Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
In 1947, the long-widowed Mary Louisa James Burns wrote to R. C. Heaton in Paso Robles, California. She sent him a history of her father, Drury Woodson James, a founder of the town. In 1905, Heaton had purchased the home Drury Woodson built for his family, the same home in which Mary Louise was born. The residence was one of many buildings Drury Woodson James built as part of his El Paso de Robles Hotel, around which he built the town of Paso Robles. In one correspondence, written by her granddaughter Mary Joan Malley Beamis, Mary Louise James identifies and tags the early building of Paso Robles.
Joan Beamis transcribes the identification tags dictated by her grandmother Mary Louise James…
This is from a wood cut. I have the original copy.
- D. W. James Home – 1969 or 70. I was born in this house. A very good likeness considering.
- South Cottage where your “Nana” was married (long cottage).
- Original Hot Springs Hotel.
- Patsy Dunn store. (Ed.: D.W.J.’s father-in-law Patrick Dunn) My father moved this and we used it for storage for many years. It was torn down in 1960.
- The Ralston Cottage, or at least its location.
- Bath House – original – another was built here but burned in about 1910.
- Club House
- Tenth Street
- Old Stage Road, now Spring St.
- Tenth St.
- Park Water Station
- (does not appear)
- Stagecoach approaching
- Sunnyside Cottage, or Cottage A
______________________________________________
LETTER FROM R. C. HEATON TO MARY LOUISE JAMES BURNS
Paso Robles, Cal. April 20th, 1948
Mrs. E.F. Burns
Somersworth, N.H.
Dear Mrs. Burns: Thank you for the copy of your father’s history sent me by the Paso Robles chamber of commerce at your request. I have it filed away in the history of San Luis Obispo county.
Thinking that you would like to see a picture of the old home place as it was in your younger days I had some copies made and am enclosing one to you. I sent one to Carrie.
Please tell me when the house was built and when your folks moved in – also anything that you recall about the place.
Frank and Jesse James were out to California twice but I do not have the record of what years or where they stayed.
This would be interesting to some people.
The visit of Carrie and Hattie B.* last year with us is a happy remembrance.
Too bad that your father could not have ended his days peacefully in the grand old hotel** he had the faith and courage to build in those early days.
Too few people appreciate what he and that other active generous citizen – Uncle Jim Blackburn – done for this community and its old time residents.
Best wishes,
R.C. HEATON
* The references to Carrie and Hattie is to Mary Louise’s sisters Carolina F. James Maxwell and Helen James Bennett.
** The reference to the grand old hotel is to the larger resort hotel D. W. James built in the rear of the original pioneer stagecoach hotel. The Springs Hotel burned to the ground in 1910.
_________________________________
In 2002, the friends and family of Frank & Jesse James reunited at the Paso Robles Inn to celebrate Drury Woodson James.
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Years later, yours truly still is quoted on my challenge to chopper celebrity Jesse Gregory James, aka Jesse James. I'm still waiting for his DNA profile.
Jesse James Net Worth $50 million! How He Achieved This? - Finance Rewind
financerewind.com
Jesse James Net Worth: Jesse James is an American business person and unscripted tv star Jesse James Net Worth of $50 million. Throughout
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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.
THE FIRST IMMIGRANT TO AMERICA OF OUR JAMES FAMILY . . .
Stray Leaves, our website below, now reaches back into the 17th century to bring you the story of our first immigrant, John James, in narrative form.
John's story comes to us through original documents and seasoned source citations, which are also provided.
What John James Tells Us
• He arrived at Jamestown.
• He transported 10 indentured people.
• He was rewarded with a land patent.
• The location of his land can be visited today.
• He and his neighbors comprised the important founding families of Virginia.
• The location of origination of the James in the Old World, as Jesse James family historians say is Pembrokeshire, Wales is disputed and unproven.
• The name identity of John's wife as formerly stated by traditional genealogists is disproved.
• John James arrived as an oligarch and royalist with no pretensions to democracy or self-rule.
• Early James family wealth was accrued in the tobacco culture and by land speculation.
• John and his family were followers of the Church of England.
• His children and grandchildren remained savvy and street-wise, relating well with common people.
• Generations beyond the grandchildren of John James produced significant diversity in America's people and culture.
Read about John James, the Immigrant now.
John James - Immigrant Cavalier to the New World
ericjames.org
The first foothold of the James family in the New World was secured by John James, the Immigrant. John was born about 1623. Sometime before 1690, he died.
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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.Will the real DAVID JAMES, please, stand up and come forward? Are you still drinking this stuff?
