James Family Archives

 

•  Researching the Past

•  Education for the Present

•  Preservation for the Future

 

Children of Jesse K. James (1814-1896) of Jefferson County, Ohio and Mary Elizabeth Harvey (1813-1900):

 

1.   `Henry James:  born October 7, 1840 in Greensboro Township, Henry County, Indiana; served in the Civil War as a Corporal in Company A, 75th Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry; killed in battle on September 19, 1863 (aged 22) at Chickamauga, Walker County, Georgia; buried at the Chattanooga National Cemetery, Section P, Grave #6309, Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee.

 

2.    Evan James:  born May 13, 1842 in Greensboro Township, Henry County, Indiana; member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quaker); married November 25, 1869 in Wabash County, Indiana to Sarah Elizabeth Leedy (1850-1924), daughter of Jonas Leedy (1825-1907) and Harriet Craig (1824-1900); died June 5, 1938 (aged 96) in Lincolnville, Wabash County, Indiana; buried at Center Grove Cemetery, Lincolnville, Wabash County, Indiana; known children include:  Josephine James, Mary Pearl James and Chester Craig James.

 

3.    Samuel James:  born February 5, 1844 in Greensboro Township, Henry County, Indiana; served in the Civil War as a Corporal in Company G, 118th Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry; died from Pneumonia caused by marching and exposure on October 20, 1863 (aged 19) in Knoxville, Tennessee; buried in an unknown grave near hospital at Knoxville, Tennessee.

 

4.    Mary Melissa James:  born October 19, 1845 in either Greensboro Township, Henry County, Indiana or Wabash County, Indiana; married William W. Underwood (1838-1888), son of Ezekial Underwood and Anna Wall (1806-1899); died April 24, 1934 (aged 88); buried at Dexter Cemetery, Dexter, Cowley County, Kansas; known children include: James Underwood, Ortus Underwood, Leona Martha Underwood, Otto Underwood, Mary Melissa Underwood, Kate Underwood, Grace Underwood, Earl Underwood, Raymond Underwood and Lloyd Underwood.

 

5.    David Ridgeway James:  born December 20, 1847 in Greensboro Township, Henry County, Indiana; married circa 1874 to Elizabeth Alice Davis (1848-1921); died March 12, 1930 (aged 82) in California; buried at Rose Hill Cemetery, Section I, Lot 61, Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana; known children include:  Jesse Orville James, Willis Alva James, Mary E. James, Matty D. James, Glenn James, Merle James, Von James, Bryant D. James, Verne James and Walter Pavy James.

 

6.    Robert Owen James:  born March 19, 1850 in LaGro Township, Wabash County, Indiana; married May 9, 1878 in Remington, Jasper County, Indiana to Mary Pearl Leedy (1855-1940), daughter of Isaac Calloway Leedy (1830-1903) and Rebecca Jane Kautz (1836-1918); died January 1, 1949 (aged 98); buried at Washington Park East Cemetery, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana; known children include: Rolin Roscoe James.

 

7.    Jesse Elwood James:  born February 17, 1853 in LaGro Township, Wabash County, Indiana; died November 11, 1859 (aged 6); buried at Rush Creek Burial Grounds (Own Cemetery) in Lincolnville, Wabash County, Indiana.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Notes:

 

Jesse K. James (1814-1896) was the son of Evan James (1784-1844) of Washington County, Pennsylvania and Rebecca Pickering (1789-1848).

 

Henry James (1840-1863) served in the 75th Indiana Volunteer Infantry and was engaged in the Battle of Chickamauga (September 18–20, 1863).  He charged down Snodgrass Hill.  Henry was hit by a minnie ball that entered under his chin, and exited through his cheek, removing most of his jaw. He spent the night on the battlefield, and the next morning made his way to a Confederate aid station.  Based on correspondence between the Confederate doctor and his father Jesse K. James, after the war, we know that although Henry was in great pain he helped nurse the other soldiers there.  Henry succumbed to his wounds three days later and died. The Confederates kept track of his body, and he was later buried in the National Cemetery in Chattanooga.

 

Evan James (1842-1938) enlisted as a private on October 10, 1861 in the Union Army.  He was mustered into Company “G” of the 34th Regiment, Indiana Infantry and served for three years during the Civil War.  He was mustered out on September 21, 1864.

