| Father | William Symes (b. 1640, d. 17 February 1726) |
| Mother | Mary Sherwood (b. 1645, d. 1687) |
| Son | Thomas Sims+ (b. 1702, d. 21 April 1784) |
| Pedigree Chart | |
| Included in charts - lists | Carol Gilstrap Ancestors |
| Relationship | 8th great-grandfather of Carol Jay Gilstrap 10th great-grandfather of Isaac Silas Vaughn 10th great-grandfather of Katherine Gilstrap Scott 10th great-grandfather of Joseph Ryland Scott 10th great-grandfather of Charles Parker ("Parker") Scott 10th great-grandfather of Orly Marie Vaughn 10th great-grandfather of Avital Catherine Vaughn |
| Anecdote | William Symes (1658-1716) William (Sims) Symes, Jr. was born around 1658 in Somerset, England shortly before his family left for Antigua. He most likely grew up on the island and then moved to Virginia when his father went there in 1698. His wife was Amy Clark. Due to the lack of documentation it is unknown exactly when and where they married. It was probably around 1690 before William left Antigua for Virginia. The earliest known information that we have on William Symes of Richmond County, Virginia is a time when he sold a piece of land in 1707. The second documented evidence of William occurred 3 days later when he and his wife Amy Clark witnessed the will of her father Robert in Richmond County, Va. I have been unable to put together a coherent picture of how much land William owned but the fact that legal records refer to him as a planter indicates that he was a man of some means. Interesting tidbits from William’s life indicate that he was a friend of the court and also perhaps an enemy. In 1711 he was paid 600 lbs of tobacco by the court for finding a source of cool spring water for it. Also in 1711 he was charged with breaking Richard Clathermike out of prison and was fined 1000 lbs of tobacco. William had at least 1 boy and 2 girls, though we know nothing of the girls. William lived from about 1660 until 1716. (565414. ged FTW) William was the son of William and Mary Sims of New Kent County. This is the weak link in the chain, and is supported largely by circumstantial evidence. In 1711 William Jr. filed a deed in Richmond County, granting a large piece of land to Mathew Beane, his son in law. Mathew was married to Mary Simms in 1710. This deed indicates then that William had children born about 1690. He mentioned another Son in Law Thomas Scott in the same deed. Thomas Sims was evidently the baby in the family. In that same deed Thomas Paty was a witness, fully 10 years prior to his daughter being married to Thomas Simms. William Jr. was then born about 1668. William Sims Sr. by all accounts was married about 1665 and had sons Thomas, William, Richard, and a daughter Amy or Anne whose christening was entered in the minutes of St. Peter's Church in New Kent County. William Sr.'s sister Elizabeth Langdon, referred to Amy, daughter of her brother William in her will, and Richard Sims, of Lewisham in Kent, referred to the sons of his brother William as Thomas, William, and Richard. Richard of Lewisham was mistaken in his will in 1723, and referred to his brother William as deceased, and to William's son William as living, when it was just the other way around. 1658. Cochran, p. 4, citing "his genealogy" by Henry Upson Sims of Birmingham, AL, former president of the American Bar Assn. H.U.S. apparently had noted that a William Symes was brought to Virginia in 1658, apparently citing p. 268 of Nell M. Nugent's Cavaliers and Pioneers. Kay Edwards (25 July 1994) says the H.U.S. genealogy is titled Genealogy of the Sims Family, and that it is described as about the immigrant Benjamin Sims (1580-1635) who emigrated to James City, VA, before 1635. 3 Feb 1705/06. It doesn't appear that William was given any of his father's land as he first appears in the records of Richmond County (on the east side of the Rappahannock River in north-eastern Virginia) in 1705/6 when on 3 February he conveyed to Cornelius Edmond, carpenter, about 100 acres a mile from the Rappahannock River, part of a tract formerly belonging to Major John Wiere; consideration 4000 lbs. of tobacco; John Hanson and Sam'l Godwin, witness. The following day Amy Simms, wife of William personally appeared and released right of dower. 6 Feb 1707/08. William Sims and his wife, Amy witnessed the will of Robert Clark 6 February 1707 in Richmond County, Virginia. Three days previously William Sims, planter, had conveyed to Cornelius Edmond, carpenter, both of Sittenbourne Parish, Richmond Co., Virginia, 100 acres about a mile from the Rappahannock River, part of a tract formerly belonging to Major John Weire; consideration 4000 lbs of tobacco; John Hanson and Sam'l Godwin Wits. The following day "Amy Simms wife of Wm personally appeared and released right of dower." (Richmond County, Virginia Records - DB 4-134a, 135) 1 Feb 1708/09. John Doyle sold to William Simms, both planters of Sittenbourn Parish, for 4500 lbs tobacco 100 acres, part of tract of 500 acres purchased by Lawrence Barker of Richard Wharton "between the land of the sd Simms and the dwelling plantation of the sd Lawrence Barker." Wits: Jos Belfield, Sam'l Godwin. Mary Doyle relinquished her right of Dower. (Richmond Co., Virginia Records DB 5-14,15.) 