Born in Iran, Joseph Shimmon’s family settled in Manhattan where they ran an importing business for Persian rugs, Shimmon Brothers. His uncle, Aghasie Shimmon captained the Columbia University wrestling team in 1908, and was runner-up at the Eastern IWA Championships. Joseph later wrestled at Columbia in 1914-15. He graduated in 1917 and then served as a 2nd lieutenant in the Army Air Corps from 1917-19. On return to the US, Shimmon wrestled for the New York Athletic Club and worked in the foreign collections department of the National City Bank and continued his wrestling at the New York Athletic Club. He later moved to Turlock, California where he started a business shipping carloads of California fruits and vegetables.
United States