Ma Jake, Papa Mit, & Politics

Sarah Loella Wright was born March 13, 1886 at Montpelier, Bear Lake, Idaho.  She was the oldest daughter of Amos Russell Wright and his second wife, Martha Loella Weaver.  She was living in Logan, Cache, Utah when she met and married Frederick Bailey Jacobson from Safford, Arizona.  She has most often been referred to as "Ma Jake".  She was also a school teacher for many years and very interested in the world around her.  Ma Jake took great interest in politics even at a young age as supposed by frequent mention of her in the local newspapers attending political rallies and her involvement in politics later in life with her 2nd and 3rd husbands, Mit Simms and Andrew Lewis.  (She was widowed 3 times before passing away August 23, 1969 in Phoenix, Arizona.)  Her father, Amos Russell Wright, was perhaps a great influence in her interest in politics also as he served twice in the legislature of Idaho and gave at least one famous speech there against the Test Oath Act.

In this newspaper article of 1908, Ma Jake and Mit Simms attended the same political meeting. Mit Simms grew up in Solomonville just east of Safford and spent his lifetime in politics. It is likely that they knew each other during their young adult years. Ma Jake was 22 years old at the time and married to Fred Jacobson. This political meeting was just about a month prior to the presidential election of William Howard Taft vs. William Jennings Bryan.

(1st column, 3rd paragraph - Click on picture to enlarge)Daily Arizona silver belt. (Globe, Gila County, Ariz.) 1906-1929
November 01, 1908, SECOND SECTION, Page Page Fourteen, Image 14
Image provided by Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records; Phoenix, AZ
Persistent link: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87082863/1908-11-01/ed-1/seq-14/

Thirty-eight years later in 1946, four years after the death of her first husband Fred, she and Mit Simms married. Mit Simms was Secretary of State from 1919-1920, Arizona State Treasurer in 1931, and appointed as Arizona Corporate Commissioner when he passed away in 1957. Governor McFarland offered the remaining tenure to Ma Jake to finish out for her husband which she declined. It is surely indicative of her good character, intelligence and interest in politics that she was offered a Governor appointed position.



Mit Simms was the grandfather that Clarence and Jewel's children knew best as they were living on the East Coast when Grandpa Fred died. They called him Papa Mitt.  The Arizona Silver Belt Paper from Globe (21 June 1906) relates that "Mit Simms is one of the best judges of ball players in the southwest...Mit Simms, clerk of Graham County, was here Sunday as chaperone of the Solomonville Baseball Club. Mit doesn't know what it is to be left on first base - on the diamond or in the political arena...Several prominent citizens of Graham County accompanied the Solomonville ball team and spent Sunday in Globe. Among them was the manager of the team, Mit Simms..."

Ma Jake was a lifelong Democrat. Among her letters was this handwritten poem. Author and date is unknown but it seems to pertain to the 1920 elections of the presidential candidates: Harding vs. Cox. It makes reference to Mit Simms losing the bid for Arizona Governor in 1920. The handwriting of this poem is not a match to Ma Jake's.

Still a Democrat

They carried Cal; they slaughtered us in Maine.

The echoes shout the victory from Halifax to Spain.

They made a hole in Lousi-an; they dented Tennessee.

They knocked them cold in old Mizzou, but they never routed me.

They smashed our dreams to smithereens; our hopes to a cocked hat.

But here is one they couldn't turn. I'm still a democrat.

'Twas ten thousand votes for Harding and two hundred votes for Cox.

I bet 'em all my ready cash; likewise my shoes and sox.

And as returns came piling in, I knew I was out of luck.

But still I claimed l'il old New York and yelled for old Kaintuck.

Now its the morning after, my claimer's busted flat.

But cashless, shoeless, sockless folks, I'm still a Democrat.

Maricopa County went republican and Mit and Mark both fell,

Looks like the whole durn County had completely gone to H-

I don't know whre it's going to, but here's something for you Mates,

When my time comes to shuffle off and try the pearly gates,

And old Saint Peter hears my knock and hollers 'Who is that?'

I'll say old boy, throw wide the gates, here comes a Democrat.

There'll be lots of boys for company who gave their lives in France.

I'll not be bothered much with folks who spent ten per to dance.

When little ones are starving and the world cries out for aid,

Nor with folks who forget their promises like the ones the Big Hat made.

When he said he'd be there with the boys, show 'em he'd go to bat,

Me for the Conway and Douglas kind too, and thank God I'm a democrat.