Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.
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Harvey James Sims

Harvey James Sims

Male 1871 - 1945  (73 years)

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  • Name Harvey James Sims 
    Born 25 Dec 1871  Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] 
    Gender Male 
    Honoured Waterloo Hall of Fame 
    Occupation 1891  Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [5] 
    Student 
    Residence 1891  Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [5] 
    Presbyterian 
    Public Service 1906  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Council of the Baord of Trade 
    From: Berlin Today 1806-1906    		 From: Berlin Today 1806-1906
    Name H. J. Sims 
    Name Harvey J. Sims 
    Residence 1906  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    From Berlin Today 1806-1906    		 From Berlin Today 1806-1906
    Occupation 1911  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2] 
    Barrister 
    Residence 1911  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2] 
    Presbyterian 
    Occupation 1921  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3] 
    Lawyer 
    Residence 26 Ahrens St. West, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Residence 1921  26 Ahrens St. W. Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3] 
    Residence 1921  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3] 
    Presbyterian 
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-189033 
    Died 8 Jun 1945  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 6] 
    Buried Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 6] 
    Person ID I189033  Generations
    Last Modified 28 Jan 2025 

    Father Councillor Peter Harvey Sims,   b. 18 May 1844, Hawkesville, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 20 Nov 1920, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 76 years) 
    Mother Mary Jemima "Jemima" Cook,   b. 4 Oct 1845, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1 Feb 1921, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 75 years) 
    Married 18 May 1869  Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [7] 
    Family ID F37853  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Gay Estell 
    Last Modified 29 Jan 2025 
    Family ID F51630  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Florence Katherine Roos,   b. 22 Dec 1873, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 20 Jun 1938, Chicopee (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 64 years) 
    Married 29 Oct 1902  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. James Kenneth Davidson "Kenneth" Sims,   b. 12 Jul 1904, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 29 Jul 1970, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 66 years)
     2. William Harvey Sims,   b. 27 Jun 1908, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1954  (Age 45 years)
    Last Modified 29 Jan 2025 
    Family ID F185274  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos
    Harvey J. Sims    		Harvey J. Sims
    from Waterloo Region Hall of Fame

  • Notes 
    • Born in Waterloo, Harvey J. Sims graduated from Trinity College, University of Toronto, and completed his law course at Osgoode Hall. In 1921 he was made King's Counsel and became a well-known authority on municipal law, acting as Kitchener's solicitor for many years. He was a leading authority on insurance law and was author of Life Insurance Contracts in Canada.

      He was one of the founders of the K-W Granite Club, president of the Ontario Lawn Bowling Association and president of the Ontario Curling Association. He was a member of the Kitchener rink which represented Canada at the 1932 winter Olympics. He was a charter member of the K-W Rotary Club and served on the senate of the University of Toronto. His country residence, Chicopee, was one of the outstanding examples of amateur landscaping in the province.


      Waterloo Region Hall of Fame https://www.waterlooregionmuseum.com/region-hall-of-fame/inductees-s-to-v/

      __________________


      HARVEY J. SIMS

      Harvey J. Sims, senior member of the law firm of Sims, Bray, Schofield and Lochead, passed away at his home "Chicopee" on June 8th, 1945. Born in Waterloo on December 25th, 1871, the son of the late Peter H. Sims and Jemima Cook, he attended the public school there and later graduated from the Berlin High School. He completed his law course at Osgoode Hall, Toronto, and was called to the bar in 1894 and enrolled as a solicitor of the High Court of Justice (Ontario). Entering the University of Toronto, he took the course in Political Science and Law and received the degree of LL.B. in 1897. From 1894 to 1897 Mr. Sims also attended lectures at Trinity University and received the degree of B.C.L. in 1896, being the gold medallist of the year.

      Returning to Berlin, now Kitchener, he entered into partnership with the late Alex. Millar, K.C., with whom he had been articled in 1889. This partnership continued until the death of Mr. Millar in 1918.

      Mr. Sims was made a King's Counsel in 1921. For a number of years he acted as city solicitor and became well known as an authority on municipal law. He was the author of "Life Insurance Contracts in Canada" and served for many, years as general counsel of the Mutual Life Assurance Company of Canada. Mr. Sims also served as director of the Waterloo Trust and Savings Company and of the Economical Fire Insurance Company. He was a past president of the Waterloo County Bar Association.

      Mr. Sims always took an active interest in athletics and field sports, including football, bowling and curling. His life hobby was landscape gardening. In 1920 he purchased "Chicopee" and built his residence there in 1929. Well known as a tree culturist he devoted many years to beautifying the grounds, doing much of the planting himself. His first wife was the former Florence K. Roos, who predeceased him in 1939. He is survived by his widow, Gay Estell Sims, two sons, J. Kenneth Sims and William H. Sims, and one sister. Three grandchildren also survive. Mr. Sims was a Rotarian, a member of Twin City Lodge, A.F. & A.M. In religion he was a Presbyterian, a member of St. Andrew's Church. In politics he was a Liberal.

      Waterloo Historical Society's Annual Volume 1945 pg 40

  • Sources 
    1. [S302] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo City - 1881, Waterloo Village 1881 Div. 2 Page 44.

    2. [S340] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1911, Div. 38 Page 1.

    3. [S2264] Census - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - 1921, Sub Dist. 25 Page 5.

    4. [S166] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Mount Hope CC#4508 Internet Link .
      Sims/ Harvey J. Sims/ beloved husband of/ Florence K. Roos/ born Dec. 25th 1871/ died June 8th 1945

    5. [S1573] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo City - 1891, Section 4 Page 30.

    6. [S3231] Find A Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/162388969.

    7. [S5] Vit - - ON, Waterloo - 1858-1869 Marriage Register.
      SIMS, Peter Murray, 25, Glenelg Twp., b. Waterloo Twp., s/o James SIMS & Janet HARVEY to Mary Jemina COOK, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Twp., d/o James & Elizabeth COOK, witnesses: Eva WESSLER, Salem & Hannah COOK, Waterloo Twp., May 18 1869

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 25 Dec 1871 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Student - 1891 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Presbyterian - 1891 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 29 Oct 1902 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsPublic Service - Council of the Baord of Trade - 1906 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1906 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Barrister - 1911 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Presbyterian - 1911 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Lawyer - 1921 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - - 26 Ahrens St. West, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Presbyterian - 1921 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 8 Jun 1945 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 


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