Pariss Sims of Campbellsville

Not the same as Parish Sims

Pariss "Parish" Sims

• aka Symes
• Born about 1750 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland
• Died 1833 in Campbellsville, Giles, Tennessee, United States
• Parents unknown
• Husband of Keziah (Royster) Sims — married 1782 in Granville, N. C
• Father of Robert Sims, Sally (Sims) Rutledge, Patsy Sims, Abraham Sims, Mathew Sims, Martin Edward Sims, John Sims, William Sims and Judith Sims

Disambiguation

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Sims-3961

(A tombstone to Pariss Sims and his wife in Campbellsville Cemetery in Giles County, Tennessee, places Pariss's birthdate as precisely 1750, but this memorial was erected by family in 1974, and presumably relies on family tradition. [3])

(For Parish Sims, b. Patrick County, Virginia; d. Sims Settlement, Limestone County, Alabama; see https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Sims-5124 (son of Bartlett Sims and Elizabeth Parrish)

Family

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30037590/keziah-sims

Much of what we know about Keziah Royster comes for the book, "The Pariss Sims Family and Related Families 1765-1965," written by my grandfather, Almon J. Sims.

This source cites a letter written by Keziah's grandson, Martin W. Sims, in 1905 to Mrs. Hallie Royster, Raleigh, N.C. "I cannot go beyond my grandfather and grandmother...my father was the third son and fifth child of Parish (Pariss) Sims and his wife Keziah..."

"Records of the Royster family of Granville County, N.C. in the book, "Lost Tribes of North Carolina," simply stated that, "Parish (Pariss) Sims married Keziah..."

This source gives the date of their marriage as 1782 in Granville County, N.C.

"Paris and Keziah Royster Sims were the parents of nine children, six boys and three daughters, all born in Stokes County (now Forsyth Co.) North Carolina."

These children are:

1. - Robert
2. - Sally or possibly Sarah - m. William Rutledge
3. - Patsy - unmarried
4. - Abraham
5. - Martin
6. - Matthew
7. - John
8. - William
9. - Judith - m. Joseph Brownlow

This family plodded along behind slow moving, ox-drawn wagons from North Carolina to arrive in what is now called Giles County in the early fall of 1807. The establishment of this settlement and others is documented in an "Early History of Giles County," written by James McCullum in 1876. It states, "John, Joel and William Rutledge and Andrew Blythe and Parrish (Pariss) Simms (Sims) settled on the Middle Prong of Lynn Creek in the fall of 1807."

Her husband, Pariss Sims, can be found in the DAR registry with alternate spellings of Symmes and Simms. His DAR is #530021.

Pariss and Keziah Royster Sims rest near their daughter, Judith Sims Brownlow and her husband, Joseph Brownlow. The resting places of most of their children remain unknown, but their names and the names of their descendants are recorded for time to come in my grandfather's book. It is available on the web. Enjoy

- compiled by Gaynelle Hobt Morton - Oct 2017 - revised March 2019 - revised Oct 2019

Biography

May have been of Irish descent.

PARISH (PARISS) SIMS, buried Campbellsville Cem., Giles County, Tennessee (Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots, Daughters of the American Revolution).

Parish SIMS' given name is also found as Pariss and Paris, and his surname also found as SIMMS. Parish SIMS was on the 1812 Giles County Tax List and Parrish SIMMS on the 1820 Giles County census (1830 not yet checked). He was buried in the English Cemetery at Campbellsville, and in May 1974, a memorial was erected there that reads: "In Memory of Pariss Sims, of Ireland And North Carolina, Revolutionary War Soldier and, Pioneer Settler in Giles County, 1750 —- 1833, and His Beloved Wife Keziah Royster Sims, 1762 —- 1833."

The source for his having served in the Revolution is not known (not researched by this editor), nor likewise for his wife's name.

He may have been the Parish (X) SIMS who, on 29 Jan 1781, witnessed a Surry County, North Carolina deed for 400 acres of land on Mill Creek, waters of Townfork Creek, adjacent to James MARTIN, that was deeded by Moses MARTIN to William CLAYTON, the other witness, William HILL (Surry North Carolina DBB:93,94) This was probably the same individual as the Paris SIMS who is on the 1787 Surry County, North Carolina tax list of Capt. Winston's Company with 1 white 21-60 yrs, 1 white under 21 or over 60, 2 white females and no blacks. He also may have been the Parish SIMS of Henry County, Virginia who, on 14 Apr 1787, deeded to James SIMS of Henry, for 5 pds., 78 acres on the middle fork of the South Mayo, witnessed by Edmond TATUM, Eliphas SHELTON and John (X) BARROT, and signed by Parish SIMMS (Proved 12 Nov 1787, Henry County, Virginia DB3:365-66) In 1790, Bartlett, James, John, Matthew and Parris SIMS were among those on a Hawkins County voters list, and this Parris SIMS is the same who was earlier of Henry County, that part that became Patrick in 1794, based on Patrick County, Virginia DB1:44, a power of attorney dated 09 Mar 1792, recorded 13 Mar 1792, by Parish SIMS of "Hockings [Hawkins] County in the Settled Territory South of the River of Ohio" appointing Eliphaz SHELTON of Patrick "my lawful atty to transact for me... respect to my estate left by James SIMS, decd, late of Henry County," witnessed by B. STOVALL, Samuel CLARK, William MANKIN and William BANKS. Other possibly relevant records include:

Sep 1792 Patrick County, Virginia Order Book O:11. Court. George CARTER made oath that Parish SIMMS is heir at law of James SIMS [sic] deceased (Abstracts of Order Book "O" Patrick County, Virginia June 1791-August 1800, Lela C. Adams, Sherwood Forest, SHP, Easley, South Carolina, 1984 )

26 Dec 1798. Henry Virginia Grants 27:384 No. 868. Parish SIMS, heir at law to James SIMS, dec'd, 47 A on Sims Fork of Mayo River. (History of Patrick & Henry Counties, Virginia, Virginia G. & Lewis G. Pedigo, 1933, Roanoke, Virginia, GPC Reprint, Baltimore, p. 341)

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jul 6 2018, 18:35:47 UTC