James H. Sims was born in 1817 and married Mary Elizabeth Winn, born in 1825. They moved from middle Tennessee before the Civil War and located in Marion County on land now owned by Tom Avey. They were the parents of: George Washington, who married Elizabeth Coker; William Argile, whose wife was Mrs. Mary Jane (Ham) Watts; John P., who married Nancy Ann Rea; Mary Tennessee, who was the wife of John Watts, a Methodist minister; Nancy A., whose first husband was Newt Watts and whose second husband was George Pence; Patric, who died in childhood before the family came to Arkansas; Lee, who died at the age of 16 when some of the family were on the way to the Indian Territory -- now Oklahoma; and Margaret (Maggie) who married an Allen and after his death became the wife of William B. (Bud) Ham.
William Argile Sims (1848-1918) married Mary Jane Ham Watts (1843- 1929). Their children were: Martha Ann; James H.; Eliza; Elizabeth; Cardela; and Ardela (twins); and John M. Mary Jane Sims had two sons by her first marriage to Frank Watts, Sr. They were: Frank Watts, Jr.; and Alfred Watts. (1) Martha Ann married Robert G. Doshier. (2) James H. (1872-1905) married Hannah Morrow (1873-1904) and their children are: William Augustus, who died when a child; Lena (1898), who married Bliss Dallas (1898). Their children are Mary Elizabeth, John and Phyllis, who married John Devine. The third child was Cleo, born in 1900. She married Cleve Hudson. Basil Sims, the fourth child of James and Hannah, was born in 1902 and met his death in an airplane accident.(3) Eliza married Tom Doshier. (4) Elizabeth married William T. Melton. (5) Cardela (1879-1959) married George Alexander (1872-1913) and their children were: Arvel Alexander (1897), who married Izoria Bagwell (1896); Velma (1899), the wife of Harold S. Gaw (1901); Nellie (1901); Bessie (1905-1957); and John (1907- 1960). John was married, but his wife's name is not known. (5) Ardela (1879-1946) married Tom Norman (1876-1949). Their children were: Eula (1901), who married Bryce Martin (1900); Nettie (1906), wife of Orval Dodd; Neville (1909), who married Jack Whitsett; and Walter (1912), who married Omastene Griffeth. The Normans were grandparents of several children. (6) John N. Sims (1883), who died before 1972, married Marie Wendt (1893). Marie died in the early 1960's. Their children are: Maxine (1921) and Cathleen (1922). Maxine married Robert M. Wilson. They are the parents of four or more children and live in California. Cathleen and her husband, Robert Singleton, live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They have no children.
John P. Sims (1856-1912) married Nancy Ann Rea (1858-1933). They were the parents of: Mary Ella, the wife of George Henry Williams; Watson C., who married Nellie Smith, who, after the death of Watson C., became the wife of Quincy Adams; William Pierce, who married Jessie Letcher; George Thomas, whose wife is Anna Maude Doshier; Audrie Elizabeth and John Bascum, both of whom died early; Augustus Winfield, who married Donnie Smith, and Orphea Eunice, who married Nathan Gip Carson.
George Thomas Sims (known as Torn) and his wife, Maude Doshier Sims, are the parents of two children: William Bryan and Reta Mae.
Augustus Winfield Sims and wife Connie were the parents of three sons: Charles Lowell, who married Louise Alger and their children are John E. and Sue A.; Augustus Verne, who married Dorothy Allen. They have one child, Carrol. John Wendel, who married Irene Johnson and they have five children: Lillian and Irene (twins); John W., Jr.; Dorthy; and Francis.
Orphea Eunice Sims married Nathan Gipson Carson. Their children are: Aletha, wife of Harvey Francis Lehman. They have a daughter, Loretta June, whose first husband was William Charles Lieb. The name of the second husband is unknown. The other child of Orphea and Gip Carson is Richard Gipson, whose wife was Glennalee Brown. Their children are: Richard Lee and Christy Lynn.
Reprinted with permission from History of Marion County edited by Earl Berry, copyright 1977.