Elizabeth’s Twin Sister - Mary Ann GRUER-SIM (1832-1916)

Mary Ann GRUER-SIM

Photo courtesy cousin Sherry T.

George SIM's grand aunt, paternal line

 Mary Ann was the twin sister of our ancestor Elizabeth GRUER (1832-1907).  We do not know if they were identical or fraternal twins.  They were born 12 May 1832 in Hastings, Sussex, England and were christened 17 March 1833 at St. Clements Croft Congregational Church in Hastings.

Mary Ann had a relationship with William ANDERSON that produced a son, William Gruer ANDERSON in 1855 Scotland.  This child remained in Scotland and was reared by his father.  The photos of Mary Ann were obtained from William's descendants.  On the back of the photo #1 (above) is written, "To my dear Willie from his dear mother, Mrs. Wm Sim, Trinity Square, Toronto, Ontario, December 22, 1879" according to cousin Sherry T.  Photo #2 (left) was dated 12 May 1892.

Mary Ann married William SIM (1823-1881) who was the younger brother of our ancestor James SIM (2 brothers married twin sisters).  By 1861, they moved to Colborne, Northumberland, Canada.  (James and Elizabeth moved there about 1855-56.)  William was a baker/confectioner and a tea merchant.

In the 1861 census, they had one child, Sarah Ann SIM-CROWDEN (1853-1886).  If this date of birth is correct, she is likely not the biological daughter of Mary Ann.

Between 1861 and 1870, the family had returned to Aberdeen.  Sarah married in 1870 in Aberdeen and remained in Scotland.

By 1881, William and Mary Ann were living in Toronto, Ontario.  Elizabeth’s daughter Maggie SIM was living in their home in 1881.  In August of that year, William passed away of "uremia" or "disease of the kidneys".  On his death registry, he was listed as a commercial traveler, so he must have continued with his tea trade while in Canada.  He is buried in the Necropolis Cemetery in Toronto and interestingly, the plot was owned by “J SIMS”.  James must have helped pay for his burial.

William's obit from the Sim Scrapbook

 
Mary Ann was still in Toronto for the 1891 census.  In 1911, she was living in Elizabeth’s daughter’s (Sarah COX) home in Northumberland.

Mary Ann died 24 November 1916 in Wooler, Ontario, age 84, due to old age and myocardiac gastritis.  She is laid to rest next to her twin sister in Salem Cemetery in Colborne.  James, Elizabeth and Mary Ann share a gravestone.

Visit her on-line memorial:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=153020327

Children of James SIM and Elizabeth GRUER

Isabella, 1935

Photo courtesy cousin Sherry T.

George's aunts and uncle, paternal line

Isabella SIM-PALMER (1855-1938) was born in Scotland and immigrated to Canada with her parents.  James is listed as her father on the birth certificate.  We do not know when Elizabeth married James SIM or where (Scotland or Australia). 

Isabella married Samuel PALMER (1852-1941) of Ontario in Jan 1874 in Michigan.  Sam was a Quaker and a furniture maker.  They settled in Woolert, Ontario and had at least 4 children (Mabel DUNN, Harold, Loaella ANDERSON and Alice HENDERSON).  She died of chronic myocarditis at age 83.  Her headstone has different dates. 

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=137563050

Mary SIM-STROHM (1857-1926) married George Beck STROHM (1855-1937) of Rochester in Jun 1874 in Michigan.  They settled in Rochester and had at least 3 children (Ada HINSDALE, Harry and William).  Mary was the first SIM sibling to relocate to Rochester – her siblings Maggie (in 1880), Mima (in 1882), Jessie (in 1883) and John Wm (in 1898) followed.  George was a wealthy land developer in Rochester.  Mary died at age 69.  Her will stipulated that George would receive her inheritance, but it would go to her children if he ever remarried.

Frederick and Mima LEWIS, Mary and George STROHM

Photo courtesy cousin Mary Ellen F.

 http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=167180908

Sarah SIM-COX (1859-1920) married Edward COX (1850-1915) and remained in Ontario.  They had at least 2 children (Emma DRURY and Stuart).  She died at age 61.

Obituary from the Sim Scrapbook

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=167252990

Margaret Gruer SIM-NEVIN (1861-1887), known as "Maggie",  immigrated to Rochester, NY in 1880.  Her middle name Gruer was her mother’s maiden name.  She married Hugh NEVIN (1858-) in 1883 in Rochester.  They had attended Sunday School together.  Hugh was a clerk.  They had 1 son (Hugh Jr.).  Maggie died at age 26 after an illness.  Hugh remarried and eventually moved to Ohio after having some legal trouble in Rochester.   There is no headstone for Maggie, she is near the NEVIN family headstone.

Obituary from the Sim Scrapbook

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=40929433

Emma SIM (1864-1872) died at age 8 of typhoid fever.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=167952543

Willie SIM (1866) died at age 1 day. 

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=167952443

Jemima SIM-LEWIS (1868-1950) was known as Mima (My’-ma) or "Bygone" by her grandchild.  She moved to Rochester in 1882.  She married Frederick LEWIS (1856-1925) of Rochester, NY in 1895 at the home of Frederick’s former roomie and Mima’s brother-in-law Hugh NEVIN in Rochester.  Frederick was a book keeper.  They settled in Rochester and had at least 3 children (Ada Louise CLOW, Mildred and Frederick).  After Frederick passed away, Mima took a job at age 57 as a companion to a wealthy woman, Mrs. LIKELY.  Mima died at age 82.   There is no headstone for Mima or Frederick. 

Mima LEWIS
Photo from the collection of Elaine L, courtesy Susan L.

Mima and her first child: Ada Louise LEWIS.  She later went by the name Louise.
Photo from the collection of Elaine L, courtesy Susan L.

Frank and Louise CLOW (Mima's daughter), Mima and Frank LEWIS
Photo from the collection of Elaine L, courtesy Susan L.

3 Generations: Mima with son Frederick Sim LEWIS and his daughter Diana Christine
Frederick was a clothes and eyeglass model in his early years.
Photo from the collection of Elaine L, courtesy Susan L.

Daughter Mildred, Ada STROHM-HINSDALE, Mima, Mary and George STROHM, Fred LEWIS
Photo from the collection of Elaine L, courtesy Susan L.

Top row, left to right: Unknown, Frank CLOW
Middle row: Fred LEWIS, Louis CLOW, Unknown, Mima, Dorcus (Jessie SKINNER's daughter)
Bottom row: unknown
Photo from the collection of Elaine L, courtesy Susan L.
 

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=167288903

John William SIM (1870-1954) was the baby of the family and only known son to pass down the SIM surname.  (James was quite a bit older than Elizabeth and he may have had a previous marriage.)

This is John Wm with his sister Mima LEWIS in 1948 and
taken at CLOW residence in Rochester (60 Berwick Road).  On mantle are photos
of Mima's son-in-law Frank CLOW and his daughter Elaine.
Mima is wearing a corsage and this is likely her 80th birthday.
Photo courtesy of cousin Mary Ellen F.
Information from cousin Susan L.

Jessie COGLAN-GRUER-SIM-SKINNER (1851-1932)  was born in Scotland just prior to Elizabeth immigrating to Australia.  Her father was Timothy Coglan.  She grew up in the GRUER household.  Though she was not a biological daughter of James, the SIM surname was referenced in her obituary.  She married bookkeeper George SKINNER (1849-1905) in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1874 and they immigrated to Toronto, Canada prior to 1881.  About 1883, they immigrated to Rochester, NY.  They had at least 7 children.

Rochester Democrat Chronicle, 1932

(Old Fulton NY Postcards website)

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8160349