For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 174
GAD JAMES. Gad James, who is now living a retired life in a beautiful home at West Liberty, won a handsome competence through his carefully directed labors as an agriculturalist. His birth occurred in Wales on the 24th of June, 1833, his parents being William and Elizabeth ( Phillips ) James. The mother passed away in Wales, and in 1852 the father crossed the Atlantic to the United States, making his home with his children until the time of his death, which occurred in Macon, Missouri, in 1876. Our subject was one of six children, the others being as follows: Stephen, William and David, all of whom are deceased; Mary, who is deceased, as is also her husband, William Roberts of Columbus Junction, Iowa; and John, who has not been heard from since he joined the Mormons in Wales.Gad James, who was a youth of nineteen when he came to the new world with his father in 1852, spent a part of his first year in America near Utica, New York. The year 1853 witnessed his arrival in West Liberty, Iowa, where he was employed as a laborer for a time. In 1854 he worked for Thomas Scott as a farm hand, and the following year operated a rented farm of one hundred and sixty acres in association with his brother Stephen, the property occupying a part of the present site of West Liberty. In 1856 he began breaking prairie with six yoke of oxen, being thus busily engaged for about three years. On the expiration of that period he traded his cattle for a quarter section of land nine miles southwest of West Liberty and began the further developement and improvement of that property. The venture proved disastrous, however, for the chinch bugs destroyed his wheat three seasons in succession. In 1864 he drove across the country with a mule team to Montana and there worked in the mines for two years. At the end of that time he returned to Iowa and purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres about six miles southwest of West Liberty, devoting his attention to its operation for forty-four years or until the time of his retirement. Since putting aside the active work of the fields, he has resided with his family at West Liberty, there owning a commodious and attractive home.
In November, 1866, Mr. James was united in marriage to Miss Harriet Kile, who was the only child of her parents, Jerry and Mary ( Brownell ) Kile. Following the death of his first wife, Jerry Kile wedded Elizabeth Lee, by whom he had nine children, namely: Madison, who is deceased; Mary, the wife of J. Miesky; George; Sarah, the wife of Adolph Kiser, of Minnesota; Lydia, who has passed away; Leota, the wife of Charles Burkhart of West Liberty; Caroline, who is the wife of Henry Rang and resides in Iowa; Lewis; and Elmer, who died in infancy. Unto Mr. and Mrs. James were born ten children, as follows: George Elmer; William Curtis; May Frances, the wiffe of Vincent Birkett, of West Liberty; Edwin; Bertha Elizabeth, who gave her hand in marriage to Benjamin Bigsby, of Cedar county; Jess K; Clayton S; Leota Harriet, at home; Harry Phillip, who is deceased; and Warren Ward.
Politically Mr. James has ever been a stanch republican, supporting the men and measures of that party by his ballot. He has held the offices of supervisor and trustee, discharging his duties in these connections with notable promptness and fidelity. He was reared a Congregationalist but attends the services of the Methodist church, while fraternally he is a Knights Templar Mason. Fifty-eight years have come and gone since Gad James first came to Muscatine county, and its history is therefore largely familiar to him. He has never had occasion to regret his determination to emigrate to America, but on the contrary has always regarded it as a most fortunate step in his life history. Here he found the opportunities he sought and by the improvement of the chances which came to him has gradually progressed in the business world until he is now enabled to spend his declining years amid all of the comforts and many of the luxuries of life.
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