Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
The James Preservation Trust has received the contribution of the obituary of Dr. John R. James, an uncle of Frank and Jesse James.
For over a hundred years the obituary lay inside the family bible of Jesse Edward Smith, Dr. James’ grandson. Upon the death of Jesse Edwards Smith, the bible was passed to his daughter Agnes. Although Agnes married, she bore no children. Agnes left the bible to her favorite nephew Jesse Deets Smith.
The James Preservation Trust extends its gratitude to Jesse Deets Smith and his cousin Sandy Kassen for this contribution. Both are descendants of Dr. John R. James, an uncle of Frank and Jesse James.
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OBITUARY TEXT
Doctor John. R. James was born in Logan County, near Russellville, Kentucky, February 5th, 1815, and fell on sleep October 25th, 1887, at Carthage, Missouri, aged seventy-two years, eight months, and twenty days. He was the son of Rev. John James, who was noted for his piety and fidelity in the early history of Kentucky.
The subject of this sketch was converted at Red Oak Grove Church, in Logan County, October 1832, in a revival meeting conducted by Reverend Mr. Stephens. and joined the Methodist Church at once. His conversion took place in the time of the great revival which spread over that, part of the State—he was soundly and genuinely converted. Through his Christian life of about fifty-five years, he continued to evidence the spirit of the Master, and to adorn the doctrine of Christ. During all this time he brought not a reproach upon the religion he professed, never faltering nor deviating from the path of duty; always cheerfully supporting the institutions of the church he loved so well. As he said to me, “I’ve stood by the Southern Methodist Church through all her history.”
He was happily married to Miss Amanda Williams, of Logan county, in 1836; she died in 1871. This union was blessed with three children, John. F., Robert. W., and Sue P., (now Mrs. Smith). He was again married in 1872, to Mrs. Bradley, who died in 1884.
Bro. James now felt that the charm of earth was broken, so he was only awaiting the summons. Two brothers and one sister were with him when called to go— Reverend William and Mr. T. M. James, and Mrs. Elizabeth West; also his immediate family, who did all that loving hands could do. I was with him before the end came and talked with him freely about the crisis. “I am willing and prepared to go.” For fifty years I’ve been preparing for this event.” Without fear he passed to the land of rest.
J. H. Todd
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ADDITIONAL OBITUARY
CARTHAGE BANNER Weekly Edition
published October 27, 1887
Carthage, Missouri
DR. JOHN R. JAMES
Dr. J. R. James died this morning at five o’clock at the residence of his son-in-law, J. W. Smith, corner of Chestnut Avenue and Clinton street. The deceased was almost a total stranger in this city, having come here from Anthony, Kansas the 7th of last month with his son, R. W. James, who is now in the harness and buggy business on North Main Street. He was over seventy-two years of age and died from a disease of many years standing. His two brothers and a sister, Rev. Wm. H. James, T. M. James, Mrs. Elizabeth West, all of Kansas City, arrived last evening and were present at the time of his death. The funeral will take place tomorrow at 10 a.m. from the South Methodist Church, Rev. J. W. Todd preaching the sermon. The funeral services will be in charge of the Masonic order of this city and the remains will be interred in Park Cemetery.
RELATED: Jesse Edward Smith Recalls Jesse James, His Namesake & Cousin
Stray Leaves Daily
Daily updates from the family of Frank & Jesse James with stories, photos, & two searchable genealog
VIDEO of the Clay County Board of Commissioners bestowing honor upon our James colleague & friend Charlies Broomfield. Recognition begins at 2:00 min. mark.
Congratulations Charlie!!
We have hints from the Clay County Archives in charge of James Farm in Kearney, Missouri, that a road leading to the farm will be renamed Charles Broomfield Rd. Charlie was a Clay County Commissioner who took an active role in arranging the sale and transfer of James Farm from the James family to Clay County.
Cant say that I understand the significance of this.
Do you have the address of Jesse & Frank James Cabin in Paseo Robles, California?
SLAVE TRADERS AMONG OUR JAMES FAMILY . . . For a decade Stray Leaves has been researching this most distressing discovery. Finally, it’s time to bring this story to light. There’s much to report. The entire story will take time to tell. As we begin, we are also compelled to reconcile what this history means for us. More specifically for those who are now known to descend from these slave traders, whom it can be assumed never knew of this element of their ancestry, but also for the James family as a whole. The resolution will not come easy.
Forks of the Road Slave Market – Violence In Silence
ericjames.org
“Just at the Forks, where the Washington and Kingston, or Palatine roads converge, stood a low squatty frame building used during the winter monthsI ran a DNA test on all the James names I could find in these stories and didn't get 1 DNA match. My DNA is closer to Jesse than that James line is. I am looking into it being through Robert Thomason (step grandfather of Jesse Woodson James) and Julia Ann Singleton (Aunt to Jesse Woodson James).
I am a descendant of Betty G Woodson.
Waterproof, La in Tensas Parish to be more exact.
Tensas Parish. J. G. James and M. Kerrigan.
The King family. Descendants of Viking slayers. archive.org/stream/Kingswood/Kingswood%20reduced_djvu.txt
"In the middle of 1864, Captain Jason W. James was on scouting duty in the southern part of Madison Parish. About eight o'clock one morning he and his company arrived at the Plantation home of Hr. Joshua James on Roundaway Bayou, who also owned the Ione Plantation in Tensas Parish." You will have to read the rest. I am not posting it here. 😲 😲 😲 sites.rootsweb.com/~lamadiso/articles/ward/chap05.htm
And I do believe this James line is connected to Lucille Ball.
And speaking of slave traders. Nicholas Trammell is mixed in with the Carrigans somehow. www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/trammell-nicholas
And I am a descendant of Elizabeth Woodson Thomas. Wife of Captain Edmund King.
I am also showing DNA matches to the James grandparents of Jesse Woodson James and all 8 of his great grandparents. This is what I need help figuring out. All of my James DNA matches will be in the replies to this comment. In this screenshot they are all the white ones
The sons of Colonial Edmund King.
I am a descendant of Mary Joicy who was widow Woodson, mother of Elizabeth Woodson Thomas.
By the way I am not a Kerrigan by DNA. I am a Carrigan. Civil War name change. Descendant of William Michael Carrigan and Nancy Holt. Nancy Holt was the daughter of Michael Holt III and Rachel Rainey. youtu.be/IsK2eSTVW8A
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When this happens, it’s usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it’s been deleted.Where does Lucille Ball fit?
FIND-A-GRAVE BLUNDERS LEAVE JAMES FAMILY HOWLING . . . Can you spot the errata in this Find a Grave post for the grandfather of Frank & Jesse James? The most glaring deception is the photograph!
History tells us the photograph was invented about the time John M. James was dying. Neither history, nor the administrator of this posting, Charlotte Raley McConaha, can tell us is how photographic technology made its way from France to the distant American frontier to take a photo of John M. James, months before his demise.
Another imprecise miscalculation in this post is the attribution of the middle name “Martin” to John M. James. The name never has been proved by evidence. To guess the name is unreliable and wrong.