In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1819
From The history of Nodaway county, Missouri, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens (1882)
REV. R. M. SIMMONS, section 7, post office Hopkins. The subject of this sketch is a native of Madsion County, Illinois, where he was born, November 7, 1819. At an early age the family removed to Warren County, where R. M. passed the greater part of his life. When starting in life, he those as his calling the ministry, and, after a due course of study, was ordained in 1 861, in the Baptist faith. He has preached the word of God for the past twenty years. In 1875, he emigrated to this state, and settled in this county, where he has since resided. In 1876, he moved to his present place, where he owns 200 acres of land, that will compare favorably with any in the county, most of which is under cultivation. Mr. Simmons was married October 5, 1845, to Miss Diana W. Stice. They have from this marriage twelve children: Azelia C, Julius C, Mary E., Sarah M., Jane C, Clara E. (deceased), Roland M., Francis T., Phebe E., Andrew W. (deceased), George F. and Grace. Doctor S. is president of the Board of Education of Hopkins Independent School District, and has always taken an active part in everything pertaining to the advancement and progress of the moral and educational interests of this county.
As printed in The history of Nodaway county, Missouri, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens (1882). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1882. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.