James Family Archives

 

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Children of Ira Raymond James (1872-1947) of Iowa and Jennie H. Garrett (1886-1952):

 

1.    Eva L. James:  born March 19, 1903 in Prairie Township, Keokuk County, Iowa; married July 17, 1927 in Mahaska County, Iowa to Daniel Dewey Lawrence (1900-1982), son of William E. Lawrence (1865-ukn.) and Julia Elizabeth Dean (1866-1930); died February 1981 (aged 77) in Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa; buried at Sixteen Cemetery, Thornburg, Keokuk County, Iowa; known children include: Beverly Ann Lawrence (1933-1933) and Ronald Keith Lawrence (1935-ukn).

 

2.    Olive “Alice” Beatrice James:  born on July 20, 1905, in Thornburg, Keokuk County, Iowa; married December 17, 1924 in Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa to Harry Le Roy Reynolds (1902-1989), son of Guy L. Reynolds (1879-1945) and Sadie Lorenda Steen (1878-1955); died in 1996 (aged 91); buried in Forest Cemetery, Oskaloosa County, Mahaska, Iowa; known children include: Betty Jean Reynolds (1925-2014).

 

3.    Gladys Pearl James:  born September 17, 1907 in Keokuk County, Iowa; married December 9, 1926 to Harold Benson (1901–1986), son of George Clinton Benson (1870-1853) and Anna Lydia White (1872-1954); died March 7, 2008 (aged 100) in Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa; buried at Sixteen Cemetery in Thornburg, Keokuk County, Iowa; known children include: Carl James Benson (1927-2014), Norma Jean Benson (1929-2014) and Doris Maxine Benson (1930-2007).

 

4.    Opal Lennie James:  born September 28, 1909 in What Cheer, Keokuk County, Iowa; married January 23, 1929 in Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa to James Luverne Huffman (1907-1992), son of Frederick Wesley Huffman (1885-1976) and Sarah Louise Thomas (1883-1976); died April 15, 2011 (aged 101) in Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa; buried at Tioga Cemetery in Rose Hill, Mahaska County, Iowa; known children include: Phyllis Eileen Huffman (1930-2008) and Garry L. Huffman (1939-2021).

 

5.    Raymond Lee James:  born October 13, 1910 in Prairie Township, Keokuk County, Iowa; married October 7, 1929 in Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa to Helen Rose Doughman (1914-2004),daughter of Ezra Guy Doughman (1886-1951) and Marjorie Ruth Evans (1889-1915); died 2000 (aged 90); buried at Sixteen Cemetery, Section #5, Row 1 in Thornburg, Keokuk County, Iowa; known children include: Marion Lee James (1931-2008), Marvel Louise James (1932-1932) and Merlin Keith James (1934-1935).

 

6.    Gerald Carl James:  born March 19, 1914 near What Cheer, Keokuk County, Iowa; married March 28, 1934, in What Cheer, Keokuk County, Iowa to Alice Noreen Hedrick (1916–2014) daughter of James Melvin Hedrick (1887-1979) and Lula Shacklett (1887-1957); died September 24, 1998 (aged 84) in Charitan, Lucas County, Iowa; buried at Chariton Cemetery, Section D in Chariton, Lucas County, Iowa; children include: Eugene James and Janice James Brown.

 

7.    Viola Alice James:  born March 14, 1917 in Keokuk County, Iowa; first marriage January 3, 1934 in Montezuma, Poweshiek County, Iowa to Rex Henry Surber (1914-1986), son of George Washington Surber (1861-1921) and Finette Elizabeth Smith (1873-1930); second marriage to Kenneth C. Scherer (1927-2017); died September 26, 2016 (aged 99) in Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa; buried in Eldon Cemetery in Eldon, Wapello County, Iowa; known children include: Rex Henry Surber, Jr. (1934-unk) and Terry Max Surber (1942-1950).

 

8.    Everett Leroy James:  born June 16, 1919 in Thornburg, Keokuk County, Iowa; married August 11, 1940 in Lancaster, Missouri to Leola Mae Newcomb (1916–2005), daughter of John Newcomb (1889-1951) and Mary Haddow Shirlaw (1892-1977); died June 17, 2012 (aged 93) in Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa; buried at Sixteen Cemetery in Thornburg, Keokuk County, Iowa; known children include: Leroy James and Donald James.

