Franklin Pierce Simmons (often spelled Pearce)
was born near Lebanon, Wilson County, Tennessee in 1852. He was the 5th of 12 children born to Willis A. Simmons (1822-1873) and Lydia Ann (Indiana) Huddleston (1827-1905) as follows:

Harriet Simmons Davis (1843-)
xMartin Simmons (1845-)
George Simmons (1848-)
xWilliam Simmons (1850-)
xFranklin Pierce Simmons (1852-1897)
xCornelius Simmons (1854-)
Edgar "Ed" Simmons (1856-)
xAda Ella Simmons (1858-)
Jefferson "Jeff" Simmons (1859-)
xHenry Harris Simmons (1862-)
Adda Simmons 4. (1864
xRobert Lee Simmons (1869-)

In 1870 he was living in Gladeville, Wilson Tenn with the William and Mary Huddleston Family his Uncle and Aunt.

Franklin Pierce Simmons was baptized in the LDS church on March 15, 1882 at the Baird's Mill Branch of the LDS Church in Wilson, County, Tennessee.

He married Lucy Ardella (Della ) McPeak On Jan 29, 1885 the daughter of Granville McPeak (1834-1880) and Evaline Hackney. (1838-1870).

Pierce and Della moved to Murfreesboro, Tennessee where their first 3 children Anne, William, and Alphozo were born.

In 1888 they moved to Charleston, Utah where 4 more children Willis, Florence, Albert, and Nellie were born and then moved again in 1891 to Wallsburg, Utah where last their last 3 children Nymphus, Robert, and Pierce were born.

They had a total of 10 children.

He was usually known by his middle name Pierce.

He contracted typhoid fever and died in late March 1897, while working in the mountains of Utah.

Pierce's name (Pearce) is also inscribed as shown below along with his parents and siblings on a Memorial Stone in the Huddleston Cemetery in Wilson County, Tennessee. Memorial Stone picture shown at right.

Row Two:
"In God We Love"
Indiana H. Simmons (1826-____)*
Harris Simmons (1864-1906)*
Zellie Simmons (1864-1928)*
Foster (1846-____)*
Willis A. (1804-____)*
Robert (1868-____)*
Neal (1855-1918)*
Ella (1858-1903)*
Pearce (1853-1903)*

Note: Headstone death date 1892 is incorrect. He died in 1897