Dear Jim please submit this to the Bottoms Web Site. Please put it under MOST WANTED (OR BRICK WALL). I have reached a dead end on Frances Bottoms and her husband Malachi Reaves (M. R.) Sims. Sincerely, Cynthia SIMS Kirkland grafxcat@airmail.net I am descended from the eldest child, James Monroe Sims, of Malachi Reaves (M.R.) SIMS by his first wife Frances BOTTOMS. James was my great grandfather and Malachi and Frances my great great grand parents. If anyone is connected to or has any information leading to the parents of these people I would be very grateful. Malachi Reaves Sims I b. 1823 in GA and died in 1869 and buried near Newton, AL. Malachi Reaves Sims II and Malachi Reaves Sims III as well as other family members are all buried in the same cemetery. Malachi married Frances (B?) Bottoms in Pike Co. GA on Dec 22 1842 (I have a copy of the marriage record). According to an 1850 Barbour AL census, she was born in SC, he in GA. She was born 1824 and died abt. 1852 in Barbour Co. AL within a year of the birth of her last child. He was a carpenter (census) and they lived in Midway, Barbour Co. at the time. It took me quite alot of time determining this as there are 7 Midways in AL. The area in which they lived is now on or near the border of Bullock Co. because the counties changed. This has made it nearly impossible to locate any specific records there. I have yet to find Frances' grave site, which has been a major search for me. Their children were: (1) James Monroe Sims, born July 2, 1844-5 in Pike Co. GA. He served in the Confederacy in the Civil War in the 15th AL Regiment. His Civil War Roll Cards and Hospital record give this specific info. James married on 1-23-18?? in Butler Co. AL, Frances Viola Vinson, b. 1844 in Butler Co. AL, d. 4-10-1901 Both are buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Georgianna, AL, Butler Co. Their children were: (1) Laura Sims b. 1873 Butler Co. AL m. Pascal - daughters Marie and Louise (2) May Sims b. 1876 Butler Co. AL - never married (3) Charles Lee Sims b. Jan 15, 1878 Butler Co. AL, d.Aug 21 1931 - killed in the line of duty as Deputy Sherrif of Butler Co. Charles married Maude Carlene Sims (not related) on July 24, 1901 in Butler Springs AL. Their children were: (1) Frances Adelia Sims (2) Charles "Son" Sims (3) James R. Sims (4) Carlton Sims (5) Harold Hilson Sims (my father) m. Sybil Janice Bradberry (6) Hilda Coleen Sims (2) Mark Washington Sims, b. 1846 d. in Selma, AL fighting for the Confederacy in the Civil War. He did not have a chance to marry or have children. (3) Mary Ann Elizabeth Sims b. 1847-8 and married Thomas E. Atkinson. (4) John Martin Sims b. Feb 1, 1850 in Midway, Barbour Co. AL m. Mary Adams, dau. of James Adams. Their children were: (1) Louis J. Sims (2) Exa Sims (3) John M. Sims (5) Sarah Frances Sims an infant died in a few months - Frances' last child. I don't have too many details of Malachi Sr's marriage to Elizabeth Carter. She is buried in Newton Cem. with Malachi, son Malachi the II and grandson, Malachi the III . Her dates 1833-1921. Apparently she remarried a West after his death, hence her nickname, "Ma West". There was a Mary A. Bottoms living with Frances and James in the 1850 Barbour Co. AL Census. I believe Mary A is Frances' sister. Frances eldest daughter was named Mary Ann Elizabeth Sims, so I am assuming she was named after her aunt Mary A. Bottoms. I would like to find out more on Mary A. Bottoms but have not come across a marriage record or death record for her. Finding out more about her might lead me to some answers.