James Family Archives

 

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Children of David James (1805-1873) of Radnor Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania and Amanda Worthington (1809-1885) of Somerton, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania:

 

1.    Anna Rebecca James:  born August 6, 1834 in Byberry (later incorporated in the 23rd Ward of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania); married November 21, 1861 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Dr. John-Wesley Thompson (1832-1863); died 1900 (aged 66-67); buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Section X Lot 287,289, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; known children include: Landreth W. Thompson, M.D. (1862-1915).

 

2.    Bushrod Washington James:  born August 25, 1836 in Byberry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; never married; died January 6,1903 (aged 66) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; buried at West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania; no issue. See Biography of Bushrod Washington James.

 

3.    Mary Ellen James:  born September 15, 1838 in Byberry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; died April 5, 1842 (aged 3).

 

4.    William Henry James:  born August 17, 1841 in Byberry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; married September 19, 1867 to Sarah Eleanor Levake (1846-1938); died September 13, 1893 (aged 52); buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Section X Lot 287, 289, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; known children include: William Edwin James, Anna Gertrude James and David Bushrod James, M.D.

 

5.    John Edwin James:  born January 18, 1844 in Somerton, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; first marriage December 2, 1869 to Maria L. Eveland (1846-1871); second marriage in 1875 to Eleanor R. Sinn; died February 16, 1910 (aged 66) in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; buried at Mount Vernon Cemetery, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; known children through Eleanor R. Sinn include: Eleanor A. James, John Edwin James, Jr., M.D., and Florence W. James.

 

6.    Henrietta Maria James:  born April 15, 1846 in Byberry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; married January 27, 1870 to James Wilson Moore (1844-1874); died February 6, 1917 (aged 70); buried at West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Plot “Rockland” 238, Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania; known children include: Laura Amanda Moore.

 

7.    Melinda James:  born March 14, 1852 in Byberry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; died March 19, 1852 in Byberry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (aged 5 days).

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Notes:

 

David James (1805-1873) was the son of Isaac James (1777-1874) of Radnor Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania and Henrietta Potts (1780-).

 

Dr. Bushrod Washington James (1836-1903) was an American surgeon, homeopathist, writer, and philanthropist. His father was Dr. David James, one of the pioneers of homeopathy in Philadelphia. He received his degree of M.D. from the Homeopathic Medical College of Philadelphia in 1856. He helped thousands of poor children and adults, treating many of them without being paid for his services. Bushrod served as a volunteer surgeon during the Civil War at the Battle of Antietam in September 1862 and the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863. After the Civil War, he crusaded for women's suffrage and wrote a book on the topic. He also wrote extensively on medicine and travel. He served as the secretary of the Homeopathic Medical Society of Pennsylvania and later as its president. He bequeathed $55,000 as well as several properties in Philadelphia and Island Beach, New Jersey to establish the Washington James Eye and Ear Institute, a free hospital for the treatment of diseases of the eyes, throat, and lungs. He also provided three houses, books, jewels, relics, and a $40,000 endowment to establish a library for children and the elderly, that eventually became the Bushrod branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia. He donated land to the city of Oakland, California for the establishment of Bushrod Park, and several plots of land to the city of Coronado, California for the establishment of the Bushrod Washington James Institute.  See, “Biographical Cyclopaedia of Homeopathic Physicians and Surgeons”, published 1873 by Galaxy Publishing Co., page 44.

 

William Henry James (1841-1893) studied law in Philadelphia and was a successful counselor-at-law in Franklin, Venango County, Western Pennsylvania where he was admitted to practice law in 1865 and eventually became District Attorney for that county.  See, “History of Venago County, Pennsylvania - It’s Past and Present”, published 1890 by Brown, Runk & Co., page 188.

 

Dr. John Edwin James (1844-1910) was a Professor of Gynecology in Hahnemann Medical College and a partner in his father’s medical practice in Philadelphia.  He began his medical education in the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia in 1864 and received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1866.  He received his education in homeopathy at Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia from which institution he received an honorary degree in 1886.  In 1877 he was elected adjunct professor of surgery, including all departments in 1889. In 1895, at his own request he was transferred from the chair of surgery to that of gynecology, which he held to the day of his death.  Dr. James was an active member of the American Institute of Homeopathy and of numerous local medical societies.  He was a consistent and able supporter of the principles of homeopathy and for more than thirty years gave freely of his time and ability to further the interests of the Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital.  In spite of his active work as a teacher and physician, Dr. James found time to devote himself largely to charitable and religious movements.  On February 16, 1910, Dr. James died from a paralytic stroke.  He was honored at the time of his death by his friends and colleagues.  See, “Obituary of Dr. John Edwin James”, published July, 1911, in The Hahnemannian Monthly, Transactions of the State Medical Society, Volume 46, page 540.  See also, “Biography of John Edwin James (1844-1910)”, in History of Homeopathy Biographies presented by Sylvain Cazalet (2003).

 

Of the grandchildren listed above:  Landreth W. Thompson was born November 5, 1862; William Edwin James was born July 28, 1868 but died of drowning April 11, 1873; Anna Gertrude James was born November 9, 1871; and, Laura Amanda Moore was born January 21, 1873.

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Sources:

 

See, “Memorial of Thomas Potts, Junior  Who Settled in Pennsylvania: with an historic-genealogical account of his descendants to the eighth generation”, by Mrs. Thomas Potts James, 1874, pages 317, 318 and 345.

 

See, “Autobiography of Reverend Isaac James, M.D.”, 1869, Transcribed by Reverend Joseph F. Di Paolo of First United Methodist Church of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, February 2006.

 

See, Obituary of David James (1805-1873) as reported in the Philadelphia “Evening Bulletin” June 9, 1873.

 

See, Obituary of John E. James, M.D. published in the “Christian Republic,” Volume 4, No. 11, page 3 (Nov. 1910).

 

See, Obituary of Bushrod Washington James (1836-1903) as reported in the British Monthly Homoeopathic Review, March 2, 1903, Volume 47, pages 189-191. (Identifies surviving family as of 1903 as sister Henrietta Moore; nephews Landreth W. Thompson, M.D.; John E. James, Jr., M.D., and David Bushrod James, M.D.)

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Virtual Memorials on “Find A Grave” Website:

 

Anna Rebecca James Thompson (1834-1900), Memorial ID No. 59106663, by Dan Silva, added September 23, 2010.

 

Dr. John Wesley Thompson (1832-1863), Memorial ID No. 15724322, by RPD2, added September 13, 2006.

 

Bushrod Washington James (1836-1903), Memorial ID No. 64980169, by Paul S., added January 31, 2011.

 

William Henry James (1841-1893), Memorial ID No. 151515590, by Mary Phalan, added August 31, 2015.

 

Sarah Ella Lavoke James (1846-1938), Memorial ID No. 151515865, by Mary Phalan, added August 31, 2015.

 

Dr. John Edwin James (1844-1910), Memorial ID No. 201677109, by Glenn Ellis, added July 30, 2019.

 

Maria L. Eveland James (1846-1871), Memorial ID No. 201670189, by Glenn Ellis, added July 30, 2019.

 

Henrietta Maria James Moore (1846-1917), Memorial ID No. 91398599, by Graves, added June 5, 2012.

 

James Wilson Moore (1844-1874), Memorial ID No. 91398618, by Graves, added June 5, 2012.

 

Melinda James (1852-1852), Memorial ID No. 100910397, by Shiva, added November 18, 2012.

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Photos:

Dr. Bushrod Washington James (1836-1903)

 

Dr. John Edwin James (1844-1910)

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Updated:  June 4, 2023