Tag Archives: Chicago

Margaret Helen James Remembered by Her Granddaughter Kerri Squires


My grandma, Margaret Helen James, was born in Fort Benton, Montana on January 30, 1926. Dr. Kaulback was the attending physician, and she would see him many times throughout her life. Dr. Kaulback moved to Spokane, and during the last years of his life Grandma went to see him several times. Grandma was the last of 4 children – two… (more…)

HISTORIC TINTYPE of RHODA MAY-JAMES


RHODA MAY (1806-1889) is the stalwart spouse of the “talented, but erratic” Rev. Joseph Martin James (1791-1848). Rhoda withstood all transgressions, indignities, & social ostracism that her husband created with admirable Teutonic stoicism. When acute alcoholism took Joe’s life at age fifty-seven, Rhoda became a forty-two year old widow, left alone to raise nine children. For the next forty-one years… (more…)

Jesse Edward Smith Recalls Jesse James, His Namesake & Cousin


My mother (ed. Susan Prudence James-Smith) and her brother, R. W. James (ed. Robert Woodson James 1838-1922), were first cousins to the James Brothers. The Jesse in my name was taken from Jesse James. He paid some special attention to me when I was a small boy and made occasional visits to our house until the law was in such… (more…)

Duke Ellington, Two Ton Baker, & a Pair of James


A couple of childhood friends… Chicago radio & TV personality Two Ton Baker, and Duke Ellington, taken at the Blue Note, where my mother Elaine was a cocktail waitress. She & Ella Fitzgerald shared the same birthday, & always joked about it. At home I wasn’t all that friendly to my sister, Mary Lee, though we put on a good… (more…)

Marshall Field’s Christmas & Anna Knaff James


  Anna Emalia Knaff (1883-1954) met Frank James when she was working at Chicago’s Marshall Field’s Department Store. A fire had broken out at the Iroquois Theatre nearby. She ran into the street to assist, and met her future husband Francis Marion James (1880-1931), as he was dragging dead bodies out of the theatre. In years to come, Anna brought… (more…)

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  • Meet Eric James - the Leaf Blower

  • Meet Eric James - the Leaf Blower

  • Welcome to LEAVES OF GAS, the official blog for the family of Frank & Jesse James & their offical web site Stray Leaves. Under the WELCOME link you will find News & a photo Gallery with biographies of James family members. The CONTENTS page will take you to our main content menu. Click JESSE JAMES for content specifically related to Frank & Jesse James. In the SURNAMES genealogy database, you can explore all the known relatives of the James family. We hope you enjoy our web site & blog. Whatever interests you, be sure to LIKE us, or SHARE the page. Thanks.