The Symes, Simms & Sims Family
GENERATIONS OF THE SYMES/SIMMS/SIMS family
Jesse Pugh, son of Willoughby Pugh, Jr. married Lydia Sims, daughter of Zachariah Sims.
This Sims research is based primarily on the published sources of: SIMMS compiled by Lela Wolfe Prewitt and Albert Simms, C. 1993
The Genealogy of the Sims Family, by Henry Upson Sims, pub. 1940.
SIMS KIN by Billie Lousie Owens and Col. Robert James Owens. c. 1982, printed by Robert J. Owens
Data provided by Albert Simms, Jr of Richmond, VA (published works as posted on his webpage).
First Generation Of The Symes/ Simms / Sims Family
The earliest (known) of our family that (we) have any record of are John and Jane Symes of Barwick England or Scotland. John drowned in a boat accident. Their son was William Symes. (We) know nothing else about them. Were it not for John's death by drowning they would have lived from about 1510 until 1570. (from Albert Simms)
John Symes (Gen. 1) of Barwick is shown in the Antigua pedigree of the Symes family. William Symes (2) of Chard, then of Poundsford; John Symes (3) of Poundsford; Thomas Symes (4) Sr. of Winterbourne, Co. Glouchester, later of Poundsford; and William Symes (5), later identified as being of New Kent Co., Va. are shown in the Appendix II, Pedigree of Symes from Vol. III of Olivers; History of Antigua. Branches of the Symes family as shown later in these notes were in Antigua in the 1700’s and the pedigree of the Symes family of Somerset was filed in court records in Antigua and also in England. Some persons who took part in the Monmouth Rebellion were sent to Antigua and some Symes are said to be part of this group, but we do not have a reference to original records.
1. JOHN SYMES : Born 1510. Residence in Barwick, Eng. or Scotland. Died before 1570.
He married Jane (?). One known Child:
1. William SYMES
Second Generation Of The Symes/ Simms/ Sims Family
2. WILLIAM SYMES. Born 1540 in Chard, England. Residence in Poundsford, England. Died 1658. Buried in Frampton, Cotrell Co., Gloucester, England.
Research: From the Homepage of Albert Simms, which correlates with the work of Henry Upson Sims in 1940, and the book SIMS KIN by Col. Robert Owens.
William Symes of Chard, Somerset, England, was born about 1540, and married Elizabeth Hill in 1570 in Somersetshire, England. They had 4 sons and 3 daughters. He died in 1597. His will indicated that he was a merchant and that he owned six manors or estates each large enough to have a court with an English lord presiding over it. He also owned a mill and various properties in Taunton, England His personal estate was huge and upon his death he donated it to the town to be used as the first public school. It is still used as a school today and is standing in Chard, England. (Our) second known ancestor, at least, was an English nobleman of some social status and wealth. ... At least one of Williams's sons John also achieved quite a bit of fame, fortune and respect in the England of his day.
He married Elizabeth HILL daughter of Robert HILL & Alice CLERKE. Born in Yard, near Taunton in Somersetshire. They had the following children:
JOHN SYMES
Henry SYMES
Robert SYMES
William SYMES
James SYMES
Jane SYMES
Alice SYMES
Elizabeth SYMES
Mary SYMES
Margaret SYMES
Margery SYMES
Third Generation of the Symes/Simms/Sims Family
Research: From the works of Albert Simms, H. U. Sims, Col. Owens
John Symes of Poundsford, England, as he was known, was born in 1572 and died 21 October 1658. He married Amy Horner and had eight sons and three daughters. He entered Exeter College, Oxford at the early age of 14 and graduated at age 19 in 1591. He was a country gentleman and during his lifetime became a member of Parliament and was High Sheriff, Deputy Lieutenant and Justice of the Peace, serving for some 40 years. There is a long Epitaph in the Frampton Cotteral Church in Poundsford which states in part; "John Symes was renowned for his wisdom, justice, integrity and sobriety which influenced his conduct throughout his lifetime, especially in his government positions, where he bore all the honorable affairs incident to a Country Gentleman and as Knight of the shire."
