In the lady whose name opens this sketch is found one of
the most highly esteemed residents of Staunton, Illinois, a member of one of
the pioneer families of Macoupin County. She was born November 28, 1833,
near Staunton, and is a daughter of James and Lurenda (Spence) Simmons, long
deceased.
About 1825 James Simmons and wife left their home in North
Carolina, their household goods and small children packed in a one-horse
wagon, their destination being the rich farming lands of Macoupin County,
Illinois. The older members of the family walked the whole distance, a feat
of endurance of no slight character. Mr. Simmons died prior to the birth of
Mrs. Scroggins and the mother was left with eight children to support. Her
subsequent success reflected the greatest credit upon her industry and
estimable character. At a later date she married Obediah Mize, the one child
of this union being Mrs. Minervia Latham, of Bunker Hill, Macoupin County.
The six children of her first marriage who lived to maturity were: John,
Mrs. Eliza Lyons and Polly, all deceased; Snowden W., a farmer of Macoupin
County; Asbury A., who served in the Civil War and was never heard from
after the war was over; and Mrs. Scroggins.
The late William
Scroggins, who died February 18, 1884, at Staunton, was born May 31, 1828,
in Macoupin County, Illinois, and was a son of Prior and Mary (Tatum)
Scroggins, natives of Tennessee. Prior Scroggins died in Alton, Illinois,
with cholera, during the Black Hawk War, in 1833.
William Scroggins
was one of a family of nine children. His life was spent in Macoupin County,
with the exception of 18 months when he served in the Mexican War, during
which time he crossed the plains to Santa Fe. He never accepted a pension,
but it has been given his widow. His life was mainly devoted to agriculture,
farming, teaming and stock trading. In business he was a very practical,
successful man. From the time of John C. Fremont, Mr. Scroggins was
identified with the Republican party.
The death of Mr. Scroggins
left many friends to mourn his loss and a widow and family who had the
sympathy of the whole community. His children were: Lurenda, who married
John Jacobs of Gillespie, Macoupin County, now deceased, who has three
children; Mary K., who married George Bird of Staunton township, Macoupin
County and has one child; Sarah Ann, who married M. A. Smith, and has three
children; Malinda, a teacher in the Staunton schools for the past 18 years,
who resides with her mother; and Martha E., who married Hon. Hampton W.
Wall, of Staunton, Macoupin County, now deceased, and has three children.
The late Mr. Scroggins belonged to the Christian Church.
Extracted 2018 May 08 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 479-480.
Macoupin County ILGenWeb Copyright
Design by
Templates in Time
This page was last updated
07/01/2022