Births:

Coalman Simmons was Born 18 of April 1824
Emiline F. Doss was Born dec. 16 1832
Mary F. Simmons was born in the year of our lord June 18th 1859
Charles W. Simmons was born in the year of our lord Sept. 27, 1861
Lee Andrew Simmons was born oct. 19th 1864
Alfred Martin Simmons was born Nov. 10, 1868
Effie B. Simmons was born Jan 28 1887

Marriages:

Coalman Simmons and Emiline F. Doss was married Oct 18/57 [sic]
Geo. W. Follis and Mary F. Simmons was married Sept 28, 1877
C.W. Simmons and L.L. Bell was married Dec. 17th 1884

Deaths:

Alfred Martin Simmons died Aug. 4 1869
Lee A. Simmons departed this life oct. 2, 1891
Charley W. Simmons departed this life Feb. 25 1893, age 31 yrs., 4 months, 29 days.
Coalman Simmons departed this life June 20 1907
Emeline F. Simmons Died July 3 1908
*Jemima Doss died feb. 18th 1891. was Bornd feb the 7th 1809
*Joshua Doss was Bornd Sept 30th 1804. died Feb 5th 1862
(Note: Joshua Doss and Jemima Turner- Doss are the parents of Emiline Doss-Simmons)

** Turner Family Records

Yancey Turner born Oct. 30, 1786
Mary Turner born Oct. 20th 1788
Jemima Turner born Feby 7th 1809
Milly Turner born Decr. 2nd 1810
Frances Turner born Decr. 8th 1812
Leathey Turner born Decr. 22nd 1814
Bartlett Y. Turner born June 30th 1817
Mary Turner born June 24th 1820
Martin D. Turner born Oct. 27th 1822
Matilda turner born Jany. 17th 1825
James A. Turner born June 21st 1827
Emily C. Turner born April 3rd 1834
Mary Turner Departed this life August the 11th 1870
Yancey Turner Departed this life Jany. the 2nd 1878

Mr. Robert Witt of Richmond, Ky. owns the Bible from which these pages were photocopied. He inherited it from his grandmother, Carrie Doss (1871-1952) who was the wife of Willie T. Harris. Carrie was the daughter of William Yancey Doss and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Caldwell. Carrie's mother died when she was quite young, and she probably had a close relationship with Emiline F. Doss Simmons, her aunt, who is thought to have been the owner of this Bible. Emiline was the daughter of Joshua Doss and Jemima Turner Doss of Sumner Co. Tennessee.

The title page of the Bible indicates that it was published in 1857, the year Emiline married Coalman Simmons. The handwriting suggests the entries were made by three different people. The information about Coalman and Emiline appears to be in a different hand (or perhaps a less experienced one) then the entries pertaining to their children.

*The entries about Jemima (Turner) Doss and Joshua Doss are in the handwriting and spelling of an earlier time, probably written by a less-educated person. One might guess that Coalman wrote most entries and Emiline added the information about her parents. If so, Coalman's handwriting improved over the years.

**The Turner information is from a photocopy of a page from another book. While the Simmons entries are on the pages created to record information in the Bible, the Turner information is entered onto a smaller, originally-blank page. The entries through Emily Turner are written in a very fancy hand, obviously all written at the same time. The last two entries were clearly added later. The entry for Yancy Turner's death is scrawled, faint and difficult to read on the copy. We appreciate Mr. Witt's sharing these with us.

The Doss Family Association is particularly interested in Joshua Doss's date of birth. Joshua is believed to have been the son of William Doss of Franklin Co. Va.and his wife Nancy. Joshua always reported to census takers that he was born in North Carolina. William last appeared on the Franklin Co. tax list in 1801. These facts suggest that he was perhaps in North Carolina for several years before settling in Sumner Co. Tenn. He may have married in North Carolina, as Joshua is his oldest known child. This information causes us to wonder whether his wife Nancy was the Nancy Flin who married a William Doss on 14 Oct. 1803 in Rutherford Co., N.C.