Amy Horner was from a very illustrious family. Her Grandfather Sir John Horner, was also a High Sheriff and a very powerful politician. He is also the man about whom the poem Little Jack Horner was written about; The plum that is mentioned in the poem is an abbey/estate which he usurped. Another of her grandfathers, Sir Alexander Popham, was the Judge who presided over the trial of Sir Walter Raleigh. and was Lord Chief Justice of England. (Popham was a member of the London Company which founded Jamestown, Va. A latter generation of the Sims line would marry a descendent Thomas Graves, also a member of the London Company. ) Alexander’s wife, Jane Stradling, was a great-granddaughter of Edward III, King of England and through her the Sims family has distant ties to the royal family of England.
From Henry Upson Sims , The Genealogy of the Sims Family, Appendix II "Pedigree":John Symes of Poundsford, D.L. J.P. b. 4 March 1572 matriculated from Exeter College, Oxford 23 Feb. 1587-8, aet 14; B. A. 9 July 1591; Student of Lincoln's Inn, 1589; M. P. for Somerset 21 James I; high Sheriff; died 21 Oct. 1661, age 88, bur. and M.I. at Frampton Cottrell Co., Gloucester. Will dated 5 Oct. 1658. proved Dec. 1661.He married Amy Horner daughter of Thomas HORNER, Esquire & Jane (Amy)Popham. Born in Mels, Somerset, England. Died Before 1658 in Frampton, Cottrell, G., England. They had the following children:
Amy SYMES
Dorothy SYMES
Thomas SYMES Sr
Edith SYMES
Elinor SYMES
Elizabeth SYMES
Harry SYMES
Jane SYMES
John SYMES
Susan SYMES
Fourth Generation of the Symes/Sims family
THOMAS SYMES Sr. Born 1621 in Poundsford, Somerset, England. Died Jan. 22, 1669. He married Amy BRIDGES daughter of Edward BRIDGES and Phillipa SPEKE, 1640. Born About 1625 in Keynsham, England. Died Apr. 30, 1662. He is buried in Chancel of Parish Church of Winterborne, England. They had the following children:
Thomas SYMES
John SYMES
Edward SYMES
Charles SYMES
George SYMES
Henry SYMES Captain
William SYMES
Richard SYMES
Amy SYMES
Catherine SYMES
Elizabeth SYMES
Fifth Generation of the Symes/Simms/Sims Family
WILLIAM SYMES. Born Circa 1655 in Doynton, Eng.>Virginia. Died 1710 in New Kent Co., Va. This William Sims would be the first immigrant to America in the Sims line. His son was probably born in England.
Research: Source: Henry Upson Sims in The Genealogy of the Sims Family, published circa 1830.
Re: William Sims
"... Geo. Brent included a Wm. Sims among his immigrants on Nov. 6, 1677. See Va. Land Book, vol. 6, p. 226, and Va. Hist. Magazine, Vol. 18, p. 226. This seems to have been land in Westmoreland County, as we shall see later." p.19
"William Sims of Rappahannock County.
"William Sims was brought to Virginia by George Brent with twenty-six others, about 1677; for on November 6, 1677, Brent received a land grant of 1,391 acres in Westmoreland county, on a branch of the North fork of Little Hunting Creek. See Virginia Land Book, V. 6, p. 226. Virginian Hist. Mag. V. 18 for 1910, p. 226. The Brents of Virgina and Maryland were papists (Va. Hist. Mag., V.14, for 1906-7, p.95. so that this William Sims must have been one of the Somerset Symes family. (A) William Sims had land in Rappahannock County, now Essex County, Virginia, on May 14 1686. (Source per H. U. Sims, Mrs. N. F. Porters's notes from Judge Embry's library.)
