James Family Archives

 

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Children of James W. James (1837-1897) of Bedford County, Virginia and Jannetta H. West (1840-1911) of Braggs, Muskogee County, Oklahoma:

 

1.    William “Will” James: living in Bristow, Creek County, Oklahoma as of September 28, 1927.

 

2.    Rosey Bell James: born circa 1866 in Missouri; married February 21, 1886 in Benton County, Arkansas to William “Billl” P. Knight (circa 1865-1910); survived her husband; date of death unknown; known children include: Ezekiel Knight (born 1894), Sidney Harrison Knight (born 1897), Nettie Knight (born 1901), Floyd Thomas Knight (1908-1946) and Johnny Knight.

 

3.    Jonathan H. James: born 1866 in Missouri; died January 1887 (aged 20–21); buried at Beck Cemetery, Plot 37, Colcord, Delaware County, Oklahoma; inscription on tombstone reads, “Son of J.W. And J. James”

 

4.    Ida James: born 1869 in Cherokee Township, Greene County, Missouri; married in 1883 to Henry Beck (1857-1942), son of Jeffrey Beck, Sr. (1814-1883) and Cynthia Downing (1812-1891); died 1893 in Beck, McIntosh County, Oklahoma; known children include: Lora Beck (1886-1981), Cornelius Beck (1889-1922), Albert Beck (1890-1989), Sina Beck (born 1892) and Ida Beck (1893-1985).

 

5.    Alatha M. James: born December 24, 1872 in Kansas; married in 1889 to Benjamin West Combest (1863-1945), son of Samuel Combest (1822-1896) and Mary Ellen “Polly” West (1825-1898); died April 14,1910 in Kingman, Kingman County, Kansas; buried at Walnut Hill Cemetery in Kingman, Kingman County, Kansas; known children include: Jimmy Combest, Orville Combest, Elva M. Combest (1892-1918), Marvin Huston Combest (1897-1984), Mattie Pauline Combest (1901-1951), William Clinton Combest (1903-1928) and Eadith Opal Combest (born 1908).

6.    R. James: born 1873 in Arkansas.

 

7.    John Barron James: born March 12 1876 in Boone County, Arkansas; married in 1899 to Mary “Mamie” Beatty (1883-1968), daughter of Robert Wilburn Beatty; died April 25, 1958 (aged 82) in Braggs, Muskogee County, Oklahoma; buried in Greenleaf Cemetery, Southwest Section 2 in Tahlequah, Cherokee County, Oklahoma; known children include: Jeter James (1899-1997), Wilburn Clarence James (1901-1973) and Lloyd James (born 1908).

 

8.    Annie May James:  born March 7, 1878 in Clay County, Missouri; first marriage December 8, 1892 in Davenport, Oklahoma to James “Jim” Martin (1855-1904); second marriage circa 1911 (maybe earlier) to James Riley Combest (1858-1926), son of Samuel Combest (1822–1896) and Mary Ellen "Polly" West (1825-1898); died September 2, 1957 (aged 79) in Bakersfield, California; buried at Union Cemetery in Bakersfield, Kern County, California; known children through James Martin include: Charles Martin (born 1896), Benjamin H. Martin (born 1899), Clarence Martin (born 1902), James Martin (born 1905); known children through unknown father include: Alice (born 1908); known children through James Riley Combest include: Gladys Combest (born 1912) and Henry Raymond Combest (born 1913).

 

9.    Inez Ethel James:  born December 29, 1880 in Arcadia, Crawford County, Kansas; first marriage circa 1898 in Oklahoma to John H. LaPlant (1877-1918); second marriage to Hiram Lafayette Hinds (1880-1963), son of William Henry Hinds (1840-1911) and Mary Jane Baughman (1841-1918); died April 14, 1968 (aged 87) in Muskogee, Muskogee County, Oklahoma; buried at Greenhill Cemetery in Muskogee, Muskogee County, Oklahoma; known children include: Adell LaPlant (born & adopted 1899), Latha Malinda LaPlant (1903-1998), John Jack LaPlant (1905-1918), Blanche E. LaPlant (1909-1967), Clyde M. LaPlant (1913-1967) and Jeeter LaFate LaPlant (1916-1963).

