“The officer carrying the flag of surrender at Appomattox, Va. once lived here….”
City Directories and History: “Captain Sims built a two-story residence on the property — at the southwest corner of Jones Avenue and East White Street. A South Carolina State Highway Historical Marker erected using research by the York County Historical Commission, stands on East White Street today to identify the site of the Sims farm and house. Captain Sims was the Confederate officer who carried the famous flag of truce that ended the Civil War, at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, in April, 1865. After the War, he served as Secretary of State of South Carolina. It was he who first landscaped the State House grounds in Columbia. His first wife was Catherine (“Katie”) Luckey, sister of Dorcas Aveline Luckey, wife of Dr. Thomas Lynn Johnston. His second wife was his double-first cousin, Ada Walton Sims.” [Robbins – White History Tour]
The historic marker reads, “Near this spot stood the Rock Hill residence of Robert Moorman Sims, captain, C.S.A. , who on April 9, 1865, carried the flag of truce, which led to the surrender of Lee’s forces at Appomattox. He later was S.C. senator for Lancaster County, 1868-70, and S.C. Secretary of State , 1876-80. He began the beautification of the S.C. State Grounds. He was born in Fairfield County in 1836 and died in Columbia in 1898. (Beulah Meredith Chapter DAR – 1970)
Capt. Sims served numerous posts of importance during the Civil War including: Captain & Assistant Adjutant to Winnsboro’s General to Gen. Bratton, also Captain & Assistant Adjutant General to Gen. Gary and lastly Captain & Assistant Adjutant & Inspector General to Lt. General James Longstreet.
The Herald reported June 22, 1901 – “The property of Capt. A.E. Hutchison is in the hands of T.F. McDow, Esq. as trustee, and will be sold at an early date. It includes all the property on the east side of Main Street from but not including, the old Savings Bank building to Gordon’s Old Hotel; the vacant lot on the corner of Depot and White Streets; the grove in the rear of Capt. Hutchison’s homeplace; the Sims place in the eastern part of the city “sixty acres”; and eighty acres of other property.”
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