Note: At this point H. U. Sims confuses William Sims (Sr.) with William Sims (Jr.?) for he continues "William Sims was constable in 1686, and died in Richmond County Virginia, leaving a will dated April 28, 1716, recorded in Will Book 3, p. 270. He left a minor son, Thomas Sims, and no other heirs. (In his will he mentions two sons-in-law per Albert G. Sims) ... The will of William Sims (Jr.) provided for tuition for his son Thomas until he should become twenty years old." p. 13
(The will of this Thomas Sims of Culpeper Co., Va. establishes the lineage of Jonathan Sims of Attala Co. It is Thomas>Zachariah>Joel>David>Jonathan)
From: AL's Gen. HomePage
"William Symes, son of Thomas, married Mary of Somerset, England. Records indicate that there was a William Symes who was Constable of Essex Co. in 1686. though not proven this is likely to be this William Symes. Essex county is immediately across the Rapahannock River from Richmond County where his son William Jr. lived. He lived from about 1630 to 1710. This connecting link came from a genealogy database on the Internet. The rest of the information is in my (Albert Simms) book and is pretty well documented."
From H U Sims, p68
"detail of the Symes Pedigree in Volume III of Oliver's History of Antigua, gives the order of the children of Thomas and Amy Symes".
"7. William Symes, the seventh son of Thomas, according to the Antigua pedigree, was not kept up with by the Antigua branch of the family, as that record merely says that he was living in 1675; which was the date of his sister Elizabeth's will. However, he may not have been alive at the date of his Aunt Elizabeth Langton's will, 1696; for she does not leave him a bequest, as she does Edward, Charles, and Henry, nephews whom we know to have been alive at that time; and yet she gives bequests to his wife, without referring to her as a widow, as she does in the case of the widow of her nephew, John. But she gives nothing to her nephew, Richard Symes; and we know that he (Richard) was alive in 1696. So we cannot assume that William was dead. p. 110
"The will of Elizabeth Langton gives to 'William Symes (Jr.), Thomas Symes, and Richard Symes, sons of my nephew William Symes, the sum of ten pounds apiece" and to their sister Amy Symes ten pounds; and the codicil, added in 1703 gives to "my neece (sic), daughter of my nephew William Symes" a large quantity of furniture together with a share of the unspecified furniture." She also leave "Mary," William's wife and "Mary," Richard's wife, five pounds apiece." p.69
In 1698, there was issued a grant of land in New Kent County, Virginia, by Governor Nott to William Symes (presumably 950 acres - 50 acres for each person), for bringing nineteen persons into the Colony of Virginia. The record copy of the grant is in land Book 9, P. 713, in the Virginia State Land Office of Richmond. A second grant was made to him in 1705 for 450 acres “late in the possession of John Stevens." This latter grant was for land recovered by escheat as by requisition recorded in the Secretary’s Office, under the hand and seal of John Lightfoot, Escheater of said County," "for which said William Sims, and made his composition, according to said letters patent." The actual grant was to "William Sims of New Kent County," recorded Nov. 2, 1705, Land Book 9, p. 713, in the State Land Office. William Symes had only 600 acres listed on the quit rent rolls in 1704, however, being in New Kent County." p. 70
From H U Sims, p 71
"William Symes, Sr., "dyed" in New Kent, "Febry. 17th 1725," according to an entry in St. Peter's Parish Register in the State Library in Richmond; and we have found that he must have been the father of a daughter, "Ann," a son, William, and a son Thomas just as had William Symes, seventh son of Thomas Symes of Barwick, Somersetshire."
Research: per Henry Upson Sims, The Genealogy of the Sims Family p. 70
" William Symes was careful about the spelling of his name, for in Vol. 4 of the Virginian Executive Council Journal is a list of errors in the spelling of "Symes" in William's name, in order that the record in the company's office in London might conform to the record in Virginia.
"The wife of William Symes of New Kent County, Virginia, was named Mary and they had a daughter named Ann; for in Bruton and Middleton Parish Register in Virginia, on page 108, is and entry that Ann, daughter of William and Mary Sims, died August 18, 1714.
"Elizabeth Langton's will (Appendix III of Henry Upson Sims book) refers to her niece Amy, daughter of her Nephew, William Symes, and Amy was probably correct; but all through the abstracts of the wills the names, Amy and Ann, seem to have been confused, the abstract of Elizabeth Langton's will even referring to William's daughter as Ann. So the Virginia parish register may well have carried her name as Ann, when it should have been Amy."
