Cumberland County, Maine - John J. Symonds
**********************************************************************
USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any
format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons
or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent
of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact
the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has
given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free
access. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb

This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by:
C. Wendland SilverDrusilla@aol.com
Copyright (c) 2005 by C. Wendland
Caitlin's Gold Award Project, Girl Scouts USA, Rio Grande Girl Scout Council,
El Paso, Texas
**********************************************************************

Biography
John J. Symonds
Biographical Review
Cumberland County, Maine
Boston
Biographical Review Publishing Company
1896
Page 179-180


John J. Symonds, the owner and occupant of one of the oldest farms in the town
of Raymond, Me., near the northwestern border of Cumberland County, was born
here on October 8, 1822. His parents were Samuel J. and Elsa (Small) Symonds;
and his paternal grandfather was Francis Symonds, a native of Salem, Mass.

Representatives of the Symonds family, which is of English origin, were among
the original colonists of. Essex County, Massachusetts, the name of John Symonds
occurring in the Salem records as long ago as 1637. Francis Symonds removed from
Salem, Mass., to Raymond in the early days of this town, and purchased the farm
now occupied by his grandson. Here he built a log house, which served as a home
for himself and his family until circumstances permitted of the erection of a
more modern structure. He lived to the advanced age of ninety-one years. The
maiden name of his wife was Mary Jordan.

Their son, Samuel J. Symonds, lived in a part of his father's house, and here
spent his clays, successfully engaged in farming, in connection with which he
did a profitable lumber business. He died on March 17, 1862, in the sixty-eighth
year of his age, the date of his birth being August 12, 1794. His wife, Elsa
Small, was born in Raymond, February 23, 1795, daughter of James and Peggy
Small. After her husband's decease she resided with her son, John J. Symonds,
until she, too, was called to pass from earth, October 12, 1875. She bore her
husband nine children, namely: Mary J., born March .29, 1819, who married
Ephraim L. Brown, of Raymond (both now deceased); Orsamus, born November 5,
1820, who married Miss Mary Ann Whiting (now deceased), and lives in Poland,
Me.; John J., a sketch of whose life appears below; Almina, born January 7,
1825, who married Marville White, and died August 23, 1851; Irene F., born
November 30, 1827, who married Benjamin Davis, of Poland, and died May 25, 1857;
Clarinda J., born March 27, 1830, now the wife of Louis Shurtleff, of New
Gloucester, Me.; Eliza J., born October 29, 1832, who married Nathaniel
Shurtleff, of Walnutville, Me.; Francis, born January 27, 1836, who married
Miss Martha Hall, and died on October 10, 1875, his wife now living in Norway ;
Phoebe N., born March 17, 1841, who married George Hatch, of New Gloucester, and
is now deceased.

John J.Symonds grew to manhood in his native town, living with his grandfather
Symonds, and in his childhood obtaining a common-school education. At fourteen
years of age he took up the active duties of life, and was soon able to do a
man's work on the farm. Thirty acres with the old buildings fell to him from his
grandfather. The rest of his estate of two hundred and fifty acres is of his own
purchasing, and the buildings were all erected by him. As a result of his well-
directed energy and faithful attention to business, he now has one of the finest
farms in Raymond. He makes a specialty of dairying, keeping twenty cows, from
which he sells milk. He also gives some attention to stock raising, and he keeps
five horses. The principal products of his farm are hay, corn, grain, and fruit.

On June 18, 1843, he was married to Miss Jane Strout, who was born in this town,
July 15, 1823, a daughter of Elias and Rhoda (Strout) Strout. Her father was one
of the pioneers of the town, and an honored and respected citizen, by occupation
a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Symonds are the parents of four children, two sons and
two daughters, briefly mentioned as follows; Rhoda, the wife of Almon Brown, of
Aroostook County, Maine, has a son and two daughters - Emma Barber, Ina Leavitt,
and John Brown; Warren, living near the old homestead, married Miss Mary E.
Spiller, who has borne him four children - Louis, John J., Ruth I., and Maude
E.; Charles F., residing with his parents, married Miss Elvena S. Allen, of
Raymond, and has a daughter, Etta W.; Arabelle, the wife of Elmer Riggs, of
Raymond, has two children -Jennie L. and Anna Eliza. The Democratic party
numbers Mr. Symonds among its faithful supporters. He and his family attend
church at East Raymond.