Tombstone Tuesday: Keziah and her Beau Go West to Look for Gold

It's another cold, blustery day outside, which makes it perfect to stroll through some old cemeteries.

Today, I found the tombstone of Daniel Howe SIMMONS (1829-1922) in River View Cemetery in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon.  This confused me for a moment as his death certificate indicates burial at the IOOF Greenwood Cemetery.  First question is:  what is IOOF?  The IOOF is the Odd Fellows Organization that was founded with the thought of giving aid to those who need it without needing recognition, in addition to other beliefs.

Apparently, they had quite the following out west and had burial spots for their members.  Both Daniel, and his wife, Keziah KLINGENSMITH (1823-1907), are buried in their cemeteries--  and in two different states.  Daniel resides in Oregon while Keziah passed away while the couple lived in San Diego, CA in 1907.  Keziah was also buried in an IOOF cemetery, although a headstone for her has not yet appeared for me to find.

Daniel Howe Simmons

Daniel was an active member of the Sons of the American Revolution and his bio at Findagrave indicates he was the only (I'm guessing first) member to be buried in Oregon.  I found it interesting that his stone includes the information that his dad, my grandpa, served in the American Revolution.  Well, yeppers, he did.  Daniel was a young teenager when his dad passed in 1843 in Wheeling, WV.

I don't why, but Daniel, along with his mother and siblings, move to Cincinnati, Hamilton, OH, before the 1850 census.  Daniel's bride was from western PA, and attempts to find her in the 1850 census in either locale have not been fruitful.  Sigh.  Their marriage is recorded in 1852 in Hamilton Co, OH.

Daniel and his new bride, Keziah, went to the Pacific Coast in 1852 to search for gold.  Alas, while he never struck it rich, his family ties to the American Revolution and to the growth of early America are pure gold.

Rest sweetly, Uncle Daniel.

Ahh, genealogy.  Just gotta wonder how Daniel got the middle name of HOWE?  Did his dad know him?

©2017  AS Eldredge

Sources:
Findagrave:  River View Cemetery, Portland, Multnomah, OR
Photo credit:  FriendsofRiverView
Death Certificate for Daniel H Simmons
Obituary of Keziah Simmons