He married Mary (Sarah) Died 1687 in James City Co., Va. They had the following children:
William SYMES
Ann SYMES
Thomas SYMES
Richard SYMES
Charles SYMES
Sixth Generation of Symes /Simms/ Sims Family
36. WILLIAM SYMES . Died 1716 in Richmond Co., Va.
Research: From AL's Gens Home Page...........
"The earliest known information that we have on William Symes of Richmond County, Virginia is a time when he sold a piece of land in 1707. The second documented evidence of William occurred 3 days later when he and his wife Amy Clark witnessed the will of her father Robert in Richmond County, Va. I (Albert Simms) have been unable to put together a coherent picture of how much land William owned but the fact that legal records refer to him as a planter indicate that he was a man of some means.
Interesting tidbits of William’s life indicate that he was a friend of the court and also perhaps an enemy. In 1711 he was paid 600 lbs... of tobacco by the court for finding a source of cool spring water for it. Also in 1711 he was charged with breaking Richard Clathermike out of prison and was fined 1000 lbs.. of tobacco. William had at least 1 boy, our ancestor, and 2 girls, though we know nothing of the girls. William lived from about 1660 until 1716.
Will of William Symes
Richmond Co., Va. Wills and Inventories, 1709-1717, p. 279. Sept.. 1719, p111.
"... in the name of God Amen, I William Sims of Settenburg Parish in Richmond County, Planter, being of sound mind and memory and foreseeing ye approach of Death, do make this my last Will and Testament, annulling all former wills, bequeathing my Soul to God and my body to the Earth, I dispose in manner following viz.:
First I will and bequeath to my Son Thomas and his heirs forever all my lands and real estate lying in Richmond county; and in case my said son Thomas dyes without heirs it is my Will and I accordingly give and bequeath ye said Lands to the Church wardens of the Parish of Sittenbourn for Ye time being - their successors to be a Glebe for ye said Parish to ye use of a Minister of ye said Parish forever.
Secondly, I Give and bequeath to my Son Thomas, after payment - of my just Debts and funeral expenses, all my personal Estate of whatever kind or nature so ever.
Thirdly, I appoint and constitute Capt. Nicolas Smith and George White both of said Parish of Sittenbourn my whole and sole executors of this my last will and testament.
Fourthly, it is my will ye Capt. Smith take under his care and tuition my son Thomas until he come to the age of twenty years and if ye said Smith dye, then my other Executor shall do ye same. In Witness whereof I have affixed my Seal this twenty-eight day of April One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixteen.
his hand
William Sims (seal)
and markSigned, Sealed, and declared to be his last Will and Testament and their successors Being first interlined. John Bagge, Will L. Jison, Edward Hinkley
This will was proved in Richmond County Court the first day of August 1716 by the Oath of a Edward Hinkley on of the Witnesses hereto, admitted to record
Teste: M. Beckwith, Cl... of Crt.
He married Amy CLARK, daughter of Robert CLARK . They had the following children:
Thomas SIMS Sr.
Unk #1 dau. SYMES
Unk #2 dau. SYMES
Seventh Generation of Symes /Simms/Sims Family
(probably first generation born in America)41. THOMAS SIMS Sr. SIMS Born 1702 in Sittenboirne Parish, Richmond Co., Va. Residence in Luenburg Parish, R. Co. / Culpeper Co., Va. Died 1784 in Culpeper Co., Va. Occupation Tobacco Planter.
Research: Source Albert Simms research:
THOMAS SIMS, son of William Symes, of Richmond Co., Va. was born ca 1702 (he was under 20 years of age when his father wrote his will Apr. 1716)
From VA Land Grants (Upper Neck) 1713-1719 Bk 5-234. Following his father's death in the summer of 1716, Thomas was granted 112A “in parish of Sittenbourn, County of Richmond, bounded by the land of Doyle, Matthew Bean, and land of Wm. Sims deceased, purchased from said Doyle ... also by Baker's land, dated 17 Dec. 1717."
... also of Richmond County, before 30 Nov. 1725, for on that date Thos. Sims of Sittenbourn Parish in that county, and his wife Rebecca sold 112 A, Richmond Co., Va. DB 8-303,4 "part of patent granted to Thos. Hobson dec'd - Escheated by the Guardians of ye aforenamed Thomas Sims" ... to Land of Doyle and along the line of Wm. Sims dec'd ... past Matthew Beans ... to Alvin Motherhead of parish and county afsd. 1 Dec. 1725 for 6,000 lbs. tobacco.
