 |
|
| JOHN M. SIMS, farmer, sec. 2, Green Tp., was born Sept. 26, 1845, in Greene Co., Pa., and is the son of Martin adn Eliza Jane (Mundy) Sims. Mr. Sims is descended from loyal ancestry, his great-granfather having fought in the war of the Revolution, and also in that of 1812. His father was born in the Keystone State, of English ancestry; was a farmer and millwright, and enlisted in the civil war as a soldier for the Union, finally locating in Van Buren Co., Mich., where he died, in 1876. The mother, born in County Down, Ireland, died Aug. 28, 1871. True to the patriotic instincts of his race, Mr. Sims enlisted in the war of the Rebellion to defend the flag his ancestors had fought to establish, and is teh youngest soldier recorded in this volume. He nerolled as his country's servant in the 12th W. Va. Infantry, Aug. 9, 1869, (sic) when he was 15 years, 11 months and 13 days old. He was discharged June 16, 1865, having seen much active service in the memorable engagements of the war, among them the fight at Winchester, June 14, 1863, Harper's Ferry, in July, 1864, Battle of Winchester, and of Cedar Creek, Nov. 19, 1864, at Piedmont, Stanton, Lynchburg; and when transferred to the Army of the POtomac he fought at Hatcher's Run, near Petersburg, March 29, 30, 31, 1865, and April 1, following, at Fort Grey, near Petersburg, whence his command followed Lee on the extreme left of the Army Corps until the rebel chief surrendered to the Federal authority at Appomattox, of which event Mr. Sims was an eye witness. After Lee's capitulation the forces went from Lynchburg to Richmond, where they were discharged, and were mustered out at Wheeling. Mr. Sims sustained but one injury during the entire time, receiving a gunshot wound in the left leg in a skirmish near Harper's Ferry. He was taken prisoner at the Battle of Winchester, June 14, 1863, and was held in captivity three months. At the end of that time he made his escape and rejoined his command, after passing four days and nights in the mountians almost wholly without supplies. March 25, 1866, he came to Mecosta Co., Mich., and in 1868 bought 80 acres of land in Green Tp., where he has since followed farming. He was married to Ellen E. Robins in 1867; she was born in Potter Co., Pa., and is the daughter of James G. and Olive (Slade) Robins. Of this marriage one child was born, Otis Orlando. The mother died June 28, 1868. Mr. Sims was again married in 1869, to Elizabeth, daughter of John and Amy (Clark) Kitchen, a native of Canada, born Sept. 18, 1841. Her father was born in New Jersey, and ios now living near Whitehall, Mich. Her mother was a native of New Brunswick and died in 1873. Mr. and Mrs. Sims' children are, Delbert, Anna B., Elsie M. and Viola. |