 

10.  Edna James:  born December 29, 1880 in Arcadia, Crawford County, Kansas; first marriage November 10, 1900 to Charles C. Cook (1875-1942); second marriage to John William Nelson McCuan (1863-1945); died May 16, 1940 in Muskogee, Muskogee County, Oklahoma; buried at Greenhill Cemetery, Muskogee, Muskogee County, Oklahoma; known children include: Vernal Cook (1901-1988), Zelma Cook (1903-1968), Fay Cook (born 1906), Jewell Cook (born 1909), Darrell Laurel Cook (born 1912), Albert Bill Cook (1916-1967), and Roberta Edna Cook (1919-2004).

 

11.  Fred R. James: born January 26, 1882 in Arcadia, Crawford County, Kansas; married 1905 in Muskogee, Muskogee County, Oklahoma to Ella Hall (1885-1951); died August 3, 1942 (aged 60); buried at Greenhill Cemetery in Muskogee, Muskogee County, Oklahoma; known children include: Luther Edward James born 1908 and married to Jenni Cartwright; Sadi James born 1910 and married Frank Boydstun and died 1996 at Muskogee; Goldie Matilda James born 1912, and married John Stephens; Wanda James born 1915; Ray James born March 1920; and, Fred L James born 1926.

 

12.  Noah H. James:  born August 15, 1885 in Boone County, Arkansas; considered feeble-minded; married in Muskogee County, Oklahoma to Julia Speers - marriage lasted five months; died January 19, 1964 (aged 79); buried at Greenhill Cemetery in Muskogee, Muskogee County, Oklahoma; no children.

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Notes:

 

James W. James (1837-1897) was the son of George Washington James (1812-1864) and Elizabeth West of Bedford County, Virginia.

 

In an affidavit sworn out by Inez Ethel (James) LaPlant dated September 28, 1927 in support of a helpless child of a Civil War veteran pension application in the case of her brother Noah H. James, Inez states, “Our parents  were James W. James, and Jannetta H. James. They were married in Missouri, but I do not know when or where. Neither one of them had been previously married. They lived together from the time of their marriage until father died in September, thirty years ago. They were never separated nor divorced. By their marriage they had fourteen children, but only seven are yet living. The living children are Will James, living at Bristow, Oklahoma; Rose, widow of Bill Knight, whereabouts unknown; John James, living here at Braggs, Oklahoma; Anna, widow of Jim Martin, living on Route 7, box 19, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Edna, wife of C.C. Cook, living at 707 Louisiana Street, Muskogee, Oklahoma; then me; and then Noah, the helpless child. Noah was the only one under sixteen years of age when mother received her pension.”

 

On November 5, 2014, Nicholas LaPlant wrote, “my great grandfather was John H. LaPlant. He was born April 14, 1877 in Missouri and died June 02, 1918 in Weber Falls, Muskogee County, Oklahoma. I have no death record for him. He married my great grandmother Inez Ethel James born December 26, 1880 in Arcadia, Crawford County, Kansas and died April 14, 1968 in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Her death record reads Name First: Inez; Middle: LaPlant; Last: Hinds.  John H. LaPlant drowned in the Arkansas River in Webber Falls, Oklahoma while on a picnic with his wife Inez Ethel James LaPlant and thier children. Their 1st born son John Jack LaPlant was born January 25, 1905 in Oklahoma and died June 2, 1918 in Webber Falls, Oklahoma. Their 2nd child Latha Malinda LaPlant was born on March 9, 1903 and died on December 22, 1998 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Their 3rd child Blanch E. LaPlant was born on February 8, 1909 and died on December 6, 1967 in Gore, Sequoyah County, Oklahoma. Their 4th child Clyde M. LaPlant was born on July 30, 1913 and died February 4, 1967 in Muskogee, Muskogee County, Oklahoma.  Their last born, their 5th child Jeeter LaFate LaPlant was born on February 13, 1916 in Braggs, Muskogee County, Oklahoma and died on February 1, 1963 in Muskogee, Oklahoma at Jack C. Montgomery Veterans Administration Medical Center.  John H. LaPlant adopted the child Inez was pregnant with when they met. They named her Adella LaPlant and she was born in the year 1900. Adella LaPlant took off with a man named Max Spears when she turned 18 and that is all the information I have on Adella LaPlant. After their picnic John Jack went for a swim in the Arkansas River and got caught in the currant and John H. rushed in to save him and was also pulled under by the current. Inez went for help but when she and the help returned it was too late. There was no sign of John H. or John Jack. They finnaly found the body of John H. but never found the body of their 1st born son John Jack LaPlant. 's body.

