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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The official celebration for the 125th
3 anniversary of the founding of the village of Sims takes place
4 on June 13-16, 2007; the village of Sims was established in
5 1882; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The village of Sims has a population of
7 approximately 250-300 people; it is located in Wayne County; in
8 1812, Joseph White and two brothers, Thomas and George Waken,
9 natives of northern England, crossed the Atlantic Ocean and
10 traveled across many states until they reached a large and
11 beautiful prairie in the State of Illinois; satisfied that this
12 was the place to settle, they built their homes there; John,
13 son of Joseph White, was the first child born in the township;
14 the township was named Arrington, in honor of Charles
15 Arrington, one of the earliest settlers who moved from
16 Tennessee and resided there for about 20 years; and
 
17     WHEREAS, The village of Sims has had five names: Arrington,
18 Arrington Station, Simms, Simms Station, and Sims, by which it
19 is known today; John Simms had landed on the south side of the
20 Louisville, Evansville, and St. Louis Railroad line, which was
21 laid off by James Hilliard, County Surveyor in the summer of
22 1882; the original plot consisted of 12 acres; the Post Office
23 was created at this point in 1882 and took the name Simms,

 

 

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1 which was later changed to Sims; as the village grew, it
2 expanded both north and south of the original tract of land;
3 Sims became a thriving village with three churches, a school, a
4 blacksmith shop, two general stores, a five & dime store, Dr.
5 Claire Dixon's office, Phillip's Shoe Cobbler, Bright's Mine
6 Props, a bank, two barber shops, and many other industries and
7 shops; during the summer months, a traveling skating rink would
8 set up under a tent complete with a wooden floor, where young
9 and old alike could roller skate for ten cents; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Thursday, March 11, 1915 was a dark day in the
11 history of Sims, when foot men known as "Black Hatters"
12 dynamited the General Baptist Church at the south end of the
13 village; they desecrated the altar with animal remains; they
14 were all convicted and sent to prison for their actions; the
15 congregation continued holding services until 1995, when the
16 new church building was erected; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Today, residents of Sims comprise all areas of the
18 work force; factory workers, health care professionals,
19 teachers, ministers of the Gospel, laborers, oil field workers,
20 federal, State and village employees, farmers, railroad
21 workers, self-employed business men and women, and retirees,
22 among others; and
 
23     WHEREAS, Many members of the community have served or are

 

 

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1 serving in the military; the village has a very active Rebekah
2 Lodge, with members who pulled together with the rest of the
3 community during the April 2002 tornado that leveled homes and
4 businesses just north of Sims along Route 15; despite the lack
5 of electricity, they emptied freezers, refrigerators, and
6 shelves to cook for and feed approximately 200 people two to
7 three meals a day for almost two weeks during the clean-up; and
 
8     WHEREAS, The youth of Sims are involved in community
9 service through Girl Scouts, helping with the Easter Egg Hunt
10 with the Lodge, the Sims Celebration, and Sims Clean-up Days;
11 the Sims School has been converted into a community center,
12 which is available to have gatherings for families, the Sims
13 Celebration, basketball games and other activities; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Direct descendents of John Simms reside in or own
15 property in Sims; John Simms' son James married Martha Miller,
16 whose brother gave some land to the Village where the General
17 Baptist Church was built in 1905 and a new church was erected
18 in 1995; and
 
19     WHEREAS, The people of Sims have suffered through
20 hardships, wars, depression, tornadoes, and other disasters,
21 but their resolve to continue on in spite of these setbacks
22 makes this community special in their ability to pull together
23 to pray for and support each other through their tough times;

 

 

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1 therefore, be it
 
2     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
3 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
4 congratulate the citizens of the village of Sims on celebrating
5 the 125th anniversary of the village and wish them continued
6 success and happiness in the future; and be it further
 
7     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8 presented to the Mayor of the village of Sims as an expression
9 of our esteem and respect.