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Author: lindastone36
Surnames: Zimmerman, Simmerman, Bentley
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.zimmerman/1223.37/mb.ashx
Message Board Post:
Frank David Zimmerman was De Witt Francis Zimmerman's father. When he came to The
United States via Philadelphia the registra at the sign in said that his name was being
changed to Simmerman because of the number of Zimmerman's already registered. De Witt
Francis was born on July 21, 1898 in Egan, South Dakota.
Frank later married Ella Bentley who had recently came over from England with her family
and lived in Iowa near where Frank lived and farmed as a hired hand.
They married and had two children before Ella's early death at 32 freom stomach
Cancer, when De Witt was 12. They also had a daughter named Marie who was two years
older than her brother.
From 1910 (after Ella died)until 1914 De Witt and his father captured
and tamed some of the last of the U.S. Calvary Horses. They went back to Sioux FALLS,S.D.
and Mr Simmerman remarried a woman that was affectionately called Grandma Jo (surname
unknown)he had been the housekeeper for the Simmermans before Ella's death. Jo and
Frank had two children Lura (a school of teacher) and Cleone (a R.N.)Lura married a man
with the last name of Jenks. Frank and his family including Lura and hubby and Cleone
moved to a small Texas town near the Mexican town of Metamoris. De Witt and his family of
eight children and wife Bertha moved to San Diego CA. where they had two more children. De
Witt married Bertha Kroger (no middle name)on Sept.10,1925. They had ten children Francis
Wesley, Lois La Vonne, Doris Elaine, Lila Mae, Betty Lou, Marilyn Jo Anne, Kenneth Eu
Gene, Sandra Rose (a.k.a.Joyce Marie)and David Lee and Linda Diane both born in San Diego,
CA.. The married names of t he childr!
e!
n and their spouses are too numerous to mention at this time but I promise I will get
back to you as soon as I can with more information.
My name is Linda Diane and I am De Witt and Bertha's youngest daughter. Best wishes on
your journey and keep me informed.
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