James Family Archives

 

•  Researching the Past

•  Education for the Present

•  Preservation for the Future

 

James Family Archives News and Developments For 2025

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Wednesday, December 31, 2025:

Greetings Greg! Thank you for your letter and Happy New Year’s Eve! Thank you also for your very kind words concerning our James Family Archives (JFA) website. The JFA Project has been a labor of love since 2009 when we first uploaded a basic online page of genealogical information. Since then, the Archives have grown to over 300 pages of family history focused on the James family of David James (circa 1660-1739) and Margaret Jane Mortimer of LLadndegley and Glascwm parishes in Radnorshire (today Powys) county Wales in the UK who arrived with Sir William Penn near Philadelphia on October 28, 1682. This particular James family fled Wales due to severe religious persecution that began following the Restoration of the monarchy of England in 1660. David and Margaret, along with most of their family, were members of the Religious Society of Friends ("Quakers"). That is, followers of George Fox,  the renowned Quaker evangelist. David's father and uncle were imprisoned in Wales for refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance to the Church of England which, in the late 17th Century, was a litmus test for demonstrating loyalty to King Charles II. At an early age, David James married Margaret Mortimer and took advantage of William Penn's offer of land and migration to what became the colony of Pennsylvania. There they found religious freedom and refuge from persecution. Thank you also for sharing some of your James family's history. I found it particularly interesting that your family ran the White Hart Inn in Cenarth, Wales. It appears the White Hart was an ongoing concern (pub) all the way up to 2019! It is great that you can still locate a landmark in Wales connected to your particular James family. Ours built, owned and operated a water-powered grist mill in Glascwm parish, Radnorshire in the early 17th Century known as Bettws Mill. The landmark structure still stands today and has been purchased by a private couple who renovated it and turned it into a B&B. It remains quite beautiful today. I have located your great, great grandfather on the Find a Grave website. It appears your James family ancestor is from Carmarthenshire, Wales, a little further to the West of where our James family hails. It also appears your ancestor is a much more recent arrival. I have made a thorough search of our genealogical database and have not found your James family ancestor. That, however, does not mean we are unrelated. It just means I cannot find a connection. The best way to test whether or not your James family ancestor is related to ours is to participate in the James Family Y-DNA Surname Project hosted by Family Tree DNA. If you order a kit from Family Tree and have your Y-DNA tested, you can determine for sure which of the many James families in North America you are related to. To can find a link to Family Tree at the very bottom of the JFA homepage. If you have any other particular questions for me, please don't hesitate to reach out. If you wish to research your James family's history in Wales further, you may want to familiarize yourself with the Welsh National Archives. It is a treasure trove of historic Welsh history and genealogical information. Thank you again for reaching out. I wish you the best with your ongoing family history research.

 

Gregory K. James of Elgin, Illinois - Wednesday, December 31, 2025:

Hello - I saw your wonderful website and I was wondering if my family line might tie in with yours. My great-great grandfather was Evan James (1808-1868) of Cenarth, (spelled also Kennarth & Kenarth). His eldest brothers was David (b. 1798), Thomas (1802-1852) and William (1806-1871). David and William stayed in Wales, while Thomas immigrated to Albany NY in 1821 becoming a very successful flour merchant and for a time the flour inspector for the state of New York. His youngest brother Evan, joined him in 1844 in Albany and became a bookkeeper for a large Publishing company. The family owned the White Hart Inn in Cenarth which was run by their father Evan, (whom I have very little info on) and their mother Ann James who passed away in 1856. The White Hart was run by William's grandchildren into the beginning of the 20th century-which means the family owned the White Hart for at least 75 years. Any information or direction appreciated and a Happy New Year!

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Thursday, December 25, 2025:

Ho, Ho, Ho! And Merry Christmas to the James family, distinguished friends, historians and enthusiastic genealogists across the fruited plain and around the world! This Christmas we are sending out a very special season’s greetings to our James family in England, Wales and South Africa including those who now bear the surnames “Mortimer” and “Rose-Troup.” In celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the James Family Archives is pleased to release updates to the following historical documents for your continued review and genealogical enjoyment. These documents include:

Page 32 - Children of Thomas James (circa 1690-1753) of Radnor Township and Sarah Henderson (1720-1800);

Page 36 - Children of Daniel James, Sr. (circa 1750-1817) of Pennsylvania and Susanna Bealert (1745-1849);

Page 37 - Children of Elias James (1744-1789) and Anna Matson (1746-1827) of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania;

Page 55 - Children of Isaac Daniel James (1770-1853) and Mary Elizabeth “Polly” James (1774-1864);

Page 78 - Children of Thomas Potts James (1803-1882) of Radnor Township, PA and Isabella Batchelder (1810-1901);

Page 97 - Bettws Mill, Glascwm Parish, Llandrindod Wells, Powys, Wales, UK;

Page 98 - The Last Will and Testament of David ap Rees ap Jevan Athro, 1583

Page 101 - The “Welsh Tract in Pennsylvania...”, written by Franklin L. Burns, January 1982;

Page 102 - The Radnor Quarterly, Volume 1, Issue No. 1, May 1995.

