Lewis James

JAMES, THOMAS, LINSEY, CAMPBELL, FEAKIS, CONKEY, HAYES, HOUSE, PAUGH, CARPENTER, SHAMBAUGH

Posted By: Dorothy Gosse (email)
Date: 2/18/2004 at 11:57:45

Lewis James

LEWIS JAMES, a retired farmer, was born in
Llandersylio, Cordigan County, Wales, October 1, 1819, and his parents,DAVID and ANN (THOMAS) JAMES, were also natives of that country where their marriage was celebrated March 17,. 1817. They were the parents of seven children, six sons and one daughter. The father was a turner of woodenware and in 1831 sailed with his family for the United States landing at Utica, New York in July. Near that city he engaged in farming until 1842, when he emigrated to Ogle County, Illinois, where he entered land from the Government. Both himself and his wife are members of the Congregational Church in Wales but in ths country united with the Presbyterian Church in Illinois. His death occurred May 24, 1856, at the age of sixty-three years, and his wife died October 18, 1875, at the age of seventy years, her death resulting from being run over by a team driven by reckless boys. Of their children only one is now living but six left families.

Our subject was the second in order of birth. Until twelve years of age he attended school in his native land but after coming to America his privileges in that line were limited. He worked for his parents until twenty-four years of age, after which he rented land until he was able to purchase property. In Ogle County, Illinois, on July 18, 1847, he married MRS. HANNAH K. LINDSEY, nee CAMPBELL, who was born September 23, 1823. Her father was a native of Scotland and her mother was of Dutch and Irish extraction. Unto them were born six children --- JOHN D. JAMES, a private detective in California; PHINEAS C. JAMES, a resident famer of Scott Township; MARGARET A., wife of William FEAKIS, a resident of Greene County, Iowa; HENRY L. JAMES, a farmer of Scott Township; LOUISA M., wife of William CONKEY, a resident of Washington; and MARTHA S., wife H. CLIFFORD HAYES, a distant relative of President Hayes, and a resident of Ogle County, Illinois. The mother of this family died December 15, 1881, and on December 1, 1883, Mr. James married MRS. ELIZABETH CARPENTER. She was born in Sussex County, New Jersey, December 9, 1827, and is a daughter of JOHN M. and PHOEBE (PAUGH) HOUSE. Her father was born in New Jersey but his father came from England and his mother was a French lady. MRS. HOUSE was born in New York, and her father, a native of Holland, served as a drummer in the Revolutionary War and got a bullet hole through his ear. Her death occurred in New Jersey and Mr. HOUSE died in New York at the age of eighty-six. MRS. JAMES was the fifth in their family of ten children, numbering six sons and four daughters of whom seven are yet living. In New Jersey on the 15th of January, 1848, ELIZABETH HOUSE became the wife of JAMES CARPENTER, a native of New York and in 1870 they became residents of of Scott Township, removing from Delaware County, Iowa. He was a farmer and died at his home in Scott Township, November 22, 1881, in the faith of the Methodist Church in which he held membership. There were seven children born of that marriage --- PHOEBE CARPENTER, who died at the age of thirteen years; LEVI H. CARPENTER, a farmer in Winnebago County, Iowa; SARAH A. CARPENTER, who died at the age of twenty-one; JAMES W. CARPENTER; EPHRAIM H. CARPENTER, a cotton grower in Texas; MARTHA A. CARPENTER, wife of NEWTON SHAMBAUGH of Brush Creek; and LOUISA M. CARPENTER, wife of THOMAS SHAMBAUGH.

Mr. JAMES, whose name heads this sketch, is a member of the Congregational Church and his wife belongs to the Christian Church. Before coming to Iowa he sold one hundred and fifty acres of his land in Illinois but still owns a quarter section there. In 1883 be became a resident of Brush Creek, where he is now widely and favorably known.

from "1891 Portrait and Biographical Album of Fayette County"
Note - this is not the full text of biography