Question xenea

Not sure where to turn off the icons for the theme xenea. I'm using the shown category as it's a 'built-in' theme.

Xenea is a core theme of webtrees. There is no option to switch off the icons. They are an integrated part of this theme. If you do not like them you can use a theme like F.A.B. or minimal.

May have been other cycle from PGV to webtrees and kiwitrees. I know I customized them, still have folder and sometimes opted to turn off (if memory serves me). 

Actually, there is an option to disable these.

It's done in the family tree preferences page. "Fact icons".

This is a legacy setting that was inherited from phpGedView. It should probably be removed.

A better way to hide them might be to use CSS.
Add something like this using the Custom CSS/JS" module.

.wt-fact-icon { display: none; }

Found. Knew it existed somewhere. See no reason to remove! I am using it to be distinct from my main tree theme.