Simon Albert Sims (1865 - 1944)

Born 28 Mar 1865 in Slocum Corners, Slocum Township, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah Helen (Stout) Sims — married 1 Jan 1890 in Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States

Descendants

Died 19 Dec 1944 at age 79 in Kingston, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Craig McLaughlin [send private message]

Biography

Simon was born 28 Mar 1865 while his father was away fighting in the Civil War. He passed away on 19 Dec 1944.^[1]

Simon A. appeared as a 5-year-old in the Slocum Township household of Zura Sims for the 1870 census.^[2]

He lost both his parents in the next several years to tuberculosis--Zura in 1872 and Catherine in 1879. According to Helen Julia Sims, he was supposed to be sent to a foster home or put up for adoption, but his sisters insisted he remain with them. The Orphan's Court of Luzerne County, however, appointed Henry Fairchild to be his guardian on 07 May 1879, a little more than a week after his mother's death.

In the census the next year, Simon Simms, age 17, appeared in Forty Fort as a domestic servant for Abram Lines.^[3] Henry Lines was a close friend of his parents. He may have exaggerated his age.

S.A. Sims and Helen Stout, both of Dorrance Township, were married by Rev. E. L. Santee on New Year's Day 1890.^[4]

On 13 Apr 1900, the Wilkes-Barre Semi-Weekly Record announced their relocation to Wilkes-Barre.^[5]

In the 1900 census, Simon A., 35, born Mar 1865, and Helen S., 29, born Mar 1871, were living at 77 Beech Street in Wilkes-Barre.^[6] They had been married 11 years. The children living at home were Simon A, 9, Gladys C, 7, Nellie C, 5, Mary H, 4, and Emma B, 9 months. Helen had had six kids, of whom five are living.

In 1910 he and Helen were in Wilkes-Barre with the surviving kids, Camilla, Nellie, Hazel, Emma, Julia, Gordon, and Doris (Simon Jr. drowned in 1908).^[7] The couple reported eight births and seven surviving children. Nellie, who helped deliver her younger siblings, estimated there may have been 13 or 14 births (the twins Edna and Elsie, who may have been born after 1910, died in infancy after a neighbor ignored a quarantine sign during a pertussis outbreak, and there were reportedly three stillbirths).

By 1920 the family had moved to 1013 South Main, Hanover.^[8] Simon A was 54 and Sarah H was 46. At home were Hazel M, 23, Emma B, 20, Julia E, 16, Gordon L, 14, and Doris E, 13. Hazel was a servant for a private family and Emma was a seamstress for a ladies' tailor.

In 1930, Simon, 65, and Helen, 57, are living at 1206 S. Main St. in Hanover Township.^[9] They were 24 and 17 respectively when they married. Simon lists his father's place of birth as Illinois. Also in the household was their widowed daughter, Emma Musgrave, 31, and her two children, Claire, 6, and Helen, 3.

In 1940, Simon, 75, and Sarah, 68, were living with Emma Musgrave, 40, and her children Doris, 14 and Helen, 13.^[10]

In 1900, Simon was a "car inspecter." Simon's profession is difficult to decipher on the 1910 census form but appears to read "carpenter" and the place appears to read "house." In 1920, he was a conductor on an electric car. In 1930, he listed his profession as motorman on the streetcar. In 1940, he was a railroad watchman. His death certificate describes his usual occupation as a conductor in the transportation industry.

According to Grace Eno, he lost a leg while working on the streetcar and had a wooden leg, though it never seemed to bother him.

The address given in the 1940 census,122 N. Thomas Ave. in Kingston, was his last address according to Tanya McLaughlin and that is where he died according to the death certificate. Simon reportedly built the house himself.

The death certificate reports that he died of acute myocarditis caused by arteriosclerosis at 1:30 in the afternoon of 19 Dec 1944. The doctor who signed the death certificate attested that her attended Simon that day.

His obituary, which appeared 20 Dec 1944, stated that Simon Sims had died the previous day at home "after several weeks of general debility." ^[11] The obituary described him as having been born in Slocum and having lived in Hanover before moving to Kingston 12 years earlier. He had been an employee of the Wilkes-Barre Railway Corporation for 25 years.

