James Family Archives

 

•  Researching the Past

•  Education for the Present

•  Preservation for the Future

 

James Family Archives News and Developments For 2024

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Wednesday, October 24, 2024:

Greetings! Distinguished James family members, loyal friends, renowned historians and fellow genealogists across the fruited plain and around the world! This is my favorite time of year, the weather has finally settled down and here in Sacramento, California, it feels like Spring again - except without the allergies!!! As we rapidly approach our family’s 342nd anniversary in North America on October 28, 2024, I can’t think of any better way to celebrate that to share a “SOS” letter I recently found on the Find-A-Grave website left a couple of years ago from a young man named Kelly Clark. In a message attached to the memorial of Claude Hurlburt James (1885-1969), No. 74478985, dated October 13, 2022, Kelly wrote, "Claude Hurlburt is my great grandfather, John Paul my grandfather and Bobby R. James my father. My father never knew the James side of his family and I would love to learn more about them. If you have information, please email kellyclark0725@gmail.com." Well Kelly, we finally found your “SOS” and boy do we have a great deal of information to share with you concerning your particular James family! You are welcome to visit and explore our family’s history website, or, you can proceed directly to the page in our Genealogical Section where the information concerning your great grandfather Claude Hurlburt James' immediate family can be found:

Page 137 Children of John McNeil James (1843-1931) and Mary Elizabeth Amos (1843-1906);

Also, we have just completed the update to the following page. Thank you everyone for your contributions!

Page 138 Children of Jesse Kersey James (1849-1931) and Matilda Delila Cox (1858-1927).

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Saturday, September 22, 2024:

Greetings! Distinguished James family members, loyal friends, renowned historians and fellow genealogists across the fruited plain and around the world! My goodness, how the year has flown by. So much to report, so much to share! Where to begin? Let us first acknowledge those family members who have made significant contributions this year. We begin with cousin Wendy James Lovgren who, on June 15, 2024, who provided the Archives with an important update on the biographical information of James family ancestor, William Amos James (1860-1923), of Pleasant Site, Franklin County Alabama appearing on Page 147 of the Genealogical Section of J.F.A. web site. On April 22, 2024, we were introduced to Dan Culver, the grandson of Ava Demos James Dear (1902-1931) appearing on Page 180 of the Genealogical Section. This year has also seen significant updates to the following pages in our Genealogical Section:

Page 32 Children of Thomas James (circa 1690-1753) and Mary Jones (1716-1745) / Sarah Henderson (1720-1800);

Page 60 Children of Evan James (1784-1844) and Rebecca Pickering (1789-1848);

Page 130 Children of Thomas James (1781-) and Barbary Britz (1782-1812);

Page 131 Children of David James (1807-1889) and Hannah Dewitt (1816-ukn) / Mary Ann Howard Grimes (1824-1892)

Page 132 Children of Isaac Thomas James (1844-1888) and Dulcina Rogers (1849-1883);

Page 133 Children of Jehu L. James (1829-1904) and Mary B. Hayes (1831-1902);

Page 134 Children of Otey James (1813-1907) and Maria Theresia Jerusha Beroth (1807-1872);

Page 136 Children of Maston James (1803-1858) and Delilah Thrasher (1811-1889);

Page 170 Children of William Amos James (1860-1923) and Marthey Melisey Culligan (1868-1925); and,

Page 180 Children of Ralph Edward James (1859-1937) and Paralee Payne (1864-1950).

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Sunday, January 21, 2024:

Greetings! James family, friends, historians and genealogists across the fruited plain and around the world! Happy National Hugging Day, recognized by the United States Copyright Office! In accordance with this greatly underrated holiday, go out and give a family member a big hug from all of us at the James Family Archives! In further observance of this auspicious day, the James Family Archives is proud to announce the online publication of Chapter 1 of History of the James Family entitled, “Building America, The Colonial History of David James (c.1660-1739) of Llandegley and Glascwm Parishes in Radnorshire, Wales.” This is the first edition of Chapter 1 and will likely be updated in the future. However, at the moment we are busily preparing Chapter 2 entitled, “The Call to Arms and the Revolutionary War.”  Please enjoy Chapter 1. If you feel inspired to provide any editorial assistance, LOL!, feel free to email me.

