William Gilmore Simms was a renowned South Carolina author, poet, historian, and editor whose writings helped document Southern history, culture, and life during the 19th century. Considered one of the South’s most important literary figures, he produced numerous novels, biographies, and historical works throughout his career.
This Historical Site Marker Reads
The lifetime of William Gilmore Simms, the preeminent man of letters in the Old South, embraced an era of American history marked by nullification, states rights, secession, war and reconstruction.
He responded to these crises by writing and publishing a total of 65 volumes comprising 27 novels of romances, five collections of short fiction, 18 volumes of poetry, two of drama, five volumes of history and geography, four of biography, five volumes of reviews and miscellaneous prose.
As an editor, he was associated with a number of significant periodicals. He was a popular lecturer on a number of subjects, leaving a number of important works in manuscript at his death.
Collins Park is the site on which the writer’s son, William Gilmore Simms, Jr., Clerk of Court for Barnwell County 1883-1912, and his wife, Emma Gertrude Hartzog Simms built their stately home in the early 1900’s.