Dr. Benjamin Judson Simmons

October 16, 1870 - January 7, 1910

Was the first black physician in Milledgeville. He graduated from Meharry Medical College in 1897. He was very successful and recognized as a fine diagnostician. He died of an unintentionally self-inflicted gunshot wound.

To the right (west) of Benjamin Simmons lot and grave are chain links. There are two sets of chains in this lot. There is an enduring, but false, legend that chain links mark slave graves. This false legend says that graves marked with 3 iron chain links represent burials of persons who were "born a slave, lived as a slave, died a slave." The truth is that the chain links are the symbol of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), a charitable fraternal organization, and mark the graves of members of that organization. At one time there were many chain links across the south side where many African Americans are buried; the IOOF was a huge and strong organization in Milledgeville in the 1890s.

Of note is that there is a lot on the north side of the cemetery that contains white Odd Fellows, and one of their graves has the same symbol.

Side: West, Section: J