Francis Amanda Allen

Notes:

At the time of hte 1930 Federal Census, she was living with her son and daughter-in-law, Albert and Ruth Sims, in Jasper.

Francis married Rev. Alfred Cuthbert Sims on 15 Sep 1884. Alfred (son of John Sims and Apoles Sanderson Foster) was born on 5 Apr 1845 in Texas; died on 19 Jan 1920 in Jasper County, Texas; was buried in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
In August, 1884, A.C. Sims wrote this letter to Miss Fannie Allen, a maiden woman of 31 years. They were married in September.

Beech Grove Jasper County, Texas August 8th, 1884

Miss Fannie Allen,

I trust that you will forgive my presumption in thus addressing you without first having obtained your permission to do so. Though I am a stranger to you, yet your bright smiles haunt me still so that you no longer seem as a stranger to me, and I cannot forbear the temptations longer that I have to make known to you some of my thoughts, affections and wishes, and fearing lest I should not have such an opportunity as I would desire to express my sentiments, were I to visit you, I have concluded to adopt this medium of expression. Affection is sometimes of slow growth and again it springs up in a moment and I hope you will pardon me for confessing the truth by declaring to you my love for you at first sight and you will not, I trust, think it so strange of it when you shall learn of the favorable reports which I have received of you which taken in connection with your personal beauty I think sifficient cause to engage the affections of even the most fastidious.

I of course cannot hope to have made so favorable an impression on your mind on so short an acquantance but I do not know what is in your heart or what might be hereafter and I therefore desire to give expression of my feelings and learn my fate before it is too late. I wish that you may therefore after serious consideration of this letter to inform me whether or not I shall cherish this feeling or shall I smother it at once. I fully believe that when two like hearts meet that it is no difficult taks for them to determine that fact and I cannot help entertaining a hope that you are one that I am in search of and in futher testimony there of I will relate to you a strange circumstance. Before arriving at your house last Sunday, I asked a sign of the Lord that if either of the three ladies that were there should be the one that she might show it by asking me if I had not been to dinner. I hope that the answer is from the Lord and that he may awaken in your bosom the same feeling that I now experience for you. If you should see fit to answer this letter direct it to me at Town Bluff, Texas. If you should wish to send it by hand you need not be afraid to deposit it with your Cousin Dug as she is aware that I have written this to you but no one else,

Respectfully,

A.C. Sims

(Courtesy of Candie Ann Marie Sims)

The 1900 Census showed they had been married 16 years, and that she was the mother of 5 children, all living.

1. Mary "Matie" Frances Sims was born on 6 Jul 1886 in Jasper County, Texas; died on 1 May 1932 in Jasper, Jasper County, Texas; was buried in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas.
2. William Allen Sims was born in Jun 1887 in Jasper County, Texas; and died.
3. Albert Cuthbert Sims was born on 17 Jan 1889 in Jasper County, Texas; died on 6 Aug 1960 in Jasper County, Texas; was buried in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas.
4. Nancy "Nannie" Octavene Sims was born on 29 Feb 1892 in Jasper County, Texas; died on 15 Mar 1965 in Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas; was buried in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas.
5. Kate Elizabeth Sims was born in Dec 1893 in Jasper County, Texas; died on 28 Feb 1978 in Jasper County, Texas; was buried in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas.

Notes:

Could this be the John Allen listed in the 1850 Jasper County, Texas census as the son of Nathaniel and Sarah Allen of Georgia and Kentucky? He was shown as age 25, male, farmer, born in Louisiana. (HH #100-101).

John married Ann Thyrxa/Thriza Thomason on 21 May 1853 in Louisiana. Ann was born on 1 Aug 1832 in Alabama; died on 26 Jan 1893. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Versie Truett shows they were married in Louisiana, whearas Barbara Yancey Dore instead shows the marriage taking place in Jasper County, Texas. Need to verify.