The survivors were listed as "his widow, Helen; a son, Gordon Sims, La Crescenta, CA; four daughters, Mrs. Frances Meekey and Mrs. Eva Mustrava, Philadelphia; Mrs. Hudson Oakes, Rural Valley, Pa., and Mrs. Ann Ceumfer, Wright Township, and two sisters, Mrs. Edward Whitebread, Slocum, and Mrs. W. L. Siegel, Wilkes-Barre." The married names of three daughters were misspelled: Meekey should have been Meeker, Mustrava should have been Musgrave and Ceumfer should have been Cunfer.

Simon was buried at Stairville Cemetery on 22 Dec 1944. His Find A Grave memorial page lists his date of death as 18 Dec 1944, which differs from his death certificate.^[12]

Tanya remembered him as large, gruff and somewhat scary. Grace Eno remembered him as "an optimistic grandpa with a twinkle in his eye."

Children

1. Simon Albert Sims Jr., b. 12 Jun 1890, d. 2 Aug 1908 (drowned), never married
2. Gladys Camilla Sims, b. 28 Jul 1892, d. 11 Apr 1933, m. Frederick John Weidaw
3. Nellie Clair Sims, b. 29 Jun 1894, d. 20 Nov 1980, m. John Hudson Oaks
4. Mary Hazel Sims, b. 25 May 1896, d. 5 Nov 1927, m. Harry Gates
5. Emma Beatrice Sims, b. 24 Sep 1899, d. 9 Jun 1982, m. (1) Lewis Musgrave and (2) William Wilson
6. Julia Helen Sims, b. 19 Jun 1902, d. 25 Jan 1996, m. Francis Derr Meeker
7. Gordon Lester Sims, b. 29 Mar 1905, d. 18 Aug 1945, m. Edna Mae Davies
8. Doris Evelyn Sims, b. 2 Dec 1906, d. 19 May 1988, m. Simon George Cunfer

Sources

1. ↑ Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission; Harrisburg, PA; Pennsylvania (State). Death Certificates, 1906-1968; Certificate Number Range: 107751-110450. Accessed on 05 Sep 2021 at https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/5164/images/42342_2421401696_0657-01546?pId=4595320.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-67BQ-LM2?cc=1438024&wc=K59X-T38%3A518666601%2C520081801%2C520088801 : 15 June 2019), Pennsylvania > Luzerne > Slocum > image 4 of 8; citing NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," Forty Forts, Kingston, Luzerne, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1148; Page: 173A; Enumeration District: 090.
4. ↑ Marriage announcement, Wilkes Barre (Penn.) Evening Leader, 3 Jan 1890.
5. ↑ Relocation. Wilkes-Barre (PA) Semi-Weekly Record, 13 Apr 1900. Page 5.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6XY9-728?cc=1325221&wc=9BWC-SPT%3A1030550501%2C1035830201%2C1035890501 : 5 August 2014), Pennsylvania > Luzerne > ED 181 District 3 Wilkesbarre city Ward 14 > image 4 of 23; citing NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
7. ↑ 1910 United States Census; Census Place: Wilkes Barre Ward 15, Luzerne, Pennsylvania; Roll: T624_1371; Page: 15B; Enumeration District: 0163; FHL microfilm: 1375384. Accessed on 05 Sep 2021 at https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7884/images/4450036_00854?pId=24962545.
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RXV-29H?cc=1488411&wc=QZJR-WH6%3A1036473501%2C1039686901%2C1036513301%2C1589332559 : 13 September 2019), Pennsylvania > Luzerne > Hanover > ED 61 > image 41 of 66; citing NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
9. ↑ United States Census, 1930." Year: 1930; Census Place: Hanover, Luzerne, Pennsylvania; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 0062; FHL microfilm: 2341801. Accessed 05 Sep 2021 at https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6224/images/4639398_00808?pId=52821093.
10. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89MT-RWV3?cc=2000219&wc=QZX5-XVK%3A790227701%2C803442501%2C803561201%2C953760601 : accessed 5 September 2021), Pennsylvania > Luzerne > Kingston Borough, Kingston, Ward 7 > 40-154 Kingston Borough Ward 7 bounded by (N) Butler; (E) Tioga Av, Chester, Thomas Av; (S) borough limits; (W) Loveland Av, Chester, Warren Av, ward line > image 11 of 52; citing Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012.
11. ↑ The Wilkes-Barre (Penn.) Record, 20 Dec 1944, Page 6.
12. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14189658/simon-albert-sims : accessed 05 September 2021), memorial page for Simon Albert Sims (28 Mar 1865–18 Dec 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 14189658, citing Stairville Cemetery, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by EMW (contributor 46810771).