Page 103 - Biography of David James, M.D. (1805-1873), dated 1873;

Page 105 - Last Will and Testament and Estate of Jane James (Ukn - 1750), dated 1750; and,

Page 130 - Children of Thomas James (1781-) and Barbary Britz (1782-1812) of Botetourt County, Virginia.

We are so pleased to have updates to these documents just in time for Christmas! We also wish to extend our gratitude to all those family historians who came before us, and their efforts to document our family’s history in times gone by. As always, if there is any particular information you seek, wish to share or correct, please contact us at info@jamesfamilyarchives.net. Again, a very Merry Christmas to all and to all the wish for a continued enthusiastic exploration of our amazing James family history!

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Thursday, December 25, 2025:

Thank you Gary! I have been working on the side of our James family that returned to England after originally migrating to North America in 1682. Our hope is to eventually make contact with our cousins in England who now go by the surname, "Rose-Troup." If you ever make contact with any of them, please send them our way. Merry Christmas!

 

Gary, (“TSGenghis”) of Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales, RE: Find-A-Grave Memorial of Frances Batchelder (nee James) Rose-Troup (1859-1942) - Tuesday, December 23, 2025:

Hi there! No problem at all. I have transferred ownership of her memorial over to you [James Family Archives] and have taken a quick look at your website. Wow. Nice work!!! Anyway, glad the photos are of use. Good luck. Kindest regards, Gary.

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - RE: Steve Brannon - Wednesday, December 3, 2025:

Cousin Steve, It is so good to hear from you! Yes, it has been a little while since we last communicated... Tuesday, January 26, 2021, just at the beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic, to be precise! It is good to hear you survived! We lost a few members of the family during that period. Thankfully, not that many. Thank you for your warm words of encouragement! I cannot tell you how much they mean to me! I hope all remains well over at the Carson Archives??? Your input as a valuable James Family Historian remains engraved on our family history website! At the beginning of the Pandemic, our master computer file for the James Family Archives was corrupted. How, I will never know. Much to my embarrassment , I never maintained a backup. I became lax in that area of computer competence. We nearly loss 40 years of research. Thankfully, the website itself was still up and I was able to mine the data from the online website and rebuild the master computer file with the software we use. This time, however, I have made multiple backups to preserve the work. Due to this situation, I have spent the past several years updating the Archives. As I move along, I have taken the opportunity to review and incorporate more information on each page. It has been a slow process, but one that has much improved the quality of the James Family Archives website. I understand you have moved? What city are you located in today? I hope your new accommodations are to your liking. I have taken note of your new email address and will add it to our database. Have you had an opportunity to continue with your research at the Carson Archives? I am no longer producing an actual hard copy newsletter. I wish I had the time and resources to do so. It was such a delightful holiday tradition. These days, I am publishing updates on the James Family Archives website itself and sending out copies through social media. This is much less time-consuming and inexpensive. We are also now maintaining a presence on the Find A Grave website and frequently encounter new family members through that venue. Again, it is really good to hear from you. I hope our continued work here at the archives inspires you to spend some time delving into our family history over the holidays. I will always appreciate the work and contributions you have made in the past. Have a blessed holiday season and a very Merry Christmas! God bless and I look forward to hearing from you again very soon. Best regards!

 

Steve Brannon, Senior Research Historian, Carson Archives, RE: Debbie Payne McGrann Shared James Family Archives's Post - Tuesday, December 2, 2025:

LARRY! Wow, I didn't think you were still pumping out James family information. It's been a long time since I saw something from the James Family Archive, then I saw this post from cousin Debbie. You probably don't remember me, but we exchanged email/information YEARS ago. Since then I've moved and changed email addresses, so I'm responsible for the disconnect. If you still do an email newsletter, could you add me to it? I did already Follow your Facebook group (but I'm not that active on FB). That's all. No need to strain your memory for our past interactions, I'm sure you get lots of cousins contacting you. I'm just thrilled to see that you are still working to improve the knowledgeable on our ancestors and keep their memories alive. Thank you for all you do, Larry. Stay strong. Stand firm. Glorify Jesus. Steve

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Thursday, November 27, 2025:

