Susan Agnes Sims (picture), my great grandmother, was born March 24, 1872 in Mississippi, according to census records and her funeral card, though no other record has been located to confirm this. She married William Jackson Canada on February 1, 1888 in Shoal Creek, Logan Co., Arkansas. Susan and William had 13 children, 12 of their own and one foster child they raised from birth. Susan died April 15, 1952 in Midland, Sebastian Co., Arkansas, and is buried next to her husband at Keota Cemetery, Haskell Co., Oklahoma. My grandfather, Everett Canada was their second son and seventh child.
John Jarrett Sims, Jr., was born February 2, 1838 in South Carolina, most probably Lancaster County. He and Eliza Ann Mullings were married March 16, 1861 in Blount Co., Alabama. The two had 14 children, Susan being the seventh child. By 1877, the couple and their children had moved to Logan Co., Arkansas. John died February 3, 1889 in Logan Co., Arkansas.
John, Jr.'s, father was John Jarrett Sims who was born about 1803 in South Carolina. My research is just beginning on this generation. John, Sr., was married to Agnes Nancy "Jane" Mackey, daughter of Thomas Mackey and Mary Ann Crenshaw. According to the records and information I've found so far, my 3rd great grandparents had eight children. In a deed dated September 27, 1853, Mary P. Sims, one of the children of this marriage, indicates that she as a 1/8 share in the property left to her mother for life by her grandfather, Thomas Mackey.
There are several texts written which include this family line but there is also much speculation as to who John, Sr.'s, parents are. My guess at this point is that Ervin Sims (b. 1775) who married Elizabeth King were my John Sr.'s parents but I have much more digging to do.
This family can also be very confusing to research because my John, Sr., had a brother also named John who at various times was called "Jack" or "Colonel". "Jack" was married to Mahala Mackey (the daughter of Charles Mackey and Lydia Isom) and served in both the War of 1812 and the Civil War, moving to Texas where he died in 1867. How Mahala and Jane Mackey were related has not been determined.
Jack's son, James Marion Sims, M.D., was a pioneer of bladder and other repair surgery in women post-childbirth. His book, "The Story of My Life," contains names of women (many who were slaves) upon whom he performed his experimental surgeries.
My Sims family were slave owners and I am compiling all the information I find during my research to add here in the hopes that it might help my African-American cousins with their research.
My Family Database at WorldConnect/Rootsweb.com
Sims Bits & Pieces
Sims in the 1850 Federal Lancaster Co., South Carolina Census
Data relating to slaves held by Sims and others (including freedmen) listed in "The Story of My Life" by James Marion Sims, M.D.
Sims Surname Links
