Rev. Alfred Cuthbert Sims

Notes:

In A.C. Sims' memoirs of the Civil War, he tells that he joined up with General Hood's Texas Regiment in Georgia after the death of this twin brother, Hub in Arkansas. His elder brother, Tom, was an officer in the Confederate Army. A.C. suffered much illness during the period he was in Georgia. Upon the end of the fighting, he returned home to East Texas where he was a teacher and later a Baptist Minister.

He first married Rachell Segrest, and on the 1870 Tyler County census, they were living in the home of Rachell's father, Jacob Segrist. About 3 months after the birth of Apless Arabella, Rachell died, leaving A.C. with 5 children under the age of 10. He later married Fannie Allen, and they had 5 more children.

His last will and testament was very simple:

State of Texas Jasper, Jasper County 21 January 1903

To all whom it may concern: Know by these prescence that it is my will that my beloved wife F.A. Sims after my decease shall retain full possession of all that is called mine as a means of support until her death provided, however, she remains single. In the event that she should marry again or die, all properties in anywise belonging to me be equally divided between my ten children. Written with mine own hand this 21 day of January A.D. 1903.

A.C. Sims

(The foregoing information is courtesy of Candie Sims. A. C. Sims's full memoirs of the Civil War, orginally published inthe JASPER NEWS BOY on May 17, 1911, can be found on Candie's website: http://CandiesTree.webjump.com/ )

Alfred married Rachell Laura Arabella Segrest on 8 Dec 1869 in Tyler County, Texas. Rachell (daughter of Jacob Segrest, Jr. and Martha L. Day) was born about 1851 in Alabama; died between 1880 and 1881. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Jacob Francis Sims was born about 1870 in Texas; and died.
2. Lora Ellen Sims was born about 1872 in Texas; and died.
3. James Russell Sims was born on 16 Oct 1873 in Texas; died on 17 Mar 1940 in Kirbyville, Jasper County, Texas.
4. Stephen Day Sims was born on 7 Mar 1878 in Woodville, Tyler County, Texas; died on 10 May 1938 in Jasper, Jasper County, Texas; was buried in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas.
5. Applis Arabella "Bell" Sims was born on 16 Oct 1880 in Woodville, Tyler County, Texas; died on 12 Jan 1958 in Jasper, Jasper County, Texas; was buried in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas.

Alfred married Francis Amanda Allen on 15 Sep 1884. Francis (daughter of John M. Allen and Ann Thyrxa/Thriza Thomason) was born on 1 Sep 1853 in Jasper County, Texas; died on 1 Dec 1933 in Jasper County, Texas; was buried in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
In August, 1884, A.C. Sims wrote this letter to Miss Fannie Allen, a maiden woman of 31 years. They were married in September.

Beech Grove Jasper County, Texas August 8th, 1884

Miss Fannie Allen,

I trust that you will forgive my presumption in thus addressing you without first having obtained your permission to do so. Though I am a stranger to you, yet your bright smiles haunt me still so that you no longer seem as a stranger to me, and I cannot forbear the temptations longer that I have to make known to you some of my thoughts, affections and wishes, and fearing lest I should not have such an opportunity as I would desire to express my sentiments, were I to visit you, I have concluded to adopt this medium of expression. Affection is sometimes of slow growth and again it springs up in a moment and I hope you will pardon me for confessing the truth by declaring to you my love for you at first sight and you will not, I trust, think it so strange of it when you shall learn of the favorable reports which I have received of you which taken in connection with your personal beauty I think sifficient cause to engage the affections of even the most fastidious.

I of course cannot hope to have made so favorable an impression on your mind on so short an acquantance but I do not know what is in your heart or what might be hereafter and I therefore desire to give expression of my feelings and learn my fate before it is too late. I wish that you may therefore after serious consideration of this letter to inform me whether or not I shall cherish this feeling or shall I smother it at once. I fully believe that when two like hearts meet that it is no difficult taks for them to determine that fact and I cannot help entertaining a hope that you are one that I am in search of and in futher testimony there of I will relate to you a strange circumstance. Before arriving at your house last Sunday, I asked a sign of the Lord that if either of the three ladies that were there should be the one that she might show it by asking me if I had not been to dinner. I hope that the answer is from the Lord and that he may awaken in your bosom the same feeling that I now experience for you. If you should see fit to answer this letter direct it to me at Town Bluff, Texas. If you should wish to send it by hand you need not be afraid to deposit it with your Cousin Dug as she is aware that I have written this to you but no one else,

Respectfully,

A.C. Sims

(Courtesy of Candie Ann Marie Sims)

The 1900 Census showed they had been married 16 years, and that she was the mother of 5 children, all living.

1. Mary "Matie" Frances Sims was born on 6 Jul 1886 in Jasper County, Texas; died on 1 May 1932 in Jasper, Jasper County, Texas; was buried in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas.
2. William Allen Sims was born in Jun 1887 in Jasper County, Texas; and died.
3. Albert Cuthbert Sims was born on 17 Jan 1889 in Jasper County, Texas; died on 6 Aug 1960 in Jasper County, Texas; was buried in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas.
4. Nancy "Nannie" Octavene Sims was born on 29 Feb 1892 in Jasper County, Texas; died on 15 Mar 1965 in Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas; was buried in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas.
5. Kate Elizabeth Sims was born in Dec 1893 in Jasper County, Texas; died on 28 Feb 1978 in Jasper County, Texas; was buried in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas.

Notes:

He was said to be the son of Mann SIMS and Margaret McGRUDER. His first wife was an ANN, and they were said to be the parents of John, Frances Evelyn, Augustus "Gus", Martha and one other female.

John married Apoles Sanderson Foster. Apoles was born on 8 May 1812 in Wilkes County, Georgia; died on 18 Feb 1877 in Tyler County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Buried at the Hopewell Cemetery.