Prairie County ArArchives Biographies.....Sims, J. F. 
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Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 June 19, 2009, 9:59 am

Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922)

J. F. SIMS.
    J. F. Sims, president of the New Bank of Hazen and also identified with the
business interests of the city as a merchant, has likewise figured in public
affairs and has filled the office of sheriff of Prairie county. Thus he has led
a busy, useful and active-life, contributing to the progress and upbuilding of
the district in which he makes his home. Mr. Sims is a native of Missouri, his
birth having occurred in Mexico, that state, in 1878, his parents being John and
Melinda (Crockett) Sims. Thirty-four years ago his parents moved to Hazen and
his father is still a prominent factor in the business circles of this city,
where he has for more than a third of a century taken active part in promoting
the upbuilding and advancing the civic interests of the community. With the
removal of the family to Hazen, J. F. Sims became a pupil in the public schools
here and when his textbooks were put aside he entered upon the live stock
business and likewise engaged in the shipment of hay. Since his early start in
the business world he has constantly enlarged and developed his business
activities and his enterprises have been forceful factors in the growth and
substantial improvement of this section of the state. He early devoted acreage
to rice cultivation, being among the first in this section to grow rice,
planting one hundred and fifty acres to that crop the first year that rice was
produced in this part of the state. He now has eighteen hundred acres of good
rice land and he also owns other lands. He turned his attention to merchandising
at La Grue, Arkansas, there remaining until his election to the office of
sheriff, when he removed to Hazen to enter upon the duties of that position, in
which he served by reelection for two terms. He is now president of the New Bank
of Hazen, in which he has previously been a director and he gives much of his
time to the executive control of the bank, which has become recognized as one of
the strong financial institutions of Prairie county. He also owns one of the
largest mercantile establishments here and in all of his undertakings is very
successful, owing to his close application, his thoroughness and his progressive
spirit. His plans are always carefully formed and promptly executed, so that he
never fails to reach his objective in any business transaction.

    Mr. Sims was united in marriage to Miss Maggie Johnson, a daughter of Lee
Johnson, and they have become parents of five children: Annabelle, Bessie Grace,
Blanche, J. T, and I. T.

    During the World war Mr. Sims was chairman of the exemption board and did
everything in his power to uphold the interests of the government and promote
those activities constituting a basis for the success of the American and allied
forces. Fraternally he is prominently known, having membership with the Masons,
the Odd Fellows, the Elks, the Woodmen of the World and the Modern Woodmen of
America. He is loyal to the teachings and purposes of these different orders and
his life has been actuated by a progressive spirit, which has made him a valued
representative of these different organizations and made him a prominent and
forceful factor in business circles. In politics, too, he has exercised
considerable influence and in office he proved a most capable and faithful
official but his ambition has been rather in the field of business progression
than of office holding. Watchful of all the opportunities pointing to success,
he has wisely used his time and talents in the control of his business affairs
and as banker, merchant and planter is today widely known and highly honored.


Additional Comments:
Citation:
Centennial History of Arkansas
Volume II
Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1922


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