Sims, George W.

SIMS, HOVER, BOWMAN, KEISTER, DEAN, SEIFORD, LEONARD, SHELTON, ANGUS, HULL, SCHLEIGLE

Posted By: Volunteer Transcribers
Date: 2/14/2003 at 15:43:30

GEORGE W. SIMS

For many years the subject of this sketch was one of the leading farmers of Bloomfield township, and was a man highly respected and esteemed by all who knew him. He was born in Illinois August 6, 1835, and was the son of John and Catherine (Hover) Sims. The father, who was of Irish descent, removed to Clinton county, Iowa, in 1853, but was not long permitted to enjoy his new home as he died in December of the same year, his remains being interred in the Center Church cemetery of Jackson county. His wife was born in Pennsylvania and died in Illinois.

During his boyhood and youth George Sims attended the public and high schools of his native state and continued his residence there until about 1849 or 1850, when he came to Clinton county, Iowa, and purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Bloomfield township, which property his widow still owns. Here he successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in 1872, being laid to rest in the Union Center cemetery. In 1864 he enlisted in the Tenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry and served until the close of the war, when he was honorably discharged. He was with Sherman on his march to the sea. His political support was always given to the men and measures of the Republican party, and he never withheld his aid from any enterprise which he believed calculated to advance the interest of his township and county. He held he office of supervisor and other minor positions and did much to advance the welfare of the county.

On the 11th of November, 1853, Mr. Sims married Miss Nancy A. Bowman. Her parents were Jacob and Elizabeth (Keister) Bowman, natives of Pennsylvania and Virginia, respectively. In 1849 they started with their family from Virginia, traveling by wagon to Parkersburg, West Virginia, and by boat down the Ohio and up the Mississippi rivers to Belleview, where they resumed their journey by wagon. They at length arrived at their destination in Jackson county, Iowa, after four weeks spent upon the road, two being passed upon the water. Mr. Bowman purchased three hundred acres of partially improved land, to which he subsequently added until he had six hundred acres, and upon it made many valuable and useful improvements. He was one of the most successful and prosperous farms of his community, and was a man who commanded the respect and confidence of all with whom he came in contact either in business or social life. He died in 1881, at the ripe old age of eighty-four years, his wife in 1884, at the age of seventy-eight, and both were buried in the Union church cemetery of this county.

Mrs. Sims is one of a family of fourteen children, the others being as follows: George W., a resident of Maquoketa, Jackson county; Jacob K., a farmer of that county; Susan and Mary Frances, both deceased; one who died in infancy; Sarah, wife of F. Dean, of the state of Washington; Hannah L., wife of a Mr. Seiford, of the same state; John, Elizabeth and Cornelia, all deceased; William, a farmer of Adams county, Iowa; Benjamin F., of Jackson county; and Stephen H., a retired citizen of Maquoketa.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Sims were born the following children: (1) Eureta A. is the widow of George Leonard, and a resident of Delmar. She has seven children. (2) Eugene lives in Jackson county, Iowa. (3) Elizabeth is the wife of William Shelton, of the same county. (4) Georgia is the wife of Josiah Angus, of Jackson county. (5) Clara D. is the wife of Milton Hull, of Missouri. (6) Benjamin D. makes his home in Jackson county, this state. (7) Addie M. is the wife of Thaddeus Schleigle, of that county. Besides his farm of one hundred and sixty acres, a portion of which is in Jackson county, Mrs. Sims owns a house and two lots in Delmar, where she now makes her home. She is a most estimable lady and has a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, by whom she is held in high regard.
Source: The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.