Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-06-17

ed conscious to the end, his last words be-
ing I" Not Iona :" The bells of st. Mi
chael's tolled yesterday--the solemn notes
conveying to the whole city the mournful
tidings of the death of him who was the
ornament and the pride of the State he
loved so well.
VIM. Gilmore Simms was born in this
city on April II, 1906. His father was of
Scoth- Irish descent, and his mother, Har
riett Ann Augusta Singleton, was of Viz
ginia family, which came early to South
Carolina. While yet child, he was left
an orphan, and was thrown upon his own
resources For this reason his regular ed
ucation derived small aid from the pecu-
mary means of hie family, and he had lit
tie classical training but lac acquired
knowledge with an astonishing CELEBRITY.
and was soon the p0seeesOr OF vast fund
of miscellaneous information. At eight he
wrote verses, and at eighteen his solf-ac-
uuired scholarship was already remarka-
| ble No professor or college did Tor him
one hundrcdth part Of what he d!d tof
himself.
Mr.. Simms was originally destined to to
the study Of medicine This pursuit
iumped not with his tastes, and he chose
the law by preference, being admitted to
tho bar al the ago of twenty one Law,
however. VAS too tedious for tho acutely
active mind Of Mr.. Simms, all Of whose
inclinations lay in the direction OF the
pleasant paths Of literature. Ills hrst &C
tive literary engagement was III the editor
chin of the Charleston City Gazette. Il
paner which opposed the doctrine OF nui.
lification The Gazette was failure, ana
Mr.. Sirnms, its proprietor as we'll as edltor'
uos q heavy loser The effect was not un
healthy. for it caused Mr. Simms to de
vote himself in earnest to literature as
profession. .. $50,
Tie literary Iebnt of Mr.. Simms was
made in 1926, when he Published MONO
DIV ON General Charles COte9wOrth P!nck
new. A volume of his poems followed II
1897. and Early Lays was published IN INC
same year. The warm reception gwen TO ~
first efforts was highly gratifying 20 M
Young author, who tAencetorWard 10
, more than twenty years applied himself Il
; those pursuits IN which &c won lame 10
himself and honor for lis native State.
The publication of Atalantis in 1882 IN
troduced Mr.. Simms to the literary circle
of New York The next year the Harper
nnblished his first tale, Martin Faber, th'
Story of a Criminal, which OF once attrac
5 ted public attention.
From this true, SO Uniform was lis ca
reer, that few words will sum up the IN
cidents Of his history. n second marriage
r to the daughter of Mr.. Roach, OF barn
? we'll, his first wife having died soou afte
> their union o seat in the Stale Genera
: Assembly, where he made his mark tn
= reception of the Doctorate of Laws from
: the University of Alabama his Summe
i residence in Charleston and his White
l home at Woodlands these, up to the be
Q ginning of the war, are the few externa
e Incidents of d career, whose events mus
be sought in the achievements OF hand bans.
s and brain. The elegant residence of MI
g Simms at Woodlands-a mansion Wit
t equal wings and fine front-was burne'
down by Shernan's raiders III 1860 a
/ the same time an extensive library wa
Q wholly destroyed: But Mr.. Slmms return
= ed to his general literary work with hi
t old energy, and was in harness almost t
G the day Of his death. The long roll OF hi
n literary works is the noblest tribute tina
G can be paid to tho memory of him who
!: aptly styled 7" the Walter Scott OF I'll
It South