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Hope this helps, my son may clean/preserve thie cemetery as eagle project.
UDC Locates SIMMS Family Cemetery - News article
Among the founding families of Coweta County were the names of John and Britton SIMMS. The Newnan Chapter UDC was directed to the SIMMS family cemetery by Mr. Sterling NEILL, who lives on Blalock Road. It is located in a wooded area in the left hand corner of Smokey and Bill Cline Roads on property now owned by H.I. GORDY and Ira Hardin.
The SIMMS plantation consisted of an estimated 1200-1500 acres, possibly more. It is believed that the original home is still standing and is now the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lisle Bowers. Mr. BOWERS states that he knows "the house is very old." It has round log sills and joists that are flattened only on the top side, this having been done by hand." Located in this cemetery is the grave of Sarah DICKINSON, who was born in 1762 in North Carolina and died June 25, 1850, Coweta Co. GA. She married Robert SIMMS a Reverend soldier born 1760 in Wayne Co. North Carolina and died in Hancock Co. Georgia March 25, 1815. Her tombstone was erected by Isadore Burch Robinson, her great grand daughter.
Sarah DICKINSON Simms settled in Coweta County after the death of her husband with her sons, John and Britton, also several daughters and their families soon after the county was founded. It is recorded that this pioneering lady rode horseback from Hancock county back to Coweta county in the 1840's with two orphan grandsons, one seated in front of her and one behind.
The local DAR Chapter was named Sarah DICKINSON when it was organized February 21, 1903 as she was the daughter of one Revolutionary soldier and wife of another. She is ancestress of probably as many natives in Coweta county as any other woman bearing family names of Jones, Arnold, Burch, Turner, Tilley, Connell, Garrett, Askew, Robinson and probably others. The children of Sarah DICKINSON and Roberts SIMS were: John, Susan, Elizabeth, Mary, Sallie, Penelope, Ann, Britton and Patience.
One very prominent descendant was their grandson, John Dickinson SIMMS, born December 19, 1830, died March 5, 1921. He married Louise Posey HANSON on December 21, 1848. At the outbreak of the War between the states, he received a commission as Captain of Militia from Governor BROWN, but desiring more active duty, he enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1862. He organized Co. F, 16th Georgia Cavalry and was its captain throughout the war. After the war he was active in the Newnan camp of the United Confederate veterans and endorsed the membership papers of many of the local ladies of the UDC. He figured prominently in local politics serving 3 years in Georgia legislature and 4 years as county commissioner.
One of his descendants is Mrs. Lucia Cates Green of Newnan. She states he lived near the J.D. Walton Road in a two story house with upstairs windows that went to the floor. "One daughter was a sleep walker. One night she arose in her sleep and walked out the window breaking her leg when she hit the ground."
Mrs. Green tells of another episode following the surrender of the southern armies in April of 1865. J.D. SIMM's wife, Louisa ran the plantation in his absence and many times soldiers would stop by looking for food. One day she looked up to see a bearded stranger entering her home. Thinking him a straggler which might possibly mean her harm, she ran from it. It was only John Dickinson who had come home wearing a beard!
John and Louisa Simms had a granddaughter Louretta, who became the wife of W.Y. Atkinson, Jr., son of Georgia Governor William Y. Atkinson, Sr. (William Yates ATKINSON married December 1, 1909 in Cowetta Co. Georgia)
Although the family cemetery is poor condition, it is nice to see that someone does remember. Among the numerous graves is one stone, perhaps 18 inches or more above the ground. Two markers save been placed on top of the stones. One is an old stone that stands upright. The other is a pillow that appears quite new. The old one read "Mrs. N.C. Snow, dau. of Wesley and Jane Mattox, June 23, 1820, September 23, 1873." The pillow reads "Nancy C. Snow with the dates same as above.
Other marked graves are as follows: Francis Sims (mother) died 1909 and Allen SIMS (father, died 1899, age 42); E.M. Wilson?: September 19, 1829--August 4, 1884. Demetre B. Wilson, November 11, 183?--January 10, 1896. Mary Emily Hughen, December 28, 1836--September 13, 1877; Comfort M. (Mattox), consort of John SIMMS February 26, 1798--July 18, 1880 (note this was the 2nd wife of John SIMMS); John SIMMS, June 9, 1780--December 1, 1863. Britton SIMMS, March 27, 1808--September 16, 1871. William M. SIMMS, December 29, 1811--October 26, 1878. Susan, daughter of J.C. and E.B. Simms December 26, 1841--August 18, 1843.
The Simms cemetery covers approximately an acre. Fieldstones half buried in leaves and sunken place in the ground mark the numerous gravesites. The large cedars that once stood like sentinels over the graves are now dead gray skeletons waiting for wind and time to bring them down. A few hugh oaks have spread their descendants across the entire cemetery until it is covered with trees, bushes, honeysuckle and poison ivy. Like the majority of family and old church cemeteries, it lies practically forgotten, its location known only to a few. Not too many years [remaining part of article lost].
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