SIMMS.
William Simms lived in the northeast part of the county,
on the waters of Priddy's Creek and Blue Run. The first
mention of his name occurs in 1779, when he bought land in
that neighborhood from Josiah Bush. He was Captain of a
militia company in the war of the Revolution. He built one
of the first mills on Priddy's Creek, and for many years it
was a noted point in that vicinity. He died in 1797. He
and his wife Agatha had nine daughters and two sons, Mary,
the wife of John During, Elizabeth, the wife of John McCann,
Lucy, the wife of John Dalton, Joanna, the wife of James
Ownsley, Ann, the wife of Samuel Brockman, Nancy, the
wife of Ambrose Brockman, Agatha, the wife of William
Catterton, Frances, the wife of Richard Flint, Rosamond,
the wife of Joseph Williams, Richard and John. James
Simms, who lived in the same section, was probably a
brother of William, certainly the guardian of his younger
children. He was twice married, first to Mildred, daughter
of Richard Durrett, and secondly to Lucy, daughter of James
Early. He had two sons, Richard D. and Isaac.
Richard D. married Elizabeth, daughter of David Clarkson,
and his children were Eliza, the wife of Edward Wingfield,
Jane, the wife of Tandy Brockman, Cornelia, the wife of
Rev. Robert Watts, and Lucy Ann, the wife of James D.
Watts, and William J. His home was near the mouth of
Priddy's Creek, and he died in 1862. Isaac lived in the Buck
Mountain district, and died in 1836. His wife was Nancy
Catterton, and his children Mary, the wife of William Blackwell,
Eliza, the wife of Logan Maupin, Permelia, the wife of
Samuel Crawford, of the Valley, Agnes, the wife of John D.
Carr, Julia and Richard D.
John Sims lived in the Buck Mountain neighborhood, and
died in 1798. His wife's name was Mary, and his children
John, Francis, Nathaniel, and a daughter, who was the wife
of Ison Walton.
