...has information on the family of Eliza Ellen Sims

Letha did some research on the family of Eliza Ellen Sims, wife of Edward Daniel Thomas, that might be of use to some researchers out there. She did not cite any sources on this page, but I have supplemented her information where I could, much information pulled from the West Virginia Division of Culture and History search engine for Birth, Marriage, and Death records provided by the West Virginia Archives and History, which if you have any roots in West Virginia are PRICELESS, but WV is amazing to offer them to us for FREE! Check it out here.

Eliza Ellen Sims' parents were Alexander Henry Sims and Mary Catherine Dwyer, who were married in Greenbrier County on 25 Nov 1856. Henry was born in Jul 1827 (according to the 1900 census) and Mary was born in August 1836 (1900 census), both in Greenbrier County (marriage record). The marriage record lists A. H. Sims' parents as a Jos. and Tabitha; Mary's as Moses and Nancy.

Letha lists 7 children for Henry and Mary Dwyer Sims:

1. David A, born Sep 1857 (1900 census), died  21 Jan 1944 in Rainelle, Fayette, West Virginia, buried in Sims Cemetery. David married Mary J Goddard on 6 Dec 1882 (see line 102) in Greenbrier County. Five children listed: Lula, Tennie, Amanda, William A, and Henry Samuel.
2. Virginia Rose, born 7 Jun 1860 (she is 20 years old in the 1880 census still living with her parents), died 5 Dec 1925 (both dates are listed on her death certificate), married John H Hutch Hodge on 12 Jan 1888 in Fayette County, WV by Alfred McClelland, this being John's second marriage. Virginia and John had one daughter, Kate Bullar Hodge born 4 Feb 1896 (also here). John was married first on 19 Dec 1883 to Joanna C McClung. John and Joanna had two known sons; Ruffus R born 25 May 1885 and Henry C born 10 Oct 1886 . Joanna died from after soon after giving birth to Henry, the death was recorded as simply Dec 1886, the cause listed as child birth, her parents are listed as William W and Harriet McClung. Some trees on Ancestry.com give Joanna's death date as 22 Oct 1886 but with no sources.
3. Tennie A, born 26 Feb 1865, died 19 Nov 1945 in Oak Hill, Fayette County, West Virginia. Her death certificate states that she was born 26 Feb 1865 in Maywood, Fayette County to Alexander Simms (born in Blue Sulphur, Greenbrier County) and Mary Catharine Dwyer (born in Bushy, Greenbrier County). Her cause of death is listed as Metostatic Carcinoma of the Abdominal Cavity and cancer of the descending colon. She is listed as buried at Fayetteville Cemetery. Tennie married William A Anderson on 7 Dec 1882 in Fayette County, WV, both 21 years old. William's parents are listed as Alex and Elizabeth. Tennie and William had one known child, a daughter named Ollie born 19 Oct 1887 in Fayette County. Ollie married George T Myles (son of T. G. and Susan A., birth record) on 28 Jun 1911 in Fayette County. In the 1930 census, Ollie and George (and their two children, George b abt 1915 and Frances b abt 1920) are living with a widowed Tenie.
4. Eliza Ellen - more on her here.
5. Nancy J "Nannie/Maggie", born 7 Oct 1871 in Big Sewell, Fayette County, WV. Letha has no death date for her. She married Lincoln McClung on 23 Nov 1893 in Fayette County, WV. Lincoln was born in Putnam County to Francis M and Susan M McClung. They had two known children: Sonnie/Saunie David (27 Jan 1895 - line 110) and Mary Myrtle (7 Oct 1898 in Maywood, Fayette County, WV).
6. Ledona "Dona", born Jun 1872 (according to 1900 census) or 25 May 1875 in Rainelle, Fayette County, WV (according to her death certificate), died 18 Oct 1959 in Danese, Fayette, WV. Her cause of death was Cerebral Thrombosis due to Arteriosclerosis. Ledona married Newton Alfred Heaster on 28 Aug 1895 in Fayette County, WV. His parents are listed as Hedges and Martha. Letha lists 2 daughters for Ledona and Newton: Bettie O (30 Jan 1896 - line 123- Maywood, Fayette County, WV), and Mary Pearl (born 15 Feb 1897 - line181 - in Maywood, Fayette County, WV).
7. Sarah Elizabeth "Betty", born 30 May 1877 in Rainelle, Fayette County, WV and died 26 Jan 1955 in Meadow Bluff, Greenbrier County, WV(both dates and places according to death certificate). Cause of death listed as Coronary Thrombosis due to Coronary Arteriosclerosis. She married Charles G. Legg on 16 Nov 1903 in Fayette County, WV. Charlie is listed as 31 years old, born in Nicholas County to Charles and Harriett. They had 1 known child, Gradie Bland Legg, born 30 July 1906 in Maywood, Fayette County, WV.

