Son of James Simms, Greene County Sheriff and farmer, and Lucy Thompson Early; brother to 7 siblings. This family was well-to-do, owning a plantation where 20 slaves cultivated wheat, hay, potatoes and tobacco.
He attended law school at the University of Virginia at the age of 20 and was working as a lawyer in Charlottesville when he married his cousin Virginia "Jennie" Madison Simms. While living in nearby Earlysville, daughters Lula was born in 1862, Aida on February 21, 1864, and Minna on July 13, 1866. During the Spring of 1864, Union General George Custer and his troops raided Earlysville, freeing slaves and burning plantations. Montgomery and his family had to move back to his parents' plantation as they had died and he tried to farm the land himself to save the crops.
Daughters Willie Florence and Flora along with sons Warren George were next born, further burdening the family. During this time, Montgomery's older brother, Issaac, filched the bulk of their parents' estate and fled to Missouri. In 1876, both Jennie and Willie died of disease; George was handed to an Aunt, as Montgomery was overwhelmed trying to make ends meet as agricultural prices were low, taxes and interest rates high, income low.
Aida and Minna were deeply affected by all of this and never forgot these events. Later in life, they claimed there had only been 5 children preferring to not think of Willie's death and George's adoption.
Montgomery later moved the family to Madison County, where their neighbor was former Confederate General and 1st Virginia Governor after the Civil War, James Lawson Kemper. The Simms children loved visiting the Kempers' 5 children and tasting the good life there.
Aida and Minna learned to escape their troubles there and to appreciate the finer things in life. Married young to abusive men, they fled and joined an acting troupe that traveled through the western states, playing its last show in Omaha, Nebraska. It was there that they planned to be and became prostitutes and gained fame as the Everleigh Sisters, "Madams" running the world renowned Everleigh Club in Chicago from 1900-1911, which catered to many rich and famous men of that era.
See http://www.sininthesecondcity.com.
He attended law school at the University of Virginia at the age of 20 and was working as a lawyer in Charlottesville when he married his cousin Virginia "Jennie" Madison Simms. While living in nearby Earlysville, daughters Lula was born in 1862, Aida on February 21, 1864, and Minna on July 13, 1866. During the Spring of 1864, Union General George Custer and his troops raided Earlysville, freeing slaves and burning plantations. Montgomery and his family had to move back to his parents' plantation as they had died and he tried to farm the land himself to save the crops.
Daughters Willie Florence and Flora along with sons Warren George were next born, further burdening the family. During this time, Montgomery's older brother, Issaac, filched the bulk of their parents' estate and fled to Missouri. In 1876, both Jennie and Willie died of disease; George was handed to an Aunt, as Montgomery was overwhelmed trying to make ends meet as agricultural prices were low, taxes and interest rates high, income low.
Aida and Minna were deeply affected by all of this and never forgot these events. Later in life, they claimed there had only been 5 children preferring to not think of Willie's death and George's adoption.
Montgomery later moved the family to Madison County, where their neighbor was former Confederate General and 1st Virginia Governor after the Civil War, James Lawson Kemper. The Simms children loved visiting the Kempers' 5 children and tasting the good life there.
Aida and Minna learned to escape their troubles there and to appreciate the finer things in life. Married young to abusive men, they fled and joined an acting troupe that traveled through the western states, playing its last show in Omaha, Nebraska. It was there that they planned to be and became prostitutes and gained fame as the Everleigh Sisters, "Madams" running the world renowned Everleigh Club in Chicago from 1900-1911, which catered to many rich and famous men of that era.
See http://www.sininthesecondcity.com.
Son of James Simms, Greene County Sheriff and farmer, and Lucy Thompson Early; brother to 7 siblings. This family was well-to-do, owning a plantation where 20 slaves cultivated wheat, hay, potatoes and tobacco.
He attended law school at the University of Virginia at the age of 20 and was working as a lawyer in Charlottesville when he married his cousin Virginia "Jennie" Madison Simms. While living in nearby Earlysville, daughters Lula was born in 1862, Aida on February 21, 1864, and Minna on July 13, 1866. During the Spring of 1864, Union General George Custer and his troops raided Earlysville, freeing slaves and burning plantations. Montgomery and his family had to move back to his parents' plantation as they had died and he tried to farm the land himself to save the crops.
Daughters Willie Florence and Flora along with sons Warren George were next born, further burdening the family. During this time, Montgomery's older brother, Issaac, filched the bulk of their parents' estate and fled to Missouri. In 1876, both Jennie and Willie died of disease; George was handed to an Aunt, as Montgomery was overwhelmed trying to make ends meet as agricultural prices were low, taxes and interest rates high, income low.
Aida and Minna were deeply affected by all of this and never forgot these events. Later in life, they claimed there had only been 5 children preferring to not think of Willie's death and George's adoption.
Montgomery later moved the family to Madison County, where their neighbor was former Confederate General and 1st Virginia Governor after the Civil War, James Lawson Kemper. The Simms children loved visiting the Kempers' 5 children and tasting the good life there.
Aida and Minna learned to escape their troubles there and to appreciate the finer things in life. Married young to abusive men, they fled and joined an acting troupe that traveled through the western states, playing its last show in Omaha, Nebraska. It was there that they planned to be and became prostitutes and gained fame as the Everleigh Sisters, "Madams" running the world renowned Everleigh Club in Chicago from 1900-1911, which catered to many rich and famous men of that era.
See http://www.sininthesecondcity.com.
He attended law school at the University of Virginia at the age of 20 and was working as a lawyer in Charlottesville when he married his cousin Virginia "Jennie" Madison Simms. While living in nearby Earlysville, daughters Lula was born in 1862, Aida on February 21, 1864, and Minna on July 13, 1866. During the Spring of 1864, Union General George Custer and his troops raided Earlysville, freeing slaves and burning plantations. Montgomery and his family had to move back to his parents' plantation as they had died and he tried to farm the land himself to save the crops.
Daughters Willie Florence and Flora along with sons Warren George were next born, further burdening the family. During this time, Montgomery's older brother, Issaac, filched the bulk of their parents' estate and fled to Missouri. In 1876, both Jennie and Willie died of disease; George was handed to an Aunt, as Montgomery was overwhelmed trying to make ends meet as agricultural prices were low, taxes and interest rates high, income low.
Aida and Minna were deeply affected by all of this and never forgot these events. Later in life, they claimed there had only been 5 children preferring to not think of Willie's death and George's adoption.
Montgomery later moved the family to Madison County, where their neighbor was former Confederate General and 1st Virginia Governor after the Civil War, James Lawson Kemper. The Simms children loved visiting the Kempers' 5 children and tasting the good life there.
Aida and Minna learned to escape their troubles there and to appreciate the finer things in life. Married young to abusive men, they fled and joined an acting troupe that traveled through the western states, playing its last show in Omaha, Nebraska. It was there that they planned to be and became prostitutes and gained fame as the Everleigh Sisters, "Madams" running the world renowned Everleigh Club in Chicago from 1900-1911, which catered to many rich and famous men of that era.
See http://www.sininthesecondcity.com.
Bio by: BigFrench
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