SIMS
 
SIMS
 
       Capt. George Symes (1643-1687) married Dorothy Everard, the only child of Thomas Everard of Somerset, England, and his second wife Elizabeth _____. In 1672, George and Dorothy settled in Antigua, British West Indies, where her father was also living at that time. Capt. Symes died in Antigua and left little estate and his brother Henry (and others) were made guardians of the children. Dorothy died there after 1705. In addition to their son George, they had four younger children: Christopher, who stayed in Antigua; Henry, who may have gone to sea; John, who died unmarried in 1699; and Elizabeth, who married Ulysses Athney.

       His son, George Symes (c. 1667-c. 1723), was born before his family left England. At 16, he came to Virginia from Antigua and settled in Isle of Wight County. From 1687 to 1703, he was listed as tithable in Lawnes Creek parish of Surry County. He had not completely cut his ties with Antigua, however. In 1698, he gave power of attorney to John Skelton and sailed back to the Caribbean. He returned to Virginia, dying in Hanover County. He had married Elizabeth Sherwood, and these are thought to have been their children: John, George, Matthew, Edward, Adam, and Mary.

       Adam Sims (c. 1690-after 1732), married Mary Isham, probably the granddaughter of William Isham and his wife Mary Brett, in Isle of Wight County about 1708. Several sons of the Sims family must have moved into Brunswick County, a new county created out of Prince George County, in the 1720s. Adam and Mary lived on the Watson plantation and by the time of his death, he owned lands on Coldwater and Rattlesnake Creeks, and at Spring Branch. Their children, as far as known, are George, Adam, Isham, John, William, David, Mary, Charles, and James.

       When their son George Sims (1709-1763),was about 19 years old, he married Martha Walton (?-1772), daughter of George Walton and his wife Elizabeth Rowe. Ten years later, he purchased 230 acres on the south side of the Meherrin River in St. Andrew Parish, Brunswick County, Virginia. On May 24, 1747, he sold the lands he had inherited from his father to his brother John, of Surry County. Later that year, John sold George 100 acres. Ten years later, this land was conveyed by George and Martha to Henry Brett, a relative of his mother. In the same year, he bought more land from Robert Taylor. By the location of these land transfers, we can see that he was creating a plantation. In this estate building, his surveying skills must have been very useful. Their children were George, Adam, Millington, Hannah, Nathaniel, Burwell, Zachariah, Bartlett, a daughter who married Allen Love, another daughter who married Peter Thomas , and William.