The Obituary of Edna (James) McCuan reads, “"Mrs. Enda McCuan, 59, of Wagoner, died Thursday night in a local hospital.  She had been a resident of Muskogee for 29 years prior to her residence in Wagoner, for the past four years.  She is survived by her husband J.W. McCuan; five daughters, Mrs. Vernal Wright of Tulsa, Mrs. John Patton of Muskogee, Mrs. Faye Bradley of Tulsa, Mrs. Roberta Haines of Wagoner, and Mrs. Jewel Keeler of Muskogee; and two sons, Laurel, and Billy Cook, both of Muskogee. She was a member of the First Christian church at Wagoner.  Funeral arrangements will be announced by the Lancaster funeral home." Under Deaths and Funerals, "Funeral services for Mrs. Edna McCuan, 60, of Wagoner, who died in a local hospital, were held Saturday morning at the Leacher chapel. Rev. J.R. mcCoy officiated. Pallbearers were Lee McCuan, Roy McCuan, Clifford McCuan, John Patton, Deward Hyaynes, and Ed Wright.  Burial was in Greenhill cemetery."

Sources:

 

Family Records of Steven Brian James of Fort Worth, Texas;

 

1900 Federal Census for Lincoln County, Oklahoma – record for “James James”.

 

Jonathan H. James (1866-1887), Find A Grave Memorial, ID No. 5541682, by Patricia Mechling, added June 13, 2001.

 

Alatha (James) Combest (1872-1910), Id., Memorial ID No. 69438156, by Richard Hollis, added May 6, 2011.

 

Benjamin West Combest (1863-1945), Id., Memorial ID No. 21798647, by OkieBran, added September 27, 2007.

 

John Barron James (1876-1958), Id., Memorial ID No. 10507391, by Alice P., added February 21, 2005.

 

Mary “Mamie” (Beatty) James (1883-1968), Id., Memorial ID No. 63027269, by Deb, added December 17, 2010.

 

Annie May (James) Combest (1878-1957), Id., Memorial ID No. 97935116, by Murphy Sisters, added January 11, 2020.

 

James Riley Combest (1858-1926), Id., Memorial ID No. 20238074, by Papa Ross, added July 2, 2007.

 

Inez Ethel (James) LaPlant-Hinds (1880-1968), Id., Memorial ID No. 93143324, by C. J. Griffith, added July 6, 2012.

 

John H. LaPlant (1877-1918), Id., Memorial ID No. 125159471, by Frances Allen Titsworth, added February 14, 2014.

 

Edna (James) Cook-McCuan (1881-1940), Id., Memorial ID No. 100320023, by C.J. Griffith, added November 7, 2012.

 

Charles C. Cook (1875-1942), Id., Memorial ID No. 84315343, by C.J. Griffith, added February 1, 2012.

 

Fred James (1882-1942), Id., Memorial ID No. 49438672, by Wendi Lisa, added March 8, 2010.

 

Ella James (1885-1951), Id., Memorial ID No. 49438709, by Wendi Lisa, added March 8, 2010.

 

Noah H. James (1884-1964), Id., Memorial ID No. 84358771, by C. J. Griffith, added February 2, 2012.

 

Photos:

 

John Barron James (1876-1958) & Mary (Beatty) James (1883-1968)

 

John Barron James (1876-1958)

 

Edna (James) Cook-McCuan (1881-1940)

 

Updated:  April 18, 2021