Thomas Clarence Simmons. Submitted photo
OXFORD, Miss. – More than a century ago, Thomas Clarence Simmons, who graduated from the University of Mississippi with a general engineering degree in 1915, became Mississippi’s first state bridge engineer. The Magnolia native served 14 years in the position before his death in a car crash at age 38.
During Simmons’ tenure, he was instrumental in developing the long-span steel plate girder bridge standards for the Mississippi Highway Department. After his death, a memorial plaque was placed on the U.S. 98 eastbound bridge over the Pearl River near Foxworth and Columbia.
“Mr. Simmons developed the standards that were used for large river crossings,” said Justin Walker, director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation’s Structures-State Bridge Engineer Bridge Division. “This was a substantial engineering feat for the 1920s. The bridge that the plaque was affixed to was an example of one such bridge.”
Simmons died during the construction of that particular crossing, giving cause to memorialize the bridge, Walker said.
The plaque was removed by MDOT in the late 1990s but retained in hopes of one day turning it over to Simmons’ family. This spring, the plaque is moving closer to finding its permanent home.
MDOT provided a photo of the plaque to a genealogist researching the Magnolia town cemetery. The photo was placed on FindAGrave.com, where Courtney Davis of Augusta, Georgia, was researching her family lineage. Davis’ mother, Eunice Simmons Cook, was a niece of the deceased.
Davis noticed the photo on the website and contacted the MDOT Bridge Division.
After being contacted by the family, the Bridge Division provided the information to the Public Affairs Division. MDOT is in the process of contacting the family to set up a ceremony to return the plaque.
Davis said that she and her family are grateful for MDOT’s cooperation in obtaining the plaque.
Memorial plaque. Submitted photo
“We are honored to be thought of, as he doesn’t have any direct descendants,” she said. “As none of my immediate family live in the state anymore, we are up for suggestions as to where the plaque will be located.
“I could put it in my front yard for a while, but I’m sure it would have a bigger impact at an institution for higher learning.”
A picture of Clarence Simmons appears in the 1915 Ole Miss yearbook. Underneath are the words, “Why should life a labor be?”
Davis said her grandparents were in one car ahead of Simmons on a stormy Sunday evening after a church function.
“I believe there was a caravan of church members traveling together,” she said. “They witnessed the accident in which he (Clarence Simmons) died.”
Yacoub “Jacob” Najjar, chair and professor of civil engineering, said it is fulfilling for the engineering school to know that one of its graduates held the state bridge engineer position for 14 years at what was then the Mississippi Highway Department.
“Even more gratifying is to know that he was instrumental in developing the long-span steel plate girder bridge standards for MDOT,” Najjar said. “In my opinion, Mr. Simmons’ accomplishments during those 14 years represent a superb role model for our CE students and graduates.”