DEATH ENDS LONG AND USEFUL LIFE – Cicero Sims Passes Away in his Ninety First Year – One of the Sturdiest and Worthiest of Clinton County's Early Pioneers – A Descendant of Revolutionary Stock.

Cicero Sims, one of the best known pioneer residents of the county, and the eldest member of the Clinton County Bar, died at his home on South Jackson street at 6:30 o'clock Sunday evening, his death being due to disease incident to old age, following a lingering illness.

Mr. Sims, who was a pioneer merchant of the city and county, had been in failing health for some time, but his condition did not become serious until a few weeks ago. During the past few days his death had been momentarily expected. Last Wednesday his condition took a decided turn for the worse, and on Saturday morning he lapsed into unconsciousness from which he never rallied, his death coming peacefully while he slept.

Mr. Sims was past ninety-one years of age. He was born in Rush County, Ind. On January 12, 1822, and was a son of Mr. And Mrs. Stephen Sims, pioneer residents of Rush county. During his early life he attended the schools and received the education then offered in the course of instruction. Early in life he located in Rusville, becoming one of the first Justices of peace in that county. Subsequently, he moved with his parents to Boone County and later came to this county, where he had resided continuously since.

March 1, 1842, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary C. Black, a daughter of William and Isabelle (Henderson) Black, who were natives of Kentucky and who later settled in Wayne county, this state. To this union six children were born, James N., who died in the civil war, February 12, 1863; he was a corporal in Company G., Eighty-ninth Indiana infantry; Sarah C., wife of O. M. Merrick, of Russiaville, Ind.; Nancy J., wife of John A. Merrick, a former attorney, but now a farmer of Clinton county; Isabel E., wife of J. W. Lee of Frankfort; William M., of Chicago, and Dr. S. B. Sims of Frankfort.

The marriage of Mr. And Mrs. Sims took place in the log cabin home of the bride's parents on a tract of land near the Sims home, which was located near Middlefork, the lands of Mr. Sims' parents and also those of his bride's parents adjoing that occupied by Indians. The wedding ceremony was performed by Rev. Harper Hanna, a Methodist Protestant minister, and marriage license issued to Mr. Sims and his bride was the first ever issued in this county, and was issued by the county's first clerk, Samuel D. Maxwell.

Following their marriage, Mr. Sims and his bride began housekeeping in a log cabin on lands he afterwards tilled for years. He worked at farming until 1872, when he practically retired from active life and came to this city, where he and his wife established their home.
Both of Mr. Sims' grandfathers served throughout the Revolutionary war and his father served during the war of 1812.

Early in life Mr. Sims became a justice of the peace. Later he was a school teacher and a singing master , frequently being called to instruct different schools in singing. After studying law he was admitted to the Clinton County bar in 1858, and practiced the profession for a number of years with success. Mr. Sims proudly related during his life that he never drank been or whiskey, never used profane language, never used tobacco in any form, never played cards or swore on oath.

In 1844 Mr. Sims cast his first presidential ballot for Henry Clay. He remained a Whig until the organization of the republican party, in which he had since been an ardent worker.

In 1866, Mr. Sims constructed the Alhambra Lake, which originally covered three acres of land, and embarked in the ice business, cutting ice during the winter and storing it to supply the town during the summer months. He was a man, who through his life, was a devout christian, and for his honesty he was admired and honored by a wife acquaintance of friends.

During his early life, many years of which was spent as farmer, he was most successful. In all his dealings he proved himself an efficient and capable business man. He represented the highest type of christian manhood; and was known and respected by the entire community. All during his life, even during the past few years, he took an active interest in the advancement of the city and county from both an agricultural and manufacturing viewpoint, being interested in all things that promised to be for the wellfare of the city and county. He was especially fond of children and among the younger people of the city he was as well known as he was by the older residents. He often talked with young boys and advised them of things that were right and wrong.

In the home of Mr. Sims' parents in Rush county, the first circuit court of the county was held and in the same home, Mr. Sims first saw the light of day.