 

9.    Agnes E. James: born in 1921 in Keokuk County, Iowa; married March 9, 1940 to Russell William Dutemple (1915-1969), son of Francis Hubert Dutemple (1887-1942) and Bertha Ella Ball (1891-unk); died in 1966; buried at Sixteen Cemetery in Thornburg, Keokuk County, Iowa.

 

10.  Wilma Pauline James:  born June 15, 1929 in What Cheer, Keokuk County, Iowa; married October 22, 1949 in What Cheer, Keokuk County, Iowa to Paul Edward Snakenberg (1926–2004), son of Ira Snakenberg and Barbara Strohman; died August 8, 2017 (aged 88) in Washington, Washington County, Iowa; buried at Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa; known children include: Janet Snakenberg, Joyce Snakenberg and Shirley Snakenberg.

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Biographical Notes:

 

Ira James (1872-1947) was the son of Israel B. James (1850-1924) of Hardin or Logan County, Ohio and Elizabeth Ann Capehart (1844–1933)

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Sources:

 

See, Records of the James Family Archives.

 

See also, Agnes Dutemple Identified in 1940 U.S. Federal Population Census, What Cheer, Washington Township, Keokuk, Iowa.

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Virtual Memorials on “Find A Grave” Website:

 

Eva L. James Lawrence (1903-1981), Memorial ID No. 92555646, by Svandee, added June 25, 2012.

 

Daniel Dewey Lawrence (1900-1982), Memorial ID No. 92555647, by Svandee, added June 25, 2012.

 

Olive “Alice” Beatrice James Reynolds (1905-1996), Memorial ID No. 178909617, by Carl Nollen, added April 30, 2017.

 

Harry Le Roy Reynolds (1902-1989), Memorial ID No. 178909680, by Carl Nollen, added April 30, 2017.

 

Gladys Pearl James Benson (1907-2008), Memorial ID No. 70704168, by Carla Burdock, added June 1, 2011.

 

Harold Benson (1901–1986), Memorial ID No. 70704162, Carla Burdock, added June 1, 2011.

 

Opal James Huffman (1909-2011), Memorial ID No. 68432470, by Donald Bitner, added April 16 2011.

 

James Luverne Huffman (1907-1992), Memorial ID No. 103478142, Cindy Lovell & Steve Hols, added January 12, 2013.

 

Raymond Lee James (1910-2000), Memorial ID No. 33220137, by Zelda Capehart, added January 24, 2009.

 

Helen Rose Doughman James (1914-2004), Memorial ID No. 33220143, by Zelda Capehart, added January 24, 2009.

 

Gerald Carl James (1914-1988), Memorial ID No. 91022133, by Skip, added May 30, 2012.

 

Alice Noreen Hedrick James (1916-2014), Memorial ID No. 123505388, by Skip, added January 15, 2014.

 

Viola Alice James Surber/Scherer (1917-2016), Memorial ID No. 210135898, by Erin Small, added May 15, 2020.

 

Rex Henry Surber (1914-1986), Memorial ID No. 108430810, by Billy Barber, added Apr 13, 2013.

 

Everett Leroy James (1919-2012), Memorial ID No. 92127778, by Donald Bitner, added June 18, 2012.

 

Leola Mae Newcomb James (1916–2005), Memorial ID No. 33220108, by Zelda Capehart, added January 24, 2009.

 

Agnes E. James Dutemple (1921-1966), Memorial ID No. 92556040, by Svandee, added June 25, 2012.

 

Russell William Dutemple (1915-1969), Memorial ID No. 92556039, by Svandee, added June 25, 2012.

 

Wilma Pauline James Snakenberg (1929-2017), Memorial ID No. 182222751, by Donald Bitner, added Aug. 9, 2017.

 

Paul Edward Snakenberg (1926–2004), Memorial ID No. 9614019, by Alberta Daniels Withrow, added October 17, 2004.

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Photographs:

Gladys Pearl James Benson (1907-2008) and Harold Benson (1901-1986).

 

Opal James Huffman (1909-2011)

 

Viola Alice James Surber (1917-2016)

 

Everett Leroy James (1919-2012)

 

Wilma Pauline James Snakenberg (1929-2017)

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Updated: June 17, 2025