John Simons, 2nd Sheriff of Barnes County, was born April 27th, 1858, in Walworth County, Wisconsin, the son of Simon Lea and Olive Liene, both natives of Norway. The family moved to Dakota County, Minnesota after the father's death. John, taking his father's name, came to Barnes County in 1879. Other members of his family, who had come to Barnes County previously, were two half brothers, Lave and Ole Lea and a half sister Julia, as well as a sister Annie (Mrs. Sim Mason). His mother came in 1880 to keep house for him. On January 27th, 1885, he married Annie Omness, daughter of Halvor and Carrie Torbenson Omness. She was born near Beloit, Wisconsin, on January 13th, 1857, and came to Valley City in 1882, where she was a dressmaker. As a small child she moved with her family to Dakota County, Minnesota by covered wagon. She died February 21st, 1948.
John Simons was Sheriff of Barnes County from, 1884 to 1890. They started housekeeping in the basement of the Court House which was built in 1881, and which also housed the Sheriff's Office and the Jail. This was the second Court House to be built in Barnes County, was three stories high and built of red brick. A wooden fence and wooden sidewalks surrounded the building and a large barn was on the back of the lot where the horses and buggies were kept.
After serving his term as Sheriff, he, with his family, moved to Superior, Wisconsin, where he was engaged in business as a partner in a hardware store until he was appointed to the office of Chief of Police. They lived in Superior for about a year, returning to Barnes County in 1891.
John Simons was a U.S. Deputy Marshall, a Member of the Penitentiary Committee and in 1899 was State Railroad Commissioner. He died in April, 1927. Four children were born to this couple: Elsie, Mrs. C. K. Otto, Valley City, North Dakota. Walter, born in 1888 and died in 1900. Cora, Mrs. George J. Reinhardt, Valley City, North Dakota and Norman, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 224