US Senator. Educated in a private school in Newport, Rhode Island, he worked in several textile-manufacturing establishments in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. He eventually established a textile concern of his own in Johnston, Rhode Island, in a section that became known as the factory village of James Simmons, now known as Simmonsville. After a flood on April 13, 1840 that killed 18, he was unable to get insurance and moved his business to Lower Simmonsville, now Thornton. From 1828 to 1841 he served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives, then was elected as Whig Senator from Rhode Island to the United States Senate, serving from 1841 to 1847. He ran unsuccessfully for reelection in 1846 and failed to be elected in 1850. After returned to his former business he was again elected to the United States Senate, this timer as a Republican, serving from 1857 to 1862. During the 1860 election, he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention. He resigned his seat on August 15, 1862 after the Senate Judiciary Committee said there was sufficient evidence of corruption to expel him from the Senate, and was succeeded by then Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Samuel Greene Arnold. After his resignation he returned to Johnston and resumed his former manufacturing concerns and died there on a Sunday less then 2 years later.

US Senator. Educated in a private school in Newport, Rhode Island, he worked in several textile-manufacturing establishments in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. He eventually established a textile concern of his own in Johnston, Rhode Island, in a section that became known as the factory village of James Simmons, now known as Simmonsville. After a flood on April 13, 1840 that killed 18, he was unable to get insurance and moved his business to Lower Simmonsville, now Thornton. From 1828 to 1841 he served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives, then was elected as Whig Senator from Rhode Island to the United States Senate, serving from 1841 to 1847. He ran unsuccessfully for reelection in 1846 and failed to be elected in 1850. After returned to his former business he was again elected to the United States Senate, this timer as a Republican, serving from 1857 to 1862. During the 1860 election, he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention. He resigned his seat on August 15, 1862 after the Senate Judiciary Committee said there was sufficient evidence of corruption to expel him from the Senate, and was succeeded by then Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Samuel Greene Arnold. After his resignation he returned to Johnston and resumed his former manufacturing concerns and died there on a Sunday less then 2 years later.

Bio by: Matthew Fatale