Mr. Simons was a stone mason by trade and did the masonry work on several homes in the area, among them being the John Walkup residence on Walkup Ave., the Wallace house on Virginia St. and the large house built for J. T. Pierson which stood on Virginia St. at Lakeshore Dr. where the telephone company building is now located. The small round cobblestones which he used were brought by wagon load from Lake Michigan. The trowel, well worn on one side, which he used is now in the McHenry Co. Historical Society Museum donated by Mrs. Knutson.
Mr. Simons also built the home at 1 S. Virginia St.* in 1867 which he and his wife and four daughters occupied, where, later the Haligus family lived and where Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Knutson resided. following the death of her husband in 1972, Virginia Knutson continued to live in the home until the fall of 1977 when it was sold to Mr. Robert Wirth.
Mr. Simons enlisted the service of his country in the War Between the States and served for nearly four years. As a result of his service, he lost his health and passed away in 1892 at the age of 62 years.
Mrs Virgina Haligus Knutson
* This was a frame house which was where an architect has his business in the 1990's. Grace Moline Editor's Note: A commercial building now stands at the 1 S. Virginia St. Address.