Background
Ely, Sims was born on January 7, 1862 in Overton County, Tennessee, United States. Son of Matthew Sims and Susan Jane (Carr) Ely.
Ely, Sims was born on January 7, 1862 in Overton County, Tennessee, United States. Son of Matthew Sims and Susan Jane (Carr) Ely.
Educated country schools, Tennessee and Kansas, and Illinois Wesleyan University Business College.
Editor and owner Hutchinson (Kansas) Democrat, 1885-1892. Special commissioner Supreme Court of Kansas (county seat litigation), 1892. Secretary to the United States Senator John Martin of Kansas, 1893-1894.
Secretary-treasurer Hudson Reservoir Company (Roosevelt Reservoir Project, Arizona), 1897-1904.
Secretary and Spanish translator to Governor Murphy of Arizona, 1898-1902. Secretary to Governor Joseph H. Kibbey, 1905-1909.
Territorial auditor and bank comptroller, Arizona, 1908-1909. Chairman Board of Equalization, Arizona, 1909, Board of Control, 1908-1909, Arizona Railway Commission, 1909.
Editor and managing owner Arizona Republican, Phoenix, 1907-1911.
General manager Valley Bank Adjunct Company, Phoenix, 1914-1919. President Board of Education, City of Phoenix, 1908-1922. Executive secretary Arizona Resources Board, 1919-1922, also special secretary to Governor Thomas East. Campbell, and in these two positions cooperated with Governors of 7 states of Colorado river basin, 1919-1921, in settling policies for storage of flood waters.
At meeting of Governors, Denver, August 1920, appointed with Judge Delph Carpenter to advise on definite policy, which led to adoption of Carpenter plan of interstate compact for allocation of flood waters among the 7 states.
Following adoption of their report by Governors, was associate with Carpenter in assuring passage of necessary legislation in basin states and congress, which was followed by “Santa Fe Compact” and construction Hoover Dam. Chief clerk, administrative assistant, Department of Justice, 1922-1923.
Director and treasurer Federal Land Bank and Federal Intermediate Credit Bank, Berkeley, California, 1923-1930. Appointed, October 1931, by Secretary Interior as city manager Boulder City, Nevada, construction camp for Hoover dam.
By operation of law was due to retire for age, 1939, but President United States by special order continued services for one year, and in 1940 repeated this order.
Retired as city manager, April 1, 1941, and joined son, Northcutt Ely, in law office, Washington, District of Columbia.
Clubs: Arizona (Phoenix).
Married Elizabeth Northcutt, June 6, 1886 (died January 7, 1940). Children: Helen (Mistress Harry Craig Richardson), Sims, Northcutt.