... starts with the Thomas Family - John Walker Thomas

Page 2 of Letha's binder is the Family Group Sheet of John Walker Thomas, son of Archelaus Thomas and Rachel Ann Walker Baber. John is listed as being born 30 Jan 1827 in VA. His death is recorded as 17 Jan 1892, he was nearly 65.

John was married to a Nancy Miller, born 7 May 1835, died 13 Sep 1894. There is no marriage date for them listed, but a note from Letha says that "All children born at Meadow Bluff" in Greenbrier County. I did find their marriage info here on the WV Culture website, (which if you do any WV research, is PRICELESS), they applied for a marriage license on 19 Dec 1855, and were married on 20 Dec 1855 in Greenbrier County by a J.P. Etchison. John's parents are correctly listed as Arch & Rachel, Nancy's parents are Wm & Jane Miller. Nancy was 20 years old and born in Greenbrier County.

In the Information Obtained From section Letha has noted again the "Old Diary of Mary Jane Thomas Fitzgerald, shared by her daughter Susie Fitzgerald Oak Hill, WV" Mary Jane is a daughter of John Walker Thomas and Nancy Miller. Several of the following children have a notation of "(Ollie)" next to them, Ollie being a child of John Floyd Thomas and Flora Belle Callison, grandchild of John Walker Thomas and Nancy Miller.

The children of John Walker Thomas and Nancy Miller:

1. Martha Estaline (Infant), b 21 Mar 1857 or 8 Apr 1857 (Ollie) d 30 Aug 1857
2. Wm Alexander M. (Infant), b 21 Apr 1858 or 21 Mar 1858 (Ollie) d 8 Aug 1858
3. Mary Jane Brown, b 23 Apr 1859 d 11 Oct 1938, married Geo. W. Fitzgerald, children listed: Robert Lee, Susie, Bessie. "See back" notation: "Mary Jane md Geo. W. Fitzgerald, b 13 Mar 1834; Robert Lee b 11 Sep 1897 at Springdale (WV) d 9 Jul 192, md Barbara Williams, d 1 Jun 1956, 6 girls; Susie b 5 Jan 1898 Meadow Bluff, d 14 Nov 1994 Oak Hill (WV); Bessie b 4 Oct 1901 d 29 May 1990 Oak Hill."
4. Elizabeth Nettie, b 8 Mar 1861 d Feb 1906, married Jake Milner, children: Charles and Howard.
5. Fannie Ann, b 13 Apr 1863 d 9 Feb 1874 at 11 years old.
6. John Floyd, b 27 Jun 1865d 1 Jan 1944 in Seoul Chapel, married Flora Belle Callison 12 mar 1896 in Greenbrier County, WV, children: Ollie, Ray, and Russ.
7. Lydia Alice, b 28 Apr 1868 d 31 Dec 1894 at age 26.
8. Robert Lee, b 19 Apr 1869 d 1 Dec 1921, never married.
9. Augustus "Gus" Samuel, b 25 Sep 1871 d 30 Apr 1950, married to Lula Deene. children: Myrtle, Lacy, Baby Boy; "see back" notation: Gus' daughter Myrtle married Lacy Moody, Myrtle died of a stroke Dec 1988; Gus' son Lacy md Ava ___, had a son Lacy Jr.
10. Edward Smith, b 5 Jul 1874 or 1 Jul 1874 (Ollie) d 28 Feb 1936, married Sarah Bell Evans 10 Apr 1910 in Kingwood, WV, children: Frank, Fred, Helen Rae, Olive.
11.  Lulie Mackie, b 10 Jun 1877 d 22 Aug 1964, married Walter Cae Hamilton (d 21 Jun 1941), no children.
12. Joseph Lemon "Joe", b 23 Jan 1880 d 29 Nov 1937, married to Myrtle Steven (?) who died 26 Apr 1952.

Also on the back of this group sheet is the following entry recorded by Letha:

John Walker Thomas died when his wagon was crowded to the edge of (the) road. He had some barrels of salt he'd gotten at Sandstone for someone where he lived. When the wagon tilted the barrels slid to the side and took the wagon and horses and all over the cliff above a creek. I saw the place where it happened. The road is very narrow and a team of oxens tried to pass him, he should have gotten off but didn't. They carried him to a house across the creek, a family of Hollands lived there. (As written by Susie Fitzgerald, granddaughter)

Are you connected to this family? Do you know who currently has Mary Jane's "Old Diary" (I'd love to see it!). Do you have any pictures of this family? Contact me!