Happy Thanksgiving, James family, distinguished friends, historians and genealogists across the fruited plain and around the world! Today is not only the day we celebrate Thanksgiving here in America, but it is also the day we pause and give thanks for the 345th Wedding Anniversary of our ancestors, David James and Margaret Jane Mortimer of Glascwm and Llandegley parishes in Radnorshire, Wales. WHO, on this day, 345 years ago, were bound in holy matrimony and thus set forth the genesis of more than 12 generations of descendants spread across the four corners of North America today. None of us would be here, this Thanksgiving Day, but for the holy union of these two God fearing Christians, persecuted for their faith, who fled Wales amidst the most severe and heinous persecution and migrated to Pennsylvania with William Penn 343 years ago! In honor of this most sacred and national family holiday, the James Family Archives is proud to release updates to the following historical documents for your review and enjoyment. These documents include:

Page 79 - Children of David James (1805-1873) of Radnor Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania and Amanda Worthington (1809-1885) of Somerton, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; and,

Page 100 - The James Family of Llandegley and Glascwm Parishes in Radnorshire, Wales (1582-1713) by Larry James (2011).

We are so pleased to have the updates to the these documents ready for your review in time for Thanksgiving and the 345th Anniversary of the Marriage of David James (circa 1660-1739) and Margaret Jane Mortimer, the founding ancestors of the James Family in North America! We also wish to again extend our gratitude to all the family members and historians who have contributed to this effort with their research, data and time ensuring that our historic documents in the Library Section are as accurate as possible. Remember, If there is any particular information you seek, wish to share or correct, please contact us at info@jamesfamilyarchives.net.

 

Cindi Rowan, RE: James Family Info - Link Request - Sunday, November 9, 2025:

Hi Larry, I am a direct descendant of David James 1660, wishing to better understand the Welsh history of the family. I noticed that some of the links on the JFA website seem not to work. Is there a reason, or another way to access those documents? I would particularly like to view "The James Family of Llandegley and Glascwm Parishes of Radnorshire, Wales (1582-1713) by Larry P. James". Thank you kindly. Regards, Cindi Rowan.

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Tuesday, October 28, 2025:

Greetings! James family, friends, historians and genealogists across the fruited plain and around the world! Today, October 28, 2025, marks the 343rd Anniversary of the James Family's arrival in North America! It was on this date in the year 1682 that David James (circa 1660-1739), his wife Margaret Jane (nee "Mortimer") James and their infant daughter Mary of Llandegley and Glascwm parishes in Radnorshire, Wales disembarked the sailing ship "Bristol Factor" captained by Roger Drew following a two month voyage across the Atlantic Ocean and set foot at "Penn's Landing" near Philadelphia along with the celebrated founder, Sir William Penn. The Bristol Factor was one of twenty three ships Sir Penn chartered to transport his pre-selected colonists ("Welsh Quakers") to his new barony in North America, the British Colony of Pennsylvania. David and Margaret joined Penn in their flight from their centuries old homeland in the heart of Wales in the summer of 1682 due to the religious persecution they endured as members of the Religious Society of Friends ("Quakers") following the Restoration of the monarchy in England and the return of King Charles II in 1660.  Our family spent two months in Bristol, England before departing on board the Bristol Factor. They  crossed the Atlantic with two other vessels, the Welcome (carrying William Penn) and the Unicorn. Upon their arrival at Penn's Landing, David and Margaret along with William Penn were greeted by the Swedish colonists and native Americans already living in what then was called "Upland." Very soon thereafter, they trekked up the Schuylkill River and claimed 100 acres of a land surrounding a hill as their homestead in the midst of the Pennsylvania wilderness in what today is known as Radnor Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The James family resided in Radnor Township for 100 years prior to the conclusion of the Revolutionary War that secured independence for the fledgling United States of America.  After four generations in Pennsylvania, the family branched out in three directions towards Ohio, Virginia and Alabama and thereafter occupied the entire territory of the United States. Today, the descendants of David and Margaret James are legion as the family continues to thrive and multiply. God bless the James family and its deliverance to the promised land! In honor of this most prestigious accomplishment and family holiday, the James Family Archives is proud to release updates to the following historical documents for your review and enjoyment. These documents include:

Page 71 - Biography and Civil War History of William George James (1832-1908), 2011.

Page 72 - Obituary Of Isabella (nee “Batchelder”) James (1810-1901), 1901.

Page 73 - Grave of David James (c.1660-1739) at the Baptist Church in the Great Valley.

Page 82 - Biography of Bushrod Washington James, A.M., M.D., LL.D. (1836-1903), 1904.

Page 83 - First Recorded History of the James Family by Isabella (nee “Batchelder”) James, 1874.

Page 88 - Letter To Lee A. James of Olympia, Washington from Larry P. James of Sacramento, California, 2008.

