ask for divorce or death

Woodrow W Simms is living with Hattie Smith in 1940

Have you tried looking for a death for William F Simms in Ohio, thats where all his children seem to have been born.

Anabel /Mabel Simms (Smith)is not with her mother in 1930 so she could also have died in Ohio.

If one or other died then have you looked for a re - marriage ?

I cannot find what happened to William and Mabel after 1930 but this looks like their marriage.

Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1994"
Name: William Simms
Titles and Terms:
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 29 Nov 1906
Event Place: Hamilton, Ohio, United States
Age: 23
Birth Year (Estimated): 1883
Birthplace: W.Va.
Father's Name: Frank **
Mother's Name: Kate Brennan **
Spouse's Name: Mabel Smith
Spouse's Age: 23
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1883
Spouse's Birthplace: Ind
Spouse's Father's Name: J. **
Spouse's Mother's Name: Hattie Swallow **
Reference ID: Vol 194 p86
GS Film Number: 355083
Digital Folder Number: 004016450
Image Number: 00080

** both sets of parents
...............................................................

1900 United States Federal Census
Name: Wm Sims
Age: 15
Birth Date: Jun 1884
Birthplace: West Virginia
Home in 1900: Carthage, Hamilton, Ohio
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relation to Head of House: Son
Marital Status: Single
Father's Name: Frank Sims
Father's Birthplace: Indiana
Mother's name: Kate Sims
Mother's Birthplace: West Virginia

Frank Sims 43
Kate Sims 39
Jim Sims 19
Williamm Sims 15
Sarah Sims 14
Johnnie Sims 11
Clarence Sims 9
Lawrence Sims 7
Maggie Sims 3

Could William F have married a Mary G ???? assuming Mabel died prior to 1930. Might be worth following up.

United States Census, 1930"
Name: William F Simms
Event Type: Census
Event Year: 1930
Event Place: Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, United States
District: 0284
Gender: Male
Age: 45
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Race (Original): White
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Head
Birth Year (Estimated): 1885
Birthplace: West Virginia
Father's Birthplace: Indiana
Mother's Birthplace: West Virginia
Sheet Number and Letter: 10A
Household ID:
Line Number: 10
Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Affiliate Publication Number: T626
Affiliate Film Number: 300
GS Film number: 2340035
Digital Folder Number: 004531904
Image Number: 00096

Head William F Simms M 45 West Virginia
Wife Mary G Simms F 43 Pennsylvania

This might be worth following up:

Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-2007
Name: William F Simms
Birth Date: 1885
Gender: Male
Race: White
Residence Place: Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, United States
Death Date: 16 Mar 1968
Hospital of Death: Long-Term Care Facilities
Death Place: Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, USA
Certificate: 021664
Age at Death: 83
Certifier: Physician
Autopsy: No Autopsy performed
Marital Status: Widowed

U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-Current
Name: William Simms
SSN: 577-10-9315
Last Residence: 45229 Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, USA
BORN: 4 Jun 1884
Died: Mar 1968
State (Year) SSN issued:

This looks like it could be Mabel married to a Fred Sereman. So either Fred died or the marriage did not workout before she married William F Simms in 1906

1900 United States Federal Census
Name: Mable Sereman
[Mable Smith]
Age: 17
Birth Date: Feb 1883
Birthplace: Indiana
Home in 1900: Cincinnati Ward 10, Hamilton, Ohio
Race: White
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Fred Sereman
Marriage Year: 1899
Years Married: 1
Father's Name: Jack Smith
Father's Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Mother's name: Hattie Smith
Mother's Birthplace: Indiana


Jack Smith 43
Hattie Smith 42
Claud Smith 7
Mable Sereman 17
Fred Sereman 20

There is nothing like a complicated family. It would appear that William F Simms and Mabel Smith must have seperated some time between 1920 and 1930

Mabel appears to marry a Howard Snyder.

Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1953"
Name: Mabel Snyder
Titles and Terms:
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 25 Apr 1930
Event Place: Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio
Gender: Female
Age: 47
Marital Status: Married
Birth Date: 19 Mar 1883
Birthplace: Indiana
Birth Year (Estimated): 1883
Father's Name: Jackson Smith **
Father's Birthplace: Indiana
Mother's Name: Hattie Swallow **
Mother's Birthplace: Indiana
Spouse's Name: Howard Snyder
File Number: fn 23903
GS Film number: 1992090
Digital Folder Number: 004000542
Image Number: 00010

** correct parents

Thank you for your help. In the time since I posted this message, I have found a lot of info.

Mabel was married before she married my g gpa (Fred Sierman). They had a daughter (Myrtle), but was later considered my g gpas daughter in a later census.

Mabel did remarry a Howard Snyder. (William's sister also married a Howard Snyder. Trying to prove it.)

William did remarry a Mary G. If you look at my gpas (Royden Simms) burial record at Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, it lists her as mother. His death record info is also correct, I confirmed that info on his dc.

I have made contact with my gpas sister's family. Trying to make contact with his 1/2 sisters and brothers family.

I have made it to William F's gma, 1797.

Thank you for your help.