Theresa Simms was born 1808 in Edgecombe County, NC the 4th of 9 known surviving children (4 boys/5 girls) born to farmers Benjamin Simms & Tabitha Thomas of Wayne County, and later Edgecombe County. She was the paternal grandchild of Robert Simms & Mary Barnes of Wayne County.

Theresa's father died in 1827, and that same year the 19-year old married 23-year old Edwin Barnes of Edgecombe County. Her mother would survive another 35 years, and removed to Goldsboro, Wayne County, where she died in 1862.

Theresa and Edwin farmed in the Edgecombe County area, and would become parents to 10 known children (7 boys/3 girls): George Washington Barnes (1829-1847), John Thomas Barnes, CSA (1830-1894), Della Barnes (1830-1858), Benjamin Simms Barnes (1838-1838), Diana Barnes (1836-1914), Capt. Arthur Barnes, CSA (1837-1899), Dr. Edwin Barnes, CSA (1839-1882), Lafayette Barnes, CSA (1840-1861), Sarah "Sally" Barnes (1842-1900+), and William Thomas Barnes (1847-1906), born shortly after his father died.

Theresa was widowed in 1846 when her husband of 19 years died suddenly at age 42. The 38-year old widow never remarried and remained in Wilson where she raised her family. She had already buried one son, Benjamin Simms Barns, who died in infancy in 1834.

Theresa lost her eldest son George Washington Barnes, when he was killed in 1847 during the Mexican-American War. She would live through the anxiety of watching 4 of her remaining sons go to war with the Confederate States Army (John Thomas, Arthur, Dr. Edwin Jr, and Lafayette), and live through the grief of losing one of them -- Lafayette -- who reportedly was killed in 1861 in Virginia.

Following the war, she would no doubt have been relieved and happy to see her remaining 4 sons prosper in business, marry, and bring her grandchildren. Her 3 daughters, sadly, never had any children. Eldest daughter Della died unmarried at age 25. Daughter, Diana, married Nathan Thomas Roundtree/Rountree, but was left childless and a widow by 1861. Daughter, Sally, married architect Oswald Lipscomb, and was stepmother to his only son, but never had any surviving children of her own. (Many of Theresa's children are buried in the Oscar Lipscomb plot in Maplewood.)

This stalwart woman would survive it all. She outlived her husband by 43 years, and outlived 6 of her children. She died in 1889 at age 81.