Col. Maurice Simons

DAR Ancestor #: A103912

William Clay Snipes - A distinguished officer of the Revolution, of the Round O, Colleton. Fought and killed Col. Maurice Simons in a duel near Wallace's Bridge, Saturday, Nov 12, 1785, which resulted from testimony Simons gave against Snipes in a trial. Simons was buried in St. Phillip's, and Snipes was convicted of manslaughter and gave 2000 pounds bail. His sentence of confiscation and branding was later pardoned by the governor.

from: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=1881&GScid=64...

Notes for MAURICE SIMONS I: 1- In the Revolution, four of the sons of Benjamin Simons II took up arms on the side of their country, and none were braver, firmer or more respectable among her defenders. One son, Maurice, was a Colonel of a militia regiment and was so liked, and so influential among them, that the Governor and Council thought it best to keep him in that command. He accordinglly served with them in all the harassing calls upon his regiment, and marched with them to the disastrous siege of Savannah, and in the border warfare near Georgia. After the Revolution, while carrying on the factorage business of East Bay, near Lodge Alley, he was grossly insulted by Major William Snipes. He challenged Snipes, they foungt, and Colonel Simons was killed by a ball entering his brain a little above the eye. He was universally lamented and left a widow and two sons, whose descendants still cherish the name and lineage.

More About MAURICE SIMONS I: Burial: St. Philip's Churchyard, Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina Cause of Death: Killed in A Duel. Occupation 1: Bet. 1775 - 1776, Second Provincial Congress Occupation 2: 1776, Justice of the Peace