RICHARD SIMMONS Richard Best a son of Thomas Best who came to Westmoreland in 1817 m. Elizabeth Newson b. 1816.

She came out from Hull, England in 1834. Richard was killed while constructing the first Roman Catholic Church in Kellys Cross in 1847.

Richard and Elizabeth Best’s daughter Martha one of seven children in the family m. Frank Simmons b. 1831. A son of Phillip 1799-1881 and Mary Simmons 1805-1886.

Frank and Martha (Best) Simmons had seven children, two lived in Freetown, Richard and Woodland, a granddaughter Hazel, daughter of Fred Simmons m. R. Darrach Moase also lived in Freetown. (See Moase history.)

Richard Simmons lived in North St. Eleanors and moved to Freetown where he lived on the Kinkora Road (code 106) and purchased 72 acres. This land was part of the land that was owned by one of the first settlers of Freetown, John Lewis. The farm and buildings were owned by Neil Cameron in 1985. Alvin Stetson and son Faron, each have houses and lots on the original farm. Richard Simmons bought and sold several properties in the Freetown area.

Richard 111. Mary Ellen Auld, a sister of William F. Auld who lived in Freetown. (See Auld history.) Richard and Mary Ellen (Auld) Simmons raised seven ch. surname Simmons.

2a Ethel b. 1879. She m. Woodland Simmons.

2b Ada b. 18 May 1884; n.m. She d. 26 July 1967.

2c Verna b. 18 Dec. 1885. She m. John Daniel McNeill. He was b. 31 Oct. 1882 and d. 4 Mar. 1941. Verna d. 27 July 1967. They are bur. in Freetown Peoples Cem. They had one son Hubert Howatt. (See McNeill

history.)

2d Lulu b. 25 Dec. 1887. She m. Mel Cunningham a barber of Augusta, Me. They had three daughters: 1. Katherine m. Edson Labrech. They live in Augusta and have one son, James. 2. Elizabeth m. Glen Embree and they have one dau. Lisa. 3. Dorothy m. William Slaughter and they have two sons, John and William Jr.

2e Ruth b. 19 Nov. 1889; n.m. and resides in Summerside 1985. She was a clerk in Simmons and MacFarlane Ltd. Offices for several years.

+ 2f Leslie F. b. 10 Dec. 1890 and d. Dec. 1980. He m. Daisy Mae Morrell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Morrell of Moncton, NE. in 1915.

2g Gladys L. b. 18 Oct. 1892 and d. 3 July 1967. She m. Silas H. MacFarlane b. 23 Apr. 1889 and d. 18 Sept. 1970. (See MacFarlane history.)

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