History of the Simonson House
(circa 1880)

The Simonson property was originally part of Indian Banks (circa 1699) and was bought at a price of $725 as a settlement to the Pitts family to cover costs of care from the Western Lunatic Asylum in 1878. Thomas Dobyns had granted this land to the freed slaves after acquiring Indian Banks from the Glasscock family in 1822.

The Glasscock family had re-acquired the property from Colonel Robert Carter after he showed compassion on the family by returning the property to the original owners after Thomas Glasscock's estate (Indian Banks) was confiscated because of Glasscock being indicted and outlawed for The murder of William Forrester in 1727.

Isaac Simonson moved here from Staten Island, New York where the oyster industry had been devastated by pollution. Here, he started planting, harvesting and buying oysters from beds on both the Lancaster Creek on the East side and the Morratico Creek on the West side of the property and shipping them back to New York City. Many tons of the bivalve were scraped up out of the nearby waters by watermen who moored their classic deadrise vessels in the protected harbors in front and back of the property.

As many as 100 vessels have been recounted to be moored on any given oyster season. A few of the vessels remain both above and below the confines of the nearby creeks. Two old oyster processing facilities remain nearby in remembrance of a many bustling bygone day.

Isaac's son John H. and his wife Mary E. received deed to property on Jan 5, 1894. On Nov. 19, 1892 John Simonson became the first Postmaster of the now named settlement of Simonson. They operated the General Store, railway, and buy dock until Mary died on July 7. 1907. They had two children- a daughter- Emily A. Booker and a son- Isaac N. Simonson who they called "Iky". He received sole deed on Dec 5, 1916 and became Postmaster on June 3, 1913. "Iky" continued the business as his mother and father and had an only child named William Newton Simonson.

Isaac died on Jan 20, 1960. Newton had become Postmaster in 1929 and relinquished the job for 2 years during WW II . He and his wife, Virginia, ran the store and Post Office until it was discontinued on Nov. 6, 1964.

Thomas Newton Simonson "Newty Boy" was their only child and he built the man made marina at the southernmost part of the property toward Pearson's Island. He died of asthma at a young age of 29 in July of 1967, just 3 years after Newton's death. Virginia was the only Simonson left and after she became mentally ill, the house and buildings were sold to Charles R. and Ruth Davis Langhorne in May of 1983. Mrs. Langhorne was an artist and used the property as a studio for her works.

Martin & Sue Hinson bought the Simonson property in Dec of 1996 and presently have totally renovated the interior of the stately home so that their guests can enjoy one of the most relaxing and historical getaways of it's kind.

Every window from every room has a peaceful, waterfront view. An occasional squawk of a blue heron, whistle of an osprey, laugh of a laughing sea gull, or the splash of a surfacing fish may interrupt your otherwise, boring solitude.