By Edres Bryant Barney
Samuel John was born April 18, 1850, in Cheltenham, England, the fourth of eight children born to Carolyn Gill and George Sims. Samuel came to America as a 13-year-old with his widowed mother and four sisters. They arrived in New York in 1863 and subsequently crossed the plains to Utah, settling first in Kaysville and later in Payson.
Mary Susan was born on Feb. 4, 1855, in Franklin County, Virginia, the second of 14 children of Delilah Emily Turnbull and Ammon Oyler. The Oyler family made their way to Utah, arriving in 1971. Samuel claimed Susan as his wife, marrying in Payson on July 17, 1871.
In 1877, John and Susan and their three children were called by President Brigham Young to work in the United Order at Brigham City, Arizona, traveling there in the company of 12 other families. After the Order was dissolved, they returned to Utah, visiting family and friends. After about six months, they returned to Arizona, this time to the settlement of Curtis, arriving April 15, 1882. They lived in the Stockade for a time, took up land on the Gila River, and planted their crops of grain. They built a log house, but it soon caught fire and burned, so they lost everything. They then built a new lumber home.
The Sims family moved to Pima about 1890, where they built a big two-story brick building for their business and the family to live in. He was a carpenter and cabinet maker, thus he operated a furniture store. They later moved to Globe, then to Thatcher. During these years, he built houses all over the valley. While building his new home in Thatcher, Samuel suddenly took sick and died on Feb. 21, 1920. Mary Susan lived in Thatcher, passing away on May 11, 1933. They both rest in the Thatcher Cemetery.
From 10 of their 11 children they have a huge posterity, with 79 grandchildren from Mary Elizabeth (Heber Higgins), Susan Caroline (Heber Manasseh Cluff, Sr.), Lucy Delilah (Franklin Allred Cluff), Amanda Priscilla (died as a child), Clara (Robert Franklin McBride), Samuel George (Dora Elizabeth Major), Maud (Harrison Pepper Wightman), Ammon (1. Della Mae Beebe 2. Luella Welker), Nancy (Rudger Phillips), Albert John (Ella LaVer Holladay) and Oscar Leonard (Roxey Carlotta Moody).
This area was settled by those in all walks of life. What a pleasure it must have been to have a furniture store right here in the valley for those early settlers.
For this and other histories, visit the Eastern Arizona Museum in Pima, Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
