Simmons-Meeler Cemetery Jan 5, 2013

The Faded Footprints of Families and Friends of the Lake Russell Wildlife Management Area group cleaned and placed flowers at the Simmons-Meeler cemetery during its most recent outing. The group also placed flowers on the graves of Thomas Thomason and wife Sarah Farmer Thomason at the Thomason cemetery. The group toured the Old Leatherwood community just off Cannon road and (FS) Thomason road in Toccoa. Known homesteads and families in the area were Simmons, Meeler, Thomason, Ward, Kelly, Roberts, Smith, Payne, Brady, Aderholt, Whitfield, Addison, Farmer, Hooper, Hendricks and possibly the Fricks family. Also known sites Cannon school, Leatherwood store and post office, Thomason store and several partial standing chimneys remain on the old homesteads. Graves of James Willis Simmons born: 1816 (SC) died: sometime after 1870 in Habersham now Stephens county; Georgia and Rebecca 'Becky' Meeler born: about 1855 died: 1881, are nearby. Known burials inthe Simmons-Meeler cemetery are Matthew Meeler born: 1829 died 1898, the son of William and Sarah Cynthia Smith Meeler. Matthew served in the Army of Confederate States of America, Co. D, 43rd Georgia Regiment, Infantry Army of Tennessee, Banks County Georgia, Middle River Volunteers. He married Arletta 'Lettie' Bug Smith. She was born in 1838, the daughter of Sam and Alsie Maddocks/Maddox Smith. Matthew was a possible nephew to Lettie Smith.