bushnell Cemetery, Sumter County, Florida |
Families
| Spouse | Anne Eliza Gough (1842 - ) |
| Child | Annie Belle Simmons (1877 - 1965) |
| Father | Holman Freeman Simmons (1798 - ) |
| Mother | Sarah Eliza H. Burns (1798 - ) |
| Sibling | Capt. Holman Felix Simmons (1824 - 1893) |
| Sibling | Capt. Henry Clay "H. C." "Nobe" Simmons (1838 - 1898) |
| Sibling | Susan "Sue" Burns Simmons (1843 - 1918) |