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Monday, January 15, 2024:

Happy Martin Luther King Day to our James family, friends, distinguished historians and genealogical enthusiasts all across the fruited plain and around the world! Here at the Archives we have been very busy updating our Genealogical Section and thanks to the contributions of our vast army of family historians and genealogists, we are accomplishing what would hitherto be considered impossible. We are in the midst of the most comprehensive update in four years. Historic records are being reviewed for accuracy, corrections are being made and lost family members found. A big shout out this week to Toni Lynn James of Phillips, Arkansas, granddaughter of Truett Clarence James (1925–2011) for her contributions to Page 170, “Children of William Amos James (1860-1883) and Marthey Melisey Culligan (1868-1925) of Franklin County, Alabama,” and, Page 171, “Children of Clarence Burton James (1896- 1955) of Franklin County, Alabama and Maude Arvazeeny Reneau (1904–1998).” Great job Team James! Keep up the great work!

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Monday, January 15, 2024:

Thank you Z for your very heartfelt message (Below). What we do is a labor of love. I believe that an individual's family history should be "free" and not obtained at any charge whatsoever. This is why I do what I do. I want our family to be able to access their history free of charge. Thank you for your support.

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Monday, January 15, 2024:

Greetings Hamilton! Thank you for your compliment and welcome to the James Family Archives. Congratulations on your recent research and tracking your James family lineage to Isaac James (1721-1813), born in Onslow County, North Carolina and buried in the Isaac James Cemetery, located on the Sycamore Springs Plantation in Maple Hill, Pender County, North Carolina. I can see from his memorial (ID No. 72076135) on the Find a Grave website that he was married to Priscilla Padgett (1741-1823) of New Hanover County, North Carolina. It was very common in 18th through the 19th centuries for land owners to be buried on the property they settled and developed. These personal cemeteries were a common practice so that children, who typically inherited the land, could conveniently pay their respects and care for the graves of their parents and grandparents. While our genealogical database does not contain an Isaac James (1721-1813), born in Onslow County, North Carolina, that does not necessarily mean your James family ancestor is not from the same James family as ours or descend from David James (circa 1660-1739) of Llandegley and Glascwm parishes in Radnorshire, Wales who migrated to Pennsylvania with William Penn and arrived at Philadelphia on October 28, 1682. There is, for certain, one way to find out for sure. That is, if you are a direct patrilineal descendant of Isaac James (1721-1813), you can submit a sample of your DNA to the labs at Family Tree DNA and participate in the James Surname Y-DNA Project. You will find a link at the bottom of our Home Page. The James Surname Y-DNA Project is very reputable and has helped our particular James family connect various family lines that had been separated for more than 300 years. I would encourage you to do this. If your James family is not closely related to ours, you may yet find your James ancestors that came to North America and when. Thank you again for you kind compliment. You are always welcome here at the James Family Archives.

 

“Zcritters”, z4critters@sbcglobal.net - Tuesday, January 9, 2024:

Thank you TONS. Its folk like you that brighten up days for people like myself, so far from where the family came from, so long ago. The images you have given me (and the world) for genealogy, for tracing family steps is GREAT. There is a dimension added by your work- memorials and images- that can not be replaced nor underestimated. Z

 

Hamilton James, hs.james16@gmail.com - Tuesday, January 9, 2024:

Hello! My name is Hamilton James and I am reaching out as I've recently been doing some research on my family lineage and came upon this wonderful site. I've tracked my family history back to the early/mid 1700's and have taken it about as far as I can using Ancestry and other similar websites. The last name I was able to confidently identify was Isaac James, who was born in 1721. While he died in North Carolina, I can't seem to identify his birthplace or father, and was curious if he may be the Isaac James who was born to David James at the top of the JFA archive tree. Perhaps you have seen some sort of reference to North Carolina or could help prove/disprove this connection?

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Sunday, January 7, 2024:

Happy New Year everyone! I hope your 2024 is off to a great start. This weekend I want to give a bit shout out to cousins Nancy Fehmer of Shawnee, Oklahoma and Avery James of Cameron, Oklahoma for helping us update Page 214 in our Genealogical Section entitled, “Children of Robert Jacob James (1906-1968) of Wilburton, Latimer County, Oklahoma and Eva Lee Colley (1905-1994).” Along with the updates to page 214, we have been able to update Page 213 entitled, “Children of Elias Golden “Goldzie” James (1885-1937) of Sebastian County, Arkansas and Elizabeth “Libbie” Tanner (1877-1910)” and, Page 212 entitled, “Children of Robert David James (1862-unk) of Franklin County, Alabama and Annie McMichens (1862-1913)” as well. My complements to the hard work of our amazing family historians!