Our Simon Family Story

who originated in Celle, near Hanover, Germany, and through the years descendants eventually migrated and settled in England (London, Liverpool), Brazil and the United States (New York, Georgia, California) and elsewhere.

This is the former home of our ancestor, Simon Hirsch (1756-1834), in the beautiful northern German town of Celle.  Being Jewish they were forced to reside outside of the city wall of Celle.

We know that Simon Hirsch, also known as Hirsch Simon, was the father of two sons, although there may have been others.  My ancestor was Henry (Heinrich) SIMON, who was born in 1800 in Celle and died in 1872 in San Francisco, California, where several of his sons had settled.  Henry Simon was a banker and tax collector, and he had a brother Moritz Simon who died in 1863 and had been a tax collector and administrator of lotteries for the Kingdom of Hannover.

Henry Simon (photo) and his first wife, Johanna Behrend (drawing)

Henry and Johanna had six children who grew to adulthood: five sons and one daughter - Bernhard, Julius, Bertha, Theodor, Sigismund and Isidor Simon.

Julius Simon was a successful merchant and banker in London, a Director of Anglo-Californian Bank, the firm with which his brothers were associated in San Francisco.

Several of the sons of Henry and Johanna Simon settled in San Francisco, California.  In 1986 I was in San Francisco and researched them as much as time allowed.  I typed up notes based on the research I completed that weekend.  I was also able to track down the widow of William S. Meyer and we got together one afternoon and discussed family.  William S. Meyer seemed to be the only survivor of that cluster of Simon uncles who had settled in San Francisco.  My notes are inserted here:

 

And here is the death certificate for Sigmund Simon, which incorrectly states his mother's name.  It shows his mother as Caroline Behrend.  Caroline Gans was his step-mother.  Johanna Behrend was his natural mother.

 

One son of Henry Simon was Theodor Simon, who was born in Celle April 2, 1834 and died in Bad Oeynhausen, Germany May 2, 1919.  Like his father, Theodor was also a banker.  He traveled extensively, living at various times in Brazil, London and Germany throughout his long life.  In 1865 in Rio de Janeiro he married Frances Hime, daughter of Elkin Hime and Frances Levi.  Theodor and Frances SIMON had 7 children, six of whom (3 boys, 3 girls) grew to adulthood.  All 3 sons settled permanently in Brazil, but the girls all settled elsewhere - Grace in London, Nellie in Germany, and my great-grandmother, Justina "Jessie" moved around the world with her engineer husband, Walter Littell.

Below is the Last Will and Testament of Elkin Hime, who was born in Liverpool, England in 1816 and died in Rio de Janeiro in 1894.  Read it and see if you get the impression that he really, really disliked his son-in-law, Theodor Simon.

more on Theodor Simon and Frances (Hime) Simon later...

Powell Family of Abersenny and Defynnog in Breconshire

Powell of Abersenny and Defynnog, Breconshire

The family motto of my Powell ancestors was written on this piece of paper by my great grandfather, Walter Powell Jeffreys of Cynghordy.  Fy Nhuw'n unig

Fy Nuw yn Unig  =  My God Only

This image is an old postcard of the Powell family home, Abersenny in Defynnog, Breconshire.  It still looks much like this today. 

The home below is Llanthew or Llanddew, near Brecon.  It was the home of Walter Powell, attorney of Brecon, who died in 1824.  In his Last Will he bequeathed the home and farm to his nephew, Captain David Powell Price, RN.  In 2012 the house was undergoing major renovations.

Llanddew holds a commanding view of Brecon Beacons; below, Defynnog Parish Church

 There is a large tomb along the pathway into Defynnog Parish Church which was completely covered in ivy when I visited, honoring Ann Powell, and her husband Walter Powell, the Brecon attorney who died in 1824

Also in the churchyard at Defynnog is the memorial tablet for my 5th great grandparents, David Powell and wife, Margaret (Morgan) Powell, of Abersenny and of Baylie, in Devynock Parish

Here lie the remains of Lewis & Elizabeth, son & dau of David Powell of Baylie in this Parish, Gent., by Margaret, his wife.
He died March 13, A 6 years, She died March 11, A 9 months - 1766
The said Margaret Powell died the 8th day of Nov 1785, Aged 58
Also of the said David Powell, died on the 11th day of April 1802 Aged 77 years






Another above ground tomb, this one to the memory of Howell Powell, youngest sone of the said David Powell, of Abersenny.  Howell was the Rector of St Anthony's in the island of Montserrat.  He died 27th of January 1811

Inside the church is a memorial to my 6th great grandparents, Howell and Sarah Powell of Baylie, in the parish of Defynnog/Devynock.  He died in 1758 at age 78

Henllys, near LLandovery, home of Walter Powell Jeffreys

This 1870s vintage photograph is a front view of Henllys, near Llandovery, with Agnes (Mrs. Walter Powell Jeffreys) seated near the porch.  On the left is written "Front view of Henllys" "Agnes" in the handwriting of my great-grandfather, Walter Powell Jeffreys, the younger. 

