Shawnee County KS Archives Biographies.....Sims, William 1831 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com September 27, 2006, 3:01 am Author: James L. King (1905) MAJ. WILLIAM SIMS. MAJ. WILLIAM SIMS, president of the First National Bank, of Topeka, financier, capitalist, statesman, soldier and agriculturist, has had a life of more than usual interest and occupies a position of prominence and honor in the capital city. He was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, May 22, 1831, and is a son of Mahlon and Maria Sims. Major Sims comes of French-Irish ancestry. His parents were farmers of comfortable estate in Ohio and he grew up on a farm, becoming so thoroughly interested in agriculture that he has been a farmer to greater or less degree all his life. In his native county he attended the common schools and at the opening of the Civil War was one of the prosperous young farmers of his locality. In March, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company G, 32nd Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., and was promoted to a sergeancy. He was then detailed by the Governor as a recruiting officer, and, while so engaged, his regiment was captured at Harper's Ferry. He reported to Governor Todd that he had 40 men. With these as a nucleus he raised a full company, which became Company A, Ninth Reg., Ohio Vol. Cav. Upon the organization of the 1st battalion of the regiment, he became captain of his company. A year later he was promoted to the rank of major and served as such until he resigned on account of disability. His military record reflected credit upon his loyalty and faithfulness as soldier, both as private and as officer. He is a valued member of Lincoln Post, No. 1, Grand Army of the Republic, of Topeka. In the spring of 1868, Major Sims removed with his family to De Witt County, Illinois, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits for four years, and then, in the spring of 1872, he came to Shawnee County, Kansas. He settled on a farm in Mission township, Indian reservation land, where there had been scarcely any improvement and where very few settlers had yet located. Topeka, seven miles away, seemed much farther on account of the unimproved condition of the country, no system of good roads at that time having been established. Major Sims converted this into a beautiful rural home and a valuable farm, combining fruit-growing with stock-raising, always making a feature of the latter industry. About 1884 Major Sims became a resident of Topeka, turning his farming interests over to his son, John B. Sims. He has always been active in political and public life and in 1877 he was elected to the State Senate from this district and, by appointment, filled out the unexpired term of State Treasurer James Hamilton, who resigned. In January, 1882, he was elected secretary of the State Board of Agriculture and served in that office for the succeeding six years. He served many years as master of the Kansas State Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, and has shown his interest in and sympathy with agricultural affairs all over the State. As president of one of the largest and most substantial financial institutions of Kansas, he has also become favorably known for his careful, conservative management. Major Sims was married in Muskingum County, Ohio, to Hannah A. Richey, who is a daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Jackson) Richey, old residents of Hopewell township, Muskingum County. They had two children, one of whom is deceased. John B. Sims, our subject's son, resides on the homestead and carries on the large operations in progress there. He married Josephine McCracken and they have three children: John B., Jr., Eleanor and Dorothy. Politically, Major Sims is a Republican. For 40 years he has been an Odd Fellow. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF SHAWNEE COUNTY, KANSAS AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS EDITED AND COMPILED BY JAMES L. KING TOPEKA, KANSAS "History is Philosophy Teaching by Examples" PUBLISHED BY RICHMOND & ARNOLD, GEORGE RICHMOND; C. R. ARNOLD. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, 1905. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/shawnee/bios/sims97nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ksfiles/ File size: 4.4 Kb