Signed Thomas Sims, Rebecca (X) Sims
Richmond Co., Va. DB 8-679. Their final land sale in Richmond Co. was made 4 March 1733 when Thomas Sims of Lunenburg Parish, Richmond Co., sold to William Jordan of same parish and county 160 current money of Virginia 100 A. of land in parish and county afsd" which said one hundred acres of Land be the same more or less William Sims Father of the said Thomas Late of the county afsd Decd formerly purchased of John Doyle and by his last Will and Testament among sundry other legacies gave and devised to said son Thomas by the said Will (bearing the date twenty eighth day of Apr. one thousand seven hundred and sixteen).
(Signed) Thos. Sims, Wit: Alvin Mountjoy, John Naylor, Edm. Collinsworth. Recorded the same day. "Apparently in preparation for removal of Thomas and Rebecca Sims to a tract on the Rapidan River then in Spotsylvania County, for the lease of land by Alexander Spotswood to Thomas and Rebecca Sims 23 Oct. 1734 stated that they already had been settled one year on said tract, which was on the south side of the river. The terms leased to Thomas Sims, planter, 108 acres in St. Mark's parish, Spotsylvania County, part of 40,000 acres granted to Spotswood, called the Spotswood Tract, and excepted minerals and quarries. The lease was to "Thomas Sims and his assignees for and during the natural lives of Rebecca, the wife, and Thomas ye son of Thomas, Senior, for and during the natural life and lives of the longest liver of them, yielding and paying therefore yearly and every year the first four years ... on the 25th of December, one ear of Indian corn and every year after the expiration of the said first years 62 pounds weight of good sound marketable top tobacco ... delivering at a convenient landing in the County of Spotsylvania." Spots Co. DB C (1734-1742)
The terms of the lease also required them to plant within four years 300 fruit trees ( one third, apple trees); the orchard was to be fenced in; all buildings and fences were to be kept in good repair. Thomas Sims was also to provide one laboring hand for making the water aim or race on any grist mill which Spotswood, his heirs or assigns desired it also provided that if Rebecca or Thomas Jr. should die before Dec. 1775 or before Thomas Sims Sr., the latter or his assigns could choose the person or persons to take their place. Date of record: 5 Nov. 1734. Wits: John Grame, John Pettey & William (X) Morton, Others leasing land the same day from Spotswood included James Jones Sr., Thomas and James Jones, sons (200a), Thomas Petty, wf Katherine and son Christopher (100 A), William, Jeremiah and Elija Morton (200 A) all on S. side of Rapidan, and John Petty, wife Rebecca and son Thomas (100 A) on N. side of Rapidan River.
Crozier's Spotsylvania Records, pp. 136,7.
He married Rebecca PETTY - 358, daughter of Thomas PETTY - 359 & Catherine GARTON - 360, Before Nov. 30, 1725. Born 1705 in Sittenboirne Parish, Richmond Co., Va. Residence in Culpeper co., Va. Died in before 1784. They had the following children
Thomas J. SIMS
William SIMS
James SIMS
Elijah SIMS
Amy Sims
Sarah SIMS
Jeremiah SIMS
Zachariah SIMS
Anne SIMS
Richard SIMS
John SIMS
Eighth Generation of Symes/ Simms/ Sims Family
51. ZACHARIAH SIMS. Born 1738 in Culpeper Co., Va. Died 1789 in Laurens Co., SC.
Research: From the notes of Albert Simms........
Zachariah Sims, son of Thomas & Rebecca Sims, m. Elizabeth Graves (1755-1839) dau. of Thomas and (Elizabeth per Ken Graves) Graves of Culpeper Co., Va. ca 1775. (Charles Hughes Hamlin chart in Va. Hist. So. Lib ViH Mss 6:2G7887:1 Graves, Petty, Sims, Newbury, Clement Ancestral Chart, 1959.
At this point, enters the Graves family.
Web-page created 8/7/04