NATHAN SIMMS: He lived at Indian Deep

In last week's column I wrote about Nathan Simms, who as a teenager was involved, inadvertently, in John Wilkes Booth's escape after shooting President Lincoln. Mr. Simms moved to Marshallton, where he worked as a laborer, and he is buried in Bradford Cemetery.

Susanna Davison, clerk of London Grove Friends Meeting, was good enough to share some fascinating information about him:

"According to my late mother Janet Roberts  (who is also buried in Bradford Cemetery), Nate was one of the tenants who lived in one of the Indian Deep Farm tenant houses! That little house, known as “Patches,” is located on Beagle Road near Northbrook and was improved by my parents in the 1960s. My late husband Joe Davison and I were married in a Quaker wedding held there in 1970. Patches is now occupied by my son Jesse Davison and his family. Nate Simms would have crossed the Brandywine on foot via the Northbrook bridge.  It would have taken him less than an hour to get to and from his work in Marshallton. I’m very glad to know he was not laid to rest in the potters field!"