Echoes of the Past: Unveiling Drusilla's Story Through Family Ties
This is how Robyn R-Williams discovered my blog online: “I was researching my mother's side online and updating my tree after a descendant of George Epps Cannon (my cousin) passed away. I decided to try to research the famous Drusilla again remembering that she supposedly had the last name Tucker. So, I Googled something like "James Tucker plantation South Carolina" and your blog popped up!” She also said, "We are both descendants of Susie Cannon Richard's. Mary Tucker Cannon's daughter."
Finding connections with fellow researchers can be a catalyst for discovery in genealogy. Usually, I help others find their ancestors. When Robyn R-Williams reached out to me on Facebook, I noticed her familiar name although she spelled her name with a "y." Robyn messaged me: “I'm a descendant of the Tuckers in Union County, SC. My great-great-great-grandmother was Drusilla Tucker from Union Fishdam, SC.” My heart leaped. Could this be the missing piece to the story I had long pursued?
Immediately, I stopped and took notice. Drusilla Chick Sims was a name that had lingered in my research for years, an ancestor whose narrative seemed incomplete. I never thought I would find out about Drusilla Chick Sims. Robyn’s message sparked memories and led me to reexamine my notes. Drusilla had indeed used the name Tucker on the 1880 Census—a discovery that brought new depth to my understanding of her life.
"United States Census, 1880", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M63M-VQ4), Entry for Cilla Tucker or Drusilla, 1880.
Earlier, the 1870 Census revealed that Drusilla was married to Henry Sims. They lived right next to James Anderson Tucker—a connection that suggested more than coincidence. James was an enslaver.
"United States Census, 1870", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8R1-WQ4), Entry for Henry Sims and Scillar Sims (Drusilla), 1870.
James Tucker’s death in 1885 marked a turning point. By then, enslavement had ended two decades prior, but it was in that year that Drusilla was truly free to reunite with her family. The 1900 Census confirmed that she was back with Henry. This chain of records painted a story far more personal than data on a page.
It was divine intervention and Robyn’s words that confirmed Drusilla had more children. “We were always told she was born in Madagascar and brought to the US. Her owner and the father of her children was James Tucker, a planter from SC, but that’s all we know,” she shared.
A timeline of Drusilla’s children during enslavement with one in 1866 further unraveled their intertwined identities (births are one to two years different):
1840: Birth of Elmira Sims (1840–1932), South Carolina.
1844: Birth of Mary J. Tucker Cannon (1844–1938), South Carolina (Robyn's 3rd great grandmother).
1846: Birth of Harriet Tucker Cannon (1846–1941), South Carolina.
1853: Birth of Nathan Sims (1853–1932), South Carolina.
1855: Birth of Martha Sims (1855–1936), South Carolina (Robin's 2nd great grandmother)
1857: Birth of Brooks Sims (1857–), South Carolina.
1860: Birth of Augustus Sims (1860–1941), South Carolina.
1866: Birth of Picket Sims (1866–), later known as Tucker.
The blend of names—Sims, Cannon, Tucker—revealed the legacy of those years. The moment Robyn shared the photo of Drusilla, passed down by her Cousin Marianne, it felt as Heavenly Father had whispered to us.
Yes. That is right. Drusilla moved to New Jersey City where she had Cannon descendants. Our next step is clear: tracking down Drusilla’s original death certificate from New Jersey City, Hudson County. New Jersey, Death Index, 1901-2017 (Ancestry.com).
New Jersey, Death Index, 1901-2017- Ancestry.com: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/11249450/person/160083922466/facts
The journey continues, and with each step, Drusilla’s story becomes a testament to resilience and the power of rediscovered family ties. We are adding Sims and Cannon to our family trees. Stay tuned as Robyn and I uncover more pieces of this remarkable legacy. You will find out that Drusilla’s has two George Epps.
If you want to find your descendants of enslaved ancestors, get my book: My Best Genealogy Tips: Finding Formerly Enslaved Ancestors.
Children of Drusilla Sims Cannon:
James Anderson Tucker was the enslaver to the children born before 1865 (https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/11249450/person/160083922466/facts).
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