Luke Simms was the son of Adam Simms and the step-son of Miss Beadle. He had a brief love interest with Nellie Oleson, in which they got married without their parents consent in secret. They moved into a hotel in order to elope without distraction. The temporary union brought out the better and sweeter nature of Nellie who seemed to change while they were together. Luke and his family would later leave Walnut Grove when the town faced difficult economic times.