Individual Details

Richard is thought to have been raised in Anson Co, NC which became Richmond County in 1779. He actually may have lived on the border in the area disputed between North and South Carolina. Probably married Elizabeth about 1772.

Some research has attempted to "attach" Richard as a son of Thomas Mims & Mary Wright of Goochland. That doesn't seem to be quite correct. Other Mims did apparently move from the Goochland area to Anson NC - among them were Drury Mims, son of David Mims who would settle in Edgefield SC, and the third-in-a-row Thomas Mims - whose wife appears to be unknown.

I have located a will transcript on the Internet - a Thomas Mims of Richmond Co, NC who had a wife, also named Mary, and a son named Richard. However, this Thomas seems more of an age to be the brother of Richard, not his father.

Richmond Co. North Carolina. The last will and testament. in the name of God amen. I Thomas Mimbs of the county of Richmond and the state of North Carolina, being sick in body but of sound and disposing mind and memory, knowing that is appointed for all men once to die do make and publish this as my Last Will and Testament in manner following (to wit) to my beloved wife Mary Mimbs I lend during her natural life all my household furniture stock and working utensils and at her death to be equally devided between my daughters Judy, Ailsey, Polly, Patsy,and Nancy,the heirs of my daughter Sally, the heirs to my daughter Betsy Welch and those of Aggy ????. also I lend to my said beloved wife during her life the tract of land whereon i now live containing one hundred and fifty acres and at her death to be equally divided between my three sons David, Richard,and Jesse. except the -------in the small seat which I give to Jesse Mimbs his heirs assigns forever. to my two sons David and Richard their heirs and asigns I give my set of blacksmith tools. The rifle gun which I have I wish sold to enable my wife to buy a bolting cloth for the use of the mill. at the death of my beloved wife I leave it with her to dispose of her own wearing apparel. My rights in the fish traps in Peedee river I give equally to my sons David, Richard and Jesse but reserve the use of them to my wife during her natural life. to my son Benjamin Mimbs i give and bequeath all my wearing apparell to him, his heirs and assigns forever. I nominate and appoint my two sones in law Richard Welch and Samuel Ely execute to this my last will and testament. in testimony whereat I have here unto set my hand and seal this tenth day of January the year of our lord one thousand eight hundred nine. Signed, sealed published, declared to be his last will and testament


Richard served in the Revolution in the St. David's Parish Volunteers under Capt. Elias DuBose. St. David's Parish included Cheraws District from which Darlington was formed in 1785, after the Revolution. (Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution, Boby Gilmer, GPC, 1994 - refers to South Carolina Historical & Genealogical Magazine,Vol III, 133)

Census record: Richard Mims
1790, Cheraws District
Males 16 and over - 1; Males under 16 - 4; 3 Females in household

1800 Census - Darlington District, SC
Richard Mims
1m +45 [Richard], 1m 16-26, 2m 10-16, 3m under 10
1 female 26-45 [wife, Elizabeth], 2f under 10

The Darlington court house burned in 1806 so the early deeds are gone.

Sometime after 1791 but before 1807, Thomas Andrews sold 143 acres on Big Branch to Richard Mims. In Nov 1807, Richard sold 50 acres on the north side of Big Branch to Peter DuBose Jr for $50. This land was part of a 643 acre tract that had been granted to Thomas Andrews in 1791 of which 143 acres had been sold to Richard Mims. The witnesses were Mathew Walters and William Daugherty. Elizabeth Mims released dower rights for this deed on Nov 18 1807. Richard and Elizabeth signed the document with their mark. 93 acres are not accounted for, but might have been sold at an earlier time and be part of the documents lost.

Richard's family has been basically "assumed" because of proximity and the numbers and ages of children in the early censuses. No estate record has been found.

Robert Mills' atlas of South Carolina has an 1820 map of Darlington which shows J. Mims in the SW edge of the county along a road by S. & John Dubose. Dubose's Ferry nearby on Lynches Creek.

1810 Darlington census has 6 Mims households - George, Jacob, James Senr, James Junr, John Mims, age 26-45, and John Mims, Junr.

1820 Darlington census has 5 Mims households: James, James Jr., Jacob, John Sr, John.

a Richard Mims is on a SC Roster of Rev War Soldiers, p. 685 - whether or not it is the same Richard Mims is the question...

Birth	Ca 1757	Albemarle County, Virginia
Marriage	Abt 1772	Elizabeth ?Andrews
Death	Bet 1800 and 1810	Darlington County, South Carolina

Spouse	Elizabeth ?Andrews (1756 - 1807)
Child	James G. Mims (1775 - 1854)

Father	Benjamin Mims ( - 1788)
Mother	Judith ?Woodson ( - )
Sibling	John Mims (1739 - 1804)
Sibling	David Mims ( - 1813)
Sibling	Thomas Mims (1750 - 1809)
Sibling	Samuel Mims ( - 1813)
Sibling	Living