John Simkins

John Simkins was born in 1838, in Massachusetts, probably the son of John Moon (1816-1900) and Amy Celestia (Cole, 1819-1863).

John M. and Amy were married in 1837 in Cheshire, Berkshire County, Massachusetts (where Amy was born) and they lived in Berkshire County for many years. The family eventually moved westward and settled in western Michigan. By 1863 when Amy died they were living in Allegan County.

John was 23 years old and probably living in Saugatuck, Allegan County, when he enlisted in Company I on May 13, 1861.

He was killed in action May 31, 1862, at Fair Oaks, Virginia, and presumably among the unknown soldiers buried in Seven Pines National Cemetery.

(Interestingly, there was one John L. Simkins, from Allegan County who was 21 years old when he enlisted as a Private, in Company F, Third Michigan cavalry, on September 23, 1861, at Watson, Michigan, and was mustered in on October 12. He was discharged on January 31, 1863 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. In January of 1865 he applied for and received a pension (no. 46310). He was married to Sara S. and possibly living in Wisconsin when he died, probably in 1915. In any case his widow was residing in Wisconsin in July of 1915 when she applied for a pension (no. 1049796).)

No pension seems to be available.

His father was living in Watson, Allegan County in 1870. John M. died in Kalamazoo in 1900. John M. and Amy are buried in Hicks cemetery, Watson township, Allegan County.