He was a nephew of the pioneer land speculator of southwest Ohio John Cleves Symmes.
[2] In 1794, he was appointed Hamilton County Sheriff by Territorial Governor Arthur St.
[1] Symmes married Elizabeth Oliver on April 10, 1796, in North Bend, Ohio.
[1] Just after statehood, Symmes was elected to represent Hamilton County in the Ohio Senate for the first through third General Assemblies, 1803–1805.
[5][6] Symmes was appointed register of the Cincinnati Land Office by President Jefferson, resigning from the court, and served for seven years.