On the right are notes made by my grandfather, Geoffrey Jeffreys.  He wrote that he never lived at Henllys; however, his christening record from Cilycwm provides that they were still at Henllys while he was an infant.  It's true that W.P. Jeffreys, Jr. had purchased Cynghordy Hall on the other side of Llandovery, but he carried out extensive additions and renovations to the property before taking up residence there.  So while my grandfather's only memories would have been from Cynghordy Hall, he did have some time as an infant there.

Geoffrey Jeffreys was born in London in 1888 as his mother went there for her "laying in."  He grew up at Cyngordy Hall with older half brothers and sisters, the children of W.P. Jeffreys, Jr. and first wife, Agnes Robinson.  The Jeffreys sold the Cynghordy property to the Lloyds in 1916.

Jeffreys, Davies & Co., a Liverpool Woolens Firm

advertisement from The Liverpool Mercury, 3 November, 1854
 
     Walter Powell Jeffreys, Sr. owned and operated the firm of Jeffreys, Davies and Co., from offices in Prices Street, Liverpool, for much of the mid 19th Century.  Through the years members of the Jeffreys family worked for the firm including his brother, Rees Jeffreys, and Rees' son, John Henderson Jeffreys.
     By January 1867 Walter, Sr. was ready for retirement and planned on returning to his home, Llandovery, S. Wales.  He struck a deal with his nephew, John Henderson Jeffreys, to sell John the business.  The solicitors drew up a contract and young John together with David Davies, became the new owners of Jeffreys, Davies and Co.

     The contract called for the following payments to be made to Walter P. Jeffreys, the vendor -

1,500 pounds for the goodwill of the company, payable in 10 yearly installments of 150 pounds
6,040 pounds for the stock in trade of Jeffreys, Davies and Co.
The purchase and sale agreement also made arrangements for the cash in the till, presently amounting to 450 pounds and the good book debts of the business in the sum of 6,126 pounds.  The liabilities of the company came to a total of 3,816 pounds.
The adjusted balance to be paid to Walter amounted to the sum of 6,490 pounds which was to be paid by the purchasers in graduated installments over 10 years.

The Last Home of Walter Powell Jeffreys Jr and Frances Constance Jeffreys, "The Forde"

Due to his advanced age, my great grandpa and wife decided to let their home & lands, Cynghordy Hall, near Llandovery in Carmarthenshire, Wales and took up residence in a smaller home and property in Shropshire.  This placed them nearer the families of Charles Backhouse Robinson and Nicholas Robinson.  The Robinsons were lifelong friends of WP Jeffreys (his first wife was Agnes Robinson) and Mrs. Robinson was Frances' sister-in-law, so there were many connections there.

For many years and until grandpa's death in 1920, they resided at The Forde, Ashford Carbonell, near Ludlow, Shropshire.  The Forde was listed for sale in recent years and the color pictures below came from the real estate listing found online.  First, here's a vintage photo of Walter Powell Jeffreys taken on the grounds at The Forde:

Charles N. T. Jeffreys and Ida Baines Forwood Jeffreys

Uncle Charlie and Aunt Ida Jeffreys

Charles Nicholas Theodore Jeffreys (1878-1957), some photos from Radley College, and later,
with wife, Ida Baines (Forwood) Jeffreys

C.N.T. Jeffreys, 1896
Prefect













Radley 1st VIII, 1897, CNT Jeffreys, standing, second from right



















Below, 1938 Henley Regatta (Steward's Enclosure)


















Charlie, center foreground, with Ida just visible off his shoulder

Below, 1939 at Hurlingham Club, London

NICHOLAS ROBINSON ( 1879 - 1907 )

son of Nicholas Robinson who was born 1842, and his wife, Margaret Hope Jones.  Margaret was the daughter of Charles Gwillim Jones, solicitor of London, and his second wife, Hope Jerdein.  This Nicholas Robinson in the portrait was the oldest of 9 children born to Nicholas and Margaret.  He was my grandfather Geoffrey Jeffreys's first cousin.