The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-10-17
WIN. GILMORE SIMMS DEAD
SON OF NOTED AUTHOR DIES AT
HOME IN BARNWELL.
Popular Official Dies After Very
Brief Illness-News Shock
to Community.

Barnwell, Oct. 15.-Barnwell, town
and county, we're greatly shocked this
morning to learn of the sudden death
of the Hon. William Gilmore Simms,
clerk of the court for this county, at
his residence on Marlboro avenue, af-
ter brief illness of one week. On
last Monday, while at his Office, he
was seized with a chill, and upon the
advice of his doctor, went home. Fe-
yer followed this attack, but it, was
thought that he was well on the road
to recovery. This morning at about
7 o'clock he complained of nausea
and his physician was summoned.
Mr.. Simms was apparently much bet
ter at 9 o'clock, and was talking with
members of his family when turn
for the worse came. At 9:15 o'clock
he passed away.
The news of the death of this son
of old Barnwell spread like wildfire,
casting gloom over the town in
which he had spent so many years
of his useful life, and for whose
moral and social uplift he had striv-
en- so earnestly.
Mr.. Simms was born at Charles
ton, sixty-nine years ago. His par
ents were William Gilmore Simms,
the author, and his wife, who was
Miss Chivelette Roach. To this
union fifteen children were born,
Mr.. Simms being the eldest of the
sons. When the War Between the
States began he was cadet at the
Citadel in Charleston, and was one
of those who left school to lay down
his life, if necessary, for the below
ed South. He served from his enlist
ment to Appomattox, and at no time
during those years that tried mems
souls did he fail to answer the call
of duty. He was in many bloody bat
ties and received number of
wounds, but he always returned to
his command at the earliest possible
moment. He rose to the rank of
lieutenant and was only prevented
from being promoted to a captaincy
by the ending of the war.
After the close of that bitter strug-
gle he returned to Barnwell county
and gathered together the broken
threads of a life made desolate by the
ravages of war. He was one of the
organizers of the Red Shirt campaign
of rs, and no man did more for the
redemption of the State from carpet
bag rule than did William Gilmore
| Simms. He, together with Col. Geo
D. Tillman and others, met Chamber
lain and his cohorts in joint debate
and degraded them in the presence
of their negro followers, filling the
negroes with contempt for the COVER
| nor and his officials.
In 1878 Mr.. Simms was elected
Judge of probate and served one term
He was later appointed master OF
Barnwell county by Gov. Thompson
| He resigned this office to succeed
Mai. J. J. Brabham as clerk Of court
| in 1883. He has served continuous
| ly in this capacity since that time
| his nomination over two opponents
| in the recent primary making the
eighth term to WHICH he has beer
elected. The record that he made IN
| public service is above reproach and
| is one to which his friends Will poln1
with pride as a vindication of the
| confidence placed in him.
| Mr.. Simms married Miss Emma G.
Hartzog, daughter of Mr.. Samuel j.
Hartzog, of Bamberg. Several chill
dren blessed this union, five of whom
are living. Besides his wife Mr.
Simms is survived by one sister, Mrs
Donald Rowe, of Charleston; one
brother, the Hon. Charles Carroll
| simms, of Barnwell; two sons
Messrs. w. G. Simms, Jr., and Harold
A. Simms; three daughters, Mrs. 4
Boyd Cole, and Misses May and An
ME Lee Simms, all of Barnwell.
The funeral will probably be held
tomorrow afternoon, but owing tc
the distance at which some of Mr
simmss relatives live, the hour could