 

Samuel James (1844-1863) served in the Civil War as a Corporal in Company G, 118th Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry.  He died of pneumonia while in a Federal Hospital near Knoxville, Tennessee as a result of marching and exposure.  According to the officer in charge, a board was erected as a headstone. That board was later dislodged, and the Federals had no other record of where his body was.  After the war, his father Jesse K. James went down to both Knoxville, and Chattanooga to visit the graves of his sons.

 

Mary Melissa James (1845-1934) was married to William W. Underwood (1838-1888) who also served in the 118th Regiment of the Indiana Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War.  Will's family were Quakers from Clinton County, Ohio. Will is also buried in Dexter Kansas.

 

Rolin Rosco James (1879-1953), the son of Robert Owen James (1850-1949) of LaGro Township, Wabash County, Indiana and Mary Pearl Leedy James (1855-1940). He was born October 16, 1879 in Lincolnville, Wabash County, Indiana in 1881, Rolin and his family moved to Des Moines, Iowa where his father Robert worked for the railroad. In 1885, Rolin and his family moved back to Indiana. In May of 1896, Rolin and his family then moved to Vincennes, Indiana where Rolin graduated from Vincennes University in 1900 with a degree in Classical Studies. He then transferred to Earlham College where he graduated in 1902 with a A. B. degree. Rolin later studied at Harvard Law School. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and an attorney by profession. Rolin is best known, however, for being one of the four founding members of Tau Phi Delta fraternity at Vincennes University in 1897. This fraternal society later came to be known as "Sigma Pi Fraternity," a well known national fraternity that helps men, "strive for excellence by living out core values that promote fellowship, develop character, leadership, advance heightened moral awareness, enable academic achievement, and inspire service. Today, Sigma Pi's Executive Office is located in Nashville, Tennessee. The fraternity currently has 104 Chapters and "Colonies" across the nation and abroad with over 3,800 members and 116,000 lifetime members.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sources:

 

See, Family Records of Susan Steiner, AKA “Susan Amanda Maring,” great, great granddaughter of Mary Melissa James (1845-1944).

 

See, Family Records of David P. Curtis of Dousman, Wisconsin, great, great grandson of Evan James (1842-1938).

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Virtual Memorials on “Find A Grave” Website:

 

Corp Henry James (1840-1863), Memorial ID No. 2984652, by U.S. Veterans Affairs Office, added March 3, 2000.

 

Evan James (1842-1938), Memorial ID No. 35881746, by V.F. added April 14, 2009.

 

Sarah Elizabeth Leedy James (1850-1924), Memorial ID No. 35881739, by V.F. added April 14, 2009.

 

Corp Samuel James (1844-1863), Memorial ID No. 35881922, by V.F., added April 14, 2009.

 

Mary Melissa James Underwood (1845-1934), Memorial ID No. 16716837, by Judy Mayfield, added Nov. 19, 2006.

 

William W. Underwood (1838-1888), Memorial ID No. 129934653, by Judy Mayfield, added May 17, 2014.

 

David Ridgeway James (1847-1930), Memorial ID No. 132492406, by “Genealogyfever,” added July 8, 2014.

 

Elizabeth Alice Davis James (1848-1921), Memorial ID No. 132492406, by “Genealogyfever,” added July 8, 2014.

 

Robert Owen James (1850-1949), Memorial ID No. 181909288, by DSON1492, added July 30, 2017.

 

Mary Pearl Leedy James (1855-1940), Memorial ID No. 129199697, by Rita Osborne, added May 4, 2014.

 

Jesse Elwood James (1853-1859), Memorial ID No. 36051741, by V.F., added April 19, 2009.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Photos:

Mary Elizabeth Harvey James (1813-1900), wife of Jesse K. James (1814-1896).

 

At left Samuel James (1844-1863) in uniform of the 118th Indiana Volunteer Infantry.

 

William W. Underwood (1838-1888) and Mary Melissa James Underwood (1845-1934).

 

Robert Owen James (1850-1949).

 

Rolin Rosco James (1879-1953), Mary Pearl Leedy James (1855-1940) and Robert Owen James (1850-1949).

 

Rolin Rosco James (1879-1953)

 

In back: David Ridgeway James (1847-1930) and Mary Melissa “James” Underwood (1845-1934).

In front: Evan James (1842-1938) and Robert Owen James (1850-1949).

 

Evan James (1842-1938) at the reunion of the Company “G” of the 34th Regiment, Indiana Infantry.

 

From left to right: Sarah Elizabeth Leedy (1850-1924), husband Evan James (1842-1938), son Chester Craig James (1883-1949) and daughter Mary Pearl James (1873-1961).

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Updated: November 6, 2022