Sims, James William

James William Sims, born in Graves County, Kentucky, on August 20, 1868, was the oldest of seven sons born to Phillip W. Sims and Martha J. Blythe. Raised on farms in Texas, he moved to Fresno city on June 11, 1887, where he initially assisted in constructing the Hughes Hotel and worked five years for a coal and wood dealer. In 1892, he married his first wife, Lucy Behunan, who passed away in 1811 leaving behind one son, W. E. Sims. He later married Anna Rock, a native of Boston who was educated in her home city. During his career, he spent nearly twelve years in railroad work with the Southern Pacific and Santa Fe companies, working in car shops and serving as an inspector.

Alongside his railroad career, James William Sims purchased a twenty-acre property in the Montpelier tract in 1892, where he cultivated Elberta and Muir peaches as well as Thompson seedless grapes. Beginning in 1909, he established a widespread commercial spraying business that operated across Fresno and Madera counties using power machines, and he eventually added a truck-mounted power whitewashing operation. His agricultural efforts led him to become a member of the California Associated Raisin Company and a foundational stockholder in the California Peach Growers, Inc. Dedicated to his local community, he served as a deacon in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, held membership in the Woodmen of the World, and aligned with the Democratic party in national politics. His industrious efforts in agriculture and local commerce reflect the essential contributions of early settlers to the economic growth of Fresno County.