Carrie Lee Simons

            Carrie Lee Simons was born on October 5, 1885, the sixth child of George Elizabeth Jeannette Simons. She grew up working at her mother’s side from an early age. Her young sister Jeannette relates how she was a hard worker, helping her mother with the younger children.

            When she was only seventeen, her mother died. Her older sister Olive was already married so Carrie was the oldest woman in the house and therefore assumed the care of her younger sisters.

            On November 30, 1905, Carrie married Sam Carmen, the son of a neighbouring farmer. By the time of the 1910 Federal Census, Carrie and Sam were living in Stevens County and they had had their first child, Vernal. He was one year and nine month old at the time of the census. Carrie and Sam soon had another son named Bert. This marriage didn’t last long, however.

            Carrie’s older brother, Harry, had married Pearl Carmen, sister to Sam. Pearl had died just a few years after the birth of their son, Virgil. The two Simons siblings, both being on their own with small children, joined forces and worked together, sharing parenting responsibilities. Around 1916-17, Carrie’s and Harry’s two families moved to Wolf Point, Montana to try and work a homestead for each: "They worked together, living first on one of their places and then the other to prove up both homesteads. They had to live on each place for five years." According the Margaret Simon’s Memories, they didn’t stay long enough to prove up on either homestead.

            While in Montana, Carrie met Elmer Hanson and the two were married. While still in Montana, Carrie and Elmer had a son, Bob. Eventually the family returned to Washington State. In Washington, Carrie and Elmer added a daughter, Shirley, to their family. They raised the family in Richland, Washington.

            Carrie’s family always stayed close to Harry, his son Virgil and his family. Elmer died a number of years before Carrie, who remained in south central area of Washington. Carrie died on July 8, 1970.

Carrie Lee Simons Carmen Hanson’ Family:

Bottom row (L>R): Carrie Lee Simons Hanson, Shirley Hanson, Elmer Hanson

Top row (L>R): Vernal Carmen, Bert Carmen, Robert Hanson

¹ Richard F. Steele and Arthur P. Rose. An Illustrated History of the Big Bend Country Embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin Counties, State of Washington, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1904, p. 491.