Hi Kay, I'll help what little I can. Even though it is rally only in passing, the following article mentions Malachi Reeves Sims and Frances Bottoms. This article is page 29 of a 33 page booklet titled, "Early Pioneer's (or Pioneer Families) of Butler County" that was sold on e-bay about 6 weeks ago to a James L. Martin. I had asked him if he would send me the page with the Sims surname and he did. Cynthia Kirkland Sims (grafxcat@airmail.net) is also researching this same family. I will paste the article in this message so that people don't have to worry about anything. "Memorial Record of Alabama Page 23 JOHN M. SIMS John M. Sims - Conspicuous among the leading business men of Georgiana, is John M. Sims, who, for a number of years, has been at the head of the mercantile trade in Butler county. His father, M. R. Sims, was a native of Georgia, born about the year 1827, and was by occupation a mechanic and also carried on merchandising for a considerable period. He served for a number of years as clerk of the court of Dale County, Ala., and was a man prominent in local affairs, of liberal education and excellent private character. His wife, Frances B. Bottoms, whom he married in Barbour county, Ala., about the year 1842, bore him five children, namely: James M. Sims, Georgiana, Ala.; Mark W. Sims, died at Selma during the war; MaryAnn Sims, wife of Thomas E. Atkinson; John M. and one that died in infancy, unnamed. The mother of these children died at Midway, Barbour County, in 1852, and the father followed her to the grave, dying in 1867. John M. Sims was born on the first day of February, 11150, at the town of Midway, Ala., and received his educational training in the common schools, which he attended at intervals until his twenty-first year. On attaining his majority, he embarked in merchandising at the town of Georgiana, in partnership with U. C. Vinson, and the firm thus formed continued with very flattering success for a period of four years, when it was dissolved. Mr. Vinson retiring, and Mr. Sims engaging in business alone. He conducted his second store from the fall of 1875 until 1879, at which time he became associated in the trade with U. C. Vinson and James Sims, under the firm name of Sims Bros. & Vinson, and was thus identified about one year, when he sold out his interests and retired from the partnership. In 1880, he again embarked in the mercantile trade, but a little over a year afterward, owing to the poor crops of 1881, was forced to dispose of his stock at a sacrifice and retire from commercial pursuits for a season. From that time until 1886, he was not engaged in any kind of active business, but the latter year again embarked in merchandising and has since continued the same with a most encouraging success, being now one of the most extensive dealers in Georgiana, and having much more than a local reputation in commercial circles outside of Butler county, and beyond the limits of his state. His stock, which consists of all articles demanded by the general trade, is very carefully selected and represents a capital of over $10,000, and the annual business, which is constantly increasing, aggregates in the neighborhood of $110,000. Mr. Sims is also interested in agricultural pursuits, and owns a fine plantation of 300 acres four miles south of Georgiana upon which are some of the finest improvements to be found in this part of the state. Mr. Sims and Miss Mary Adams, daughter of James Adams, were married in Georgiana, September 17, 1872, and to their union have been born three children: Louis J. Sims, Exa Sims, and John M. Sims, aged fourteen, four and two years, respectively. Mr. Sims is one of the progressive and enterprising citizens of Butler County, fully alive to all movements having for their object the public welfare, and possesses, in a marked degree, the confidence of the people of his community. Politically a democrat, he is nova partisan in the sense of seeking office, although frequently importuned by his fellow citizens to present his name for political preferment. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Georgiana lodge, No. 285, in which he holds the office of junior warden, and also belongs to lodge No. 2844, K. of H. He and wife are members of the Baptist church." I hope this is of some help. I sure would love to luck out and find someone who is researching my family. Joyce > It is Malachi Reaves Sims b 1825 who > married Frances Bottoms. Frances died in Barbour in 1852 and in 1854 he > married Elizabeth Deborah Carter and they lived in Dale. Both women and > Malachi must have been hatched for all I can find on them. He had children > by both wives which I have if needed. I have never found a Malachi before > this guy or a Reaves either for that matter but I think Reaves may have been > a surname somewhere. > Thanks for checking > > Kay Russ Andress -- Hanging onto resentment is letting someone you despise live rent free in your head. Visit our home page at: http://www.ionet.net/~djsevert Or The Annex: http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/2746