Herein you will find the attempts of one of Simon Wiess' third great grandsons to learn about the life of his ancestor. There are many things that have been lost with time -- and some that apparently Simon never told his family. It is a shame that Simon and Margaret, and their parents, went through so much to provide a future for us and that their efforts and sacrifices are being lost in the mists of time.
Here are some of my questions. These are specific to Simon Wiess, with no intention of forgetting or minimizing the part his wife and my third great-grandmother Margaret Sturrock Wiess played in our lives.
- Who were Simon Wiess' parents?
- What did his parents do?
- What kind of life did they have?
- With whom did they associate?
- Did they travel? Did they leave Lublin or Poland?
- Did he have any brothers or sisters, who were they and where did they live? (We are told he had older brothers.)
- Was their religion an important part of their lives, were they devout Jews?
- Why did he leave home when he was fifteen?
- Why did he choose to sail over most of the Atlantic visiting European nations and the Americas for more than ten years?
- Why did he become a Mason? What part did that play in his life? Was his father a Mason, or perhaps someone he met early in his travels? Click here to read speculation about Simon and information about Judaism and FreeMasonry.
- What were his reasons for visiting the places he did?
- Why did he have such a fascination and admiration for Napoleon Bonaparte?
- Why didn't he return home to Lublin?
- Why did he choose to settle in Louisiana and later in Texas?
- Did any of his family follow (or precede) him to America? (Click here for clues.)
We are uncertain of the location of two of the Masonic lodges Simon Wiess visited:
- On the ninth of May, 1829, he visited the Amity Lodge _______ on the registry of the Right Worshipful G.L. of Ireland.
- On May 11 1829, he visited the Integrity Lodge number 259 at _______ and there received Mark Master degree.
(Note that many of the historic references to Simon's travels come from the book "Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas".)
In these pages you will find facts, observations and speculations. If you too are a descendant of Simon Wiess and Margaret Sturrock, perhaps you will find here something to stir your thoughts about them and give you a better appreciation of them.
I hope you enjoy visiting this site and that it whets your appetite to find out more about your heritage -- and, more importantly, that it inspires you to honor your ancestors and what they have done for you.
Click on the links below to read about the places Simon Wiess visited.
| • Asia Minor | • Constantinople | • East Indies | • Elba |
| • France | • Georgetown, Demerara | • Ireland | • Louisiana |
| • Lublin, Poland | • Santo Domingo | • St. Helena | • Texas |
| • West Indies |
| See a graphic of the places Simon Wiess visited: |
|