The funeral services will be held from the late home of the deceased at 10 o'clock Thursday morning, the services to be conducted by the Rev. George V. Morris of the First Methodist Episcopal church of which the deceased was a member. Rev. Morris will be assisted by Rev. Charles Rhinehart. Interment will be at Bunnell cemetery.

Source: Frankfort Morning Times, Tuesday, July 8, 1913

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The burial place of Cicero's son Stephen Beecher Sims is (as of Oct 10, 2013) unknown, but his bio follows:

SIMS, Stephen B. , M.D.

Doctor Stephen B. Sims is a native of the city in which he resides and a son of Cicero and Mary Caroline SIMS. The mother previous to her marriage having borne the family name of BLACK, whose family sketch appears upon another page of this work.

Doctor Sims was born May 15, 1861. He was reared in the place of his birth and after finishing the usual graded school course entered the Frankfort high school, from which he was graduated with the class of 1878. Having early manifested a decided preference for the medical profession, he began his preliminary study of the same in the office of Drs. Cox and Adams, under whose direction he continued until entering Rush Medical College, Chicago, Illinois, where he made creditable record as a faithful and diligent student and from which he received the degree of M. D. in the year 1884. Immediately following his graduation he began the practice of his profession at Frankfort with Doctor Knapp, one of the most successful men of his calling in Clinton county, but at the expiration of one year severed his connection with his partner and during the ensuing seven years built up a large and lucrative professional business of his own. In 1892 he again became associated with Doctor Knapp and the firm thus constituted lasted seven years, since which time Dr. Sims has been in the practice alone and, as already indicated, is now one of the representative men of his profession in Frankfort.

Doctor Sims' domestic life dates from May 8. 1888, when he was united in marriage with Miss Agnes M. MINER, of Frankfort, who proved a true wife and judicious helpmate, and who bore him one child, a daughter, Mary L., a graduate of St. Joseph Academy, Tipton, Indiana, and one of the intelligent and popular young ladies in the city of her residence. The first Mrs. SIMS died in the year 1905, and subsequently, in 1906, he chose a second wife and companion in the person of Mrs. Sarah GUERNSEY.

Politically, he is a Republican, and fraternally, belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and Masonic order.

Source: Pages 407 - 408. History of Clinton County, Indiana .... With Historical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families. By Hon. Joseph Claybaugh.

Published 1913 by A. W. Bowen & Company - Indianapolis, Indiana
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Working list (as of 10-10-13) of children (w/ approx yrs of birth):

(1) James N [or possibly M] Sims (25 Apr 1844); served with Co G, 89th Ind Regt; died of camp fever at Fort Pickering, Memphis, TN, 12 Feb 1863. (linked below)

(2) Sarah G (abt 1846, Clinton Co, IN); m. Rev. Oscar M. Merrick of Russiaville. (linked below)

(3) Nancy J (1848, Clinton Co, IN); m. John A Merrick, lawyer/farmer, bro of Oscar Mounterville Merrick; four children. (linked below)

(4) Isabel/Isabelle E (or B) (abt 1849; m. John W Lee; lived Frankfort; two dau, Nora & Mabel, listed in 1900 census; listed as Isabela, age 60, w/ husband in 1910 census in Frankfort, where he was a shoemaker). She was referred to as Elizabeth on p 23 of the Frederick Sims book, so presumably she was Isabel/Isabelle Elizabeth. John W Lee (Civil War soldier, 154th Indiana) died 12 July 1916; Isabel then collected widow's pension. (requested link from Judy on 10-11-13) (linked below on 10-11-13)

(5) William M Sims (1854); was in street car business in Chicago; lived in FL in 1913; died in Ohio. (link requested from Rob Weller on 10-10-13) (linked below on 10-11-13)

(6) Stephen Beecher Sims [abt 1861); m. Agnes Miner; M.D. in Frankfort in 1899; age 59, listed as Stephen B, in 1920 census in Frankfort, Clinton Co, IN, physician, w/ wife, Sarah Guernsey (2nd wife, m. abt 1906)].