Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Rev. William Sims - Sangamon County, Illinois

© Kathy Duncan, 2015

Rev. William Sims was the brother of Rev. James Sims and Elizabeth (Sims) Earnest, and an uncle to John Sims and Nancy (Sims) Kelley. All eventually migrated to Sangamon County, Illinois. The family of Williams Sims has been more difficult to research than those of his siblings. Most of his descendants seem to have added an extra "m" to Sims, going by the Simms name.

SIMS, WILLIAM, (uncle to John Sims) was born in Virginia, taken when young to South Carolina, married there to Miss Welch. He came to Sangamon county among the earliest settlers, and raised a family of nine children, none of whom now live in the county. He was for many years a pioneer local Methodist preacher of limited  education, but remarkable for piety and good common sense. He died in Knox or Henry county, Illinois, in 1859.
[Source: History of the Early Settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois: "Centennial Record" by John Carroll Power]

Marriages Performed by Rev. William Sims in Sangamon County, Illinois:

MARRIED.--In this County, on the 17th inst., by Rev. William Sims, Mr. Joseph Holliday, to Miss Ann Mariah Fleeharty.
[Source: Illinois Weekly State Journal; Springfield, IL; Thurs. 26 July 1832]

In this County, by Rev. Wm. Sims, Mr. L. C. Kendoll to Miss Grecilla Ernest
[Source: Illinois Weekly State Journal; Springfield, IL; Sat., 6 April 1833]

"Recalled to Life" by John E. Vaughn
The union of L.G. Kendall and Miss Grecilla Ernest was also announced. Rev. William Sims officiated. [The Journal, 6 April 1833]
[Source: Daily Illinois State Journal; Springfield, IL; Tues. 5 Feb 1929]

Rev. William Sims was still living in Sangamon county in 1846 although he had evidently left the county by the time of his death in 1859:

State Temperance Convention
The Delegates appointed to attend the State Temperance Convention, assembled at the First Presbyterian Church, at 10 o'clock A.M. and were called to order by Mr. M. B. Denman...

The credentials of the Delegates were then called for, when the following names were presented, to wit. --

Spring Creek, Sangamo Co. -- Rev. William Sims, Rev. D. Whitney, J.W. Earnest, B.S. Robinson, J. H. Stephenson, Thomas Earnest, W.R. Moffett, T. Campbell, O.R. Moffett, J. B. McDowell.
[Source: Illinois Weekly State Journal; Springfield, IL; Thurs 5 Mar 1846]

William Sims married Delilah Welch. Children:

1. George Simms
2. Robert Simms
3. James Simms
4. Benjamin Simms
5. a son
6. Jemima Simms
7. Thomas Simms
8. Elizabeth Simms

No comments:

Post a Comment

I will always try to respond to your comments. If you are anonymous and cannot be reached by email and if you do not choose to follow responses to your comments, then please check back here for a response.