6 Dec 1710. William Simms "for diverse good causes & Considerations" conveyed to John Knight both of Sittenbourne Parish and Richmond County forty acres, the line "starting near Richmond Court House ... in Barber's line" ... "for & during his natural lifeand after his decease to his wife Mary Knight and after the severall deceases of the said John and Mary ... or the survivor or survivors of them during the term of their natural lives." Dated 6 December 1710; witnessed by George ?, Jno Keley, Thos. Dickinson; and Amy wife of sd Wm Sims appeared in court same day and relinquished her right of dower. No mention of consideration. (Richmond County, Virginia Records DB 5-275. Anne, wf of John Knight, releases dower rights in DB 7-64 on 1 June 1715.) 3 May 1711. A Richmond County court record of interest five years preceding Wim Sims' death: "FINES - page 94. p. 3 - At a court held 3 May 1711. present Gent. Justices Samuel Peachey Charles Barber Alexander Donaphew William Woodbridge John Tarpley William Thornton Downing, etc., fined "George Downing, William Seale and William Sims being by order brought before this Court to answer to what should be objected against them relating to the breaking open the Prison of this County and Rich'd Clathermike making his escape from thence; on Hoyton in this behalfe, and the said George Downing, William Serle and William Sims being seperately examined and offering nothing materall in barr of what was laid to their charge in this matter are of opinion that they are guilty of the fact aforesaid; It is therefore ordered that they be each fined one thousand pounds of tobacco to Our Sovereign Lady, the Queen, and that each of them give good and sufficient security for their good behavior one year." p 3, Geo. Downing with Henry Berry bound in L 10 sterling to keep the peace p 4, William Seale with William Berry bound as above p 4, William Sims with Thomas Dickenson bound as above." (Orange County Virginia Families, Vol III William Everett Brockman, compiler, Minneapolis, Minnesota, c 1959, p 74 & Fleet's Richmond County Virginia - Vol 17-94.) 6 Jun 1711. "Ordered that William Simms be paid by the county the sume of 600 lbs of tobacco, it being in consideration of his finding good cool spring water at courts for one whole year for the life of the justices and other persons obliged to attend there." (Richmond County, Virginia Records Order Book p 5.) 1711. William Jr. filed a deed in Richmond County, granting a large piece of land to Mathew Beane, his son in law. 1711. William Simms was a witness in 1711 to "Indenture bet. Mary Clayton formerly Mary Butler of Sittenbourne Parish, Richmond County - binding dau. Fogg as apprentice & servant to Henry & Martha Ravenall. (Fleet's Richmons Co., Va Records Vol 17-34.) 1 Feb 1714/15. William Sims of Sittenbourne Parish ... "For and in Consideration of the Love and Affestion I have and bear unto my Son in Law Matthew Beane of the Parish and County afore'd and more...consideration 5 sh ... tract of land I now hold in sd parish and county ... part of a greater parcel which I now hold out of a Patent formerly granted Thomas Hobson for 500 A. dated 26 June 1663 ... bounded ... dividing Land whereon Barrows Church now stands from ye Land of me the sd Simes ... to Lilley's Spring ... to outside line of Patent often called and known by by the name of Cloathworkers line ... after his decease to Mary now wife of ye sd Matthew during her natural life in the like order ... and if they have a child living, I give the above mentioned land to sd child during its Natural life at their decease ... and after all their deceases of the Longest Liver of the three then I give sd Land to my Son in Law Thomas Scott his heirs ... .for want of heirs of his body Land to return to my next heirs at Law. (Signed ) William (X) Sims Signed ... 1st Feb 1714/1715 in presence of Wm Browne, Thomas T. Paty. (no wife relinquished her dower) Acknowledged in Ct 2 Feb 1714by William Sims & recorded. (Richmond Co., Va Wills & Inventories, 1709-1717, p 279. Sett.: 1719, p111.) | |
| Birth | 1665 | William Symes was born in 1665 in Somerset, EnglandBGO. |
| Marriage | 1701 | He and Amy Clark were married in 1701 in Richmond, Richmond (city), Virginia, United StatesBGO. |
| Death | 1716 | He died in 1716 at age ~51 in Sittenburne Parish, Richmond, Virginia, United StatesBG. |
| Last Edited | 13 April 2017 |