Born: 1496, Witmarsum, Friesland, Holy Roman Empire (now the Netherlands).
Died: January 31, 1561, Wüstenfelde, Schleswig-Holstein. The village was destroyed in the Thirty Years’ War, but is believed to have been near present day Bad Oldesloe, Germany.
Little is known of Simons’ family. His father’s name was Simon, Simons
being a patronym.
During Simons’ childhood, Friesland was ravaged by war, and he grew up in a violent era.
Simons learned Latin and some Greek, and around 1515, was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in Utrecht. In 1524, he became chaplain in his father’s village of Pingjum in Friesland.
Simons left Catholicism in 1536, casting his lot with the Anabaptists. He eventually rose to become one of the notable leaders of that movement, which practiced only adult, believer’s
baptism. The Mennonite denomination derives its name from him.