Biography - William James
WILLIAM W. JAMES. One of the stanch, substantial men, both in character
and social standing, is he whose name is at the head of this sketch, he
resides on section 3, of Ridge Township. His residence in the county dates
from the fall of 1831, at which time he was brought to the state by his
parents. He was born in Nichols County, Ky., December 22, 1829, and was a
son of Alexander C. and Mary Ann (Robinson) James, natives respectively of
Maryland and Delaware. They met and married, however, in Kentucky, and in
1831, when our subject was but two years of age the family came to Illinois,
their journey hither being made in a wagon, and with a camp outfit. Of
course our subject can remember nothing of the journey, but it lakes but
small imagination to picture the delights and adventures of an overland
journey through the beautiful States of Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana, into
Illinois.
After coming hither, our subject's parents settled at once in Ridge
Township, where they rented a small place for a space of three years. In
1835, they entered a tract of land on section 3, and also purchased a claim
which was but very little improved, but which boasted a log cabin and fences
about seventeen acres being fenced. For this they paid $40. In those days it
was necessary to drive hogs to St. Louis in order to find market for them.
This was one hundred miles distant from their home. The wheat, also, had to
be hauled thither and then sold for twenty-five cents a bushel. We cannot
but wonder how the pioneers managed to support their families with the
necessities of life, and lay aside as nearly all of them did, money enough
to invest in land, when their products brought so little return. Our
subject's family were obliged to go to Springfield in order to have their
corn and wheat ground into flour, and other commodities were equally
difficult to get. But Mr. James was industrious and economical and in time
became the owner of four hundred acres of good land. He erected good
buildings upon his place and improved it well. In 1870, he died at the age
of seventy years. Nelson James, a brother of our subject, came to this
county in 1836, but later went to Missouri. Our subject's father was a
Democrat in his political preferences. His wife is still living and resides
with the original of our sketch. She was born March 30, 1805. For many years
she has been a member of the Baptist Church.
There was but one child in the family of Alexander James, that being our
subject. He still resides on the homestead, and has been a witness of the
changes which Shelby County has undergone for many years. His early
education was obtained under difficulties, having to go four miles in order
to attend school, which was held in a log cabin. There were no windows in
the building, and an ingenious device was resorted to supply the deficiency.
A log was left out in the side of the building and the space was covered
with greased paper, which admitted an opaque light that would send the
school reformers of to-day to an insane asylum. A split sapling with pegs
put in the end, furnished the seats for the pupils, and the building was
heated by a huge fireplace that scorched the little faces, while their backs
were freezing. His school life began when he was eight years of age at which
time he could read and spell words of one syllable. He attended the first
school taught in the township, the teacher being James Rhoads.
The original of our sketch is as old a settler as any in the township,
although two others, William and Daniel Smith, came here the same fall in
which his parents located. At that time the larder was easily supplied with
various kinds of game, there being plenty of deer, wild turkeys, bears, and
also wild cats and panthers, against which the early settlers were obliged
to be on their guard The Indians had been driven farther West and the
country was a good place for a poor man, because of the abundance of game,
and the early crops were extraordinarily good. There was but little sickness
excepting ague, which the early settlers accepted as one of the conditions
of their pioneer existence.
Mr. James was married January 22, 1852, to Cordelia Small, a daughter of
John and Elizabeth Small. She was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, and during
her life was a tender, loving wife and true mother. She died August, 1862,
leaving five children to mourn with their father, her loss. The children are
John A., Mary E., Tarcy J., William D. and Cordelia. Mary is now the wife of
C. W. Steward; Tarcy was united to John W. Yantis, and died in 1881, leaving
two children; William D. died at the age of twenty-three years; Cordelia
became the wife of John W. Yantis.
In 1864, our subject married for a second time taking to wife Leah Killam, a
daughter of Isaac Killam. She was a native of Shelby County. Two children
are the fruit of this union. They are Isaac L. and Laura, who is the wife of
Julius Christman. Mr. James is the owner of five hundred and forty acres of
well improved land. He has made stock-raising a specialty and has bred some
of the purest blooded stock in the county. He now rents the greater part of
his land, retaining only enough to keep him pleasantly employed.
Politically. Mr. James favors the Democratic party. He has never been
ambitious to accept office, feeling that his private affairs would not admit
of a divided attention. Mrs. James, who is an estimable lady, is a member of
the Christian Church. Her husband is not connected with any church, although
he is a believer in Christianity, and a liberal supporter of the churches in
his vicinity.
Extracted 17 Jun 2019 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 639-641.
