James Whittle Sims, the oldest child of William and Matoaka Sims, was born on November 4, 1866, at Woodlands Plantation, Wilkinson County, Mississippi (his parents were apparently visiting his father's family at the time).
James Sims entered the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis on September 4, 1883, but resigned from the Academy on June 24, 1886, at the end of his Junior year. Even so, he spent a career as a Naval engineer.
He was married to Annie Chesbrough Sawyer on November 7, 1895, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. They had three children: Margaret Matoaka (Outten), Mary Sawyer, and Annie Tremaine (Waldo/Weddell). Through most of his life, James and Annie Sims maintained their residence at 624 Bridge Street, Hampton, Virginia. He died on November 12, 1961, in Gloucester, Virginia.
This website is sponsored by Mitchells Publications and the Sims-Mitchell House, Chatham, Virginia.
Copyright © 1999–2006 Patricia B. Mitchell.