Sims-Prescott History

THE PRESCOTT FAMILY

 

Benjamin Lawton Prescott, from North Carolina, owned many enslaved Africans and moved to Screven County, GA where he owned several plantations.

 

From his group of enslaved individuals comes two significant persons for the following research, Patience Prescott (1775-1880) born in Africa, and her daughter, Rose Prescott (~1820-after 1880), born in North Carolina. Official documentation is unavailable that explains Benjamin’s impetus for establishing plantations throughout Screven, GA, but the 1850 U.S. Federal Census Slave Schedule indicates that Benjamin L. Prescott owned 30 people of color ranging from 1 to 60 years of age. As of today, there has been confirmation of one plantation, but Benj. Prescott owned several plots of land, where he had imported over fifty enslaved persons into Georgia throughout the course of his slave transportation.

 

Rose Prescott was the mother to Charlotte Prescott (1860-1949), Peggy Prescott (1845-1922) and Peter Prescott, Sr. (1842-1936), who lived to be 111 years old. In an effort to debunk misleading information regarding the father of Charlotte, no evidence clearly outlines her biological father, which at one point, it was assumed to be Peter Sr. However, based upon Peter Sr.'s death certificate, Jim Knight, also known as, James “Blackswamp” Knights (1772-1917) and Rose Prescott are the documented parents. However, at this time there is no DNA that supports J Knight as the biological father to Peter.

 

Further evidence that led to this conclusion was Peter Sr.’s obituary, which listed his living children. He had four daughters—Louise Prescott, Mattie Waters, Adeline Scott, Hattie Smith—and four sons—Bob, Tom, Paul, and Seaborn “Seab” Prescott. If Charlotte were his daughter, and she was alive during the time of his death, why would she not be listed?

 

Pender Cooper was suspected to have been Charlotte’s mother during the first phase of research, but after further studies, it is evident that if Charlotte was her daughter, Pender, born around 1842, would have given birth at 8 or 9. Although documentation for Pender fails to provide a definite year of her birth, collective data suggests that she was born anywhere from 1842 to 1850. When observing the 1870 census, in the household resides a cluster of families, including that of Patience Prescott (103 years old), Rose Prescott (50 years old), Charlotte Prescott (15 years old; notated as Charlotte Lawton), and Buck Sims (23 years old; notated as Buck Lawton).

 

THE SIMS FAMILY

 

About 122 miles from Screven co. was a farm laborer, Stephen Arnett (~1805-after 1880) and his daughter, Ann Arnett (1830-?), in Militia District 175 of Wilkes County, GA.

 

Based upon DNA, there lies a tripartite connection between the Sims, Arnett, and Walton family. The white Arnetts were a slave owning family that had settled in Screven and Wilkes Counties. They were connected to the Lawton and Prescott family through trading and familial relations, which is possibly how Pierce and Charlotte were introduced to one another. It must also be noted that Ann Arnett did not go by “Sims” on the 1870 census, but on the 1880 census is when “Ann Sims” appears as a widowed housekeeper.

 

Descending from the union of Jackson Sims (1825-1870) and Ann Arnett (1830-?) were Charles Sims (1847- 1927), Lafayette Sims (1855-unknown), Stephen Sims (1855-unknown), and Pierce “Buck” Sims (1853-1921).

 

In Screven County, GA, were two persons of significance to the Sims-Prescott connection—Pierce “Buck” Sims and Charlotte Prescott. This union produced fourteen children: Britte (1901-unknown), Eddie (1882-unknown), Ada (1884-unknown), John (1884-1949), Henry J (1886-unknown), Mamie (1887-1970), Sheppard (1888-1925), Rose “Rozzie” (1890-1961), Matthew (1892-1950), Queen Esther (1895-1923), Minnie (1887-1970), Will D (1900-1989), Beula (1903-unknown), and Frank (1905-unknown).

 

Pennsylvania proved to be of importance to the Arnett-Sims family. Rose Sims married Richard Barnes in Georgia, and shortly thereafter, moved to Philadelphia as indicated on the 1930 census. Following the path to Pennsylvania was John Sims, who lived his last days in Philadelphia and is buried in Mount Lawn Cemetery in Sharon Hill, PA with his sister, Rose. Although his death certificate lists his name as John “Simms,” the cemetery log reflects “Simmons,” which may offer insight as to “George Simons” on the marriage certificate to Charlotte Prescott.

 

Also, at this cemetery are Lafayette’s children, Charles Sims (1886-1968) and Mamie Sims-Mercier (1892-1942). During this time, Philadelphia was a common place of resettlement for many of the "Gullah" identifying families of coastal Georgia and the Carolinas. Large groups of people from these communities resettled there with people they had known from the south.

 

While some of Pierce and Charlotte’s children were buried in Pennsylvania, documentation proves that Queen Esther Sim(m)s-Robinson, Mamie Sims-Roberts and Sheppard Sim(m)s, are buried in Charleston Cemetery in Screven County, GA. In the Midwest is George Dewey Sims, buried in Belmont Cemetery, and his brother, Matthew Sims in Mount Hope Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Youngstown, OH, while Minnie Sim(s)-Bride’s resting place is in Westview Community Cemetery in Pompano Beach, FL. As for Beula, Frank, Ada, Eddie, and Henry J, no documentation has been found regarding their existence outside of the 1900 census.

 

NOTES:

 

The first sighting of the name, Pearce Sims, is indicated on the 1900 Census. On the 1880 Census, he is referred to as “Buck”, and on his marriage certificate, he is George Simons and George Simms.

 

Charlotte Prescott has been notated as “Lottie” on some records.

 

Britte Forman has been documented as “Brightie,” “Brighty,” “Birdie,” “Bridie”, and “Briddy” on some records. Her family has been traced into the 1920s, but unsure of the reason for her disappearance.

 

Matthew Sims has been documented as “Mathew” on some records.

 

Based upon the timeline of birthdates indicated the 1900 census, Will D Sims was born March 1899, followed by the 1910 census, which lists “Dewey” Sims as 10 years old. From this information, it has been determined that Will D and George Dewey are the same person. Currently, we do not understand the impetus for the name changes from “George” to “Pierce” or from “Will” to “George.” Perhaps, this was the continuation of a family practice, for which, we are unaware.