Simon William LAKEY
1848 ~ 1919

Several records I have found show my great-grandfather on my adoptive father’s side’s name as William Simon LAKEY, but his tombstone and a few others say Simon W (William) LAKEY.  Either way, it appears he most likely went by “Simon” to those around him… especially later in life.

Simon was born in June 1848 in Ava, Baxter County, Missouri to John Burcham LAKEY (1827-1863) and Keziah “Kissie” ROMINES (1827-1893).

Simon married Mary Martha COBB in Ozark County, Missouri on August 18, 1892.  She was born in March 1879 in Dora, Ozark County, Missouri to James Bedford COBB (1850-1929) and Nancy E GUINN (1851-1891).

Simon and Mary had eight children in Mountain Home, Baxter County, Arkansas:  Mary Matilda Evelyn, Alma, William, Rosella, Andy Lee Chester, John Lee, Martha Belle, and Voyd Jackson.

Simon died in 1919 in Mountain Home, Baxter County, Arkansas.  I personally spent most of my childhood vacations in the Ozarks, Missouri and in northern Arkansas.  I especially loved our times in the Mountain Home area in northern Arkansas.  I remember camping for a week at a time for several summers in George’s Cove and it was an amazing place!  You could see the bottom of the lake clearly, even at great depths.  It was also one of those places where it seemed that nobody else knew about.  We rarely had very many fellow campers when there.

It was during these trips to George’s Cove (which is in the Mountain Home area) that my dad told us the most about this side of his family… especially his father and his Uncle John Lee LAKEY.

My direct line down from Simon William LAKEY is as follows:

Simon William LAKEY and Mary Martha COBB were the parents of Andy Lee Chester LAKEY Sr. who was born March 15, 1905.

Andy Lee Chester LAKEY Sr. and Eunice Mae DANNER (1907-1996) were the parents of Jack Fredrick LAKEY Sr (1927-2003) who was my adoptive Dad!