Page 89 - Letter to Juanita Mahoney from Larry James of Sacramento, California dated June 5, 2005.

Page 90 - The James’ Family “Mansion House” of Radnor Township, Pennsylvania, (circa 1700 - circa 1980).

Page 91 - What We Have Learned From a Y-DNA Surname Project, By Lee Allyn James, 2010.

Page 95 - Purchase of Property in Fannin County, Texas by Joel L. James and Angelina James dated 1856.

Page 96 - The Radnor Methodist Church by William M. Fletcher, 1961.

We are so pleased to have the updates to the these documents ready for your review in time for our James family’s 343rd Anniversary in North America. And a very special “Thank You” to all the family members and historians who have contributed to this effort with their research, data and time ensuring that our historic documents in the Library Section are as accurate as possible. Remember, If there is any particular information you seek, wish to share or correct, please contact us at info@jamesfamilyarchives.net.

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Wednesday, October 1, 2025:

Greetings James family members, loyal friends, renowned historians and fellow genealogists across he fruited plains of North America and around the world! October is National Family History Month, a time designated by the U.S. Congress to encourage people to explore and celebrate their family's heritage and roots. It's an annual observance that provides opportunities to learn new genealogy skills, discover new resources, and connect with family members to preserve memories and stories for future generations. In honor of National Family History Month, the James Family Archives announces the update and release of the following pages from our Library Section: I hope these documents continue to inspire numerous conversations about our family’s past, why our family came to North America and the treasured heritage we share as a family. These documents include:

Page 34 - Last Will and Testament of Anna James, July 22, 1822.

Page 38 - Last Will and Testament of Isaac Daniel James, November 1840.

Page 39 - Last Will and Testament of Mary Elizabeth “Polly” James, February 20, 1857.

Page 40 - Marriage Bond for Jonathan James & Polly Bandy, April 23, 1810.

Page 41 - Marriage Bond for Joel L. James and Angelina Ryan, August 22, 1831.

We are so pleased to have the updates to the these documents ready for your review during National Family History Month. As always, a very special “Thank You” to all the family members and historians who have contributed to this effort with their research, data and time ensuring that our historic documents in the Library Section are as accurate as possible. Remember, If there is any particular information you seek, wish to share or correct, please contact us at info@jamesfamilyarchives.net.

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Saturday, September 27, 2025:

Greetings James family members, loyal friends, renowned historians and fellow genealogists across he fruited plains of North America and around the world! Happy National Ancestor Appreciation Day! - This glorious holiday is dedicated to all families around the country. Whether big or small, every family is encouraged to make the most of this wonderful day. Celebrations of this holiday consist of gatherings to recount ancient family histories and trace down our genealogies. There are so many amazing stories that can be shared when families are gathered together. In honor of this most prestigious holiday, the James Family Archives announces the update and release of the following pages from our Library and Genealogical Section: I hope these documents inspire numerous conversations about our family’s past and how we arrived where we are today. They include:

Page 8 - The Impact of “A Rare and Pleasing Thing...” On the History of David James.

Page 9 - Biography of Thomas Potts James (1803-1882).

Page 11 - Biography of Thomas James (1690-1753).

Page 12 - Last Will and Testament of David James (c. 1660-1739).

Page 13 - Marriage Certificate of Evan James & Margaret Jones, June 8, 1739.

Page 14 - Guardianship Petition of Sarah (nee “Henderson”) James, 1753.

Page 15 - Inventory of the Estate of Thomas James (1690-1753).

Page 16 - Settlement of the Account Current for the Estate of Daniel James (1750-1817).

Page 17 - Last Will and Testament of Jonathan James (c. 1785-1843).

Page 18 - Indenture to Land Acquired by Elias James in Loudoun County, Virginia on December 12, 1785.

Page 19 - Indenture to Land Acquired by Daniel James in Bedford County, Virginia on September 22, 1794.

Page 20 - Indenture for the Sale of Land by Daniel & Susanna James to Jacob Latch (Nephew), May 22, 1809.

Page 22 - Last Will and Testament of Alexander Henderson, June 3, 1769.

Page 23 - Last Will and Testament of Andrew Crawford, December 22, 1788.

Page 24 - Last Will and Testament of Jacob Bealert, March 3, 1770.

Page 25 - Last Will and Testament of Jane Isabella (nee “Browne”) Henderson, May 15, 1773.

Page 26 - Last Will and Testament of Rudolph Latch, September 20, 1785.

Page 27 - Indenture to Land Acquired by Joel L. James, October 4, 1850.

Page 28 - Indenture for Sale of Land by Joel and Angelina James to William L. Turner, September. 22, 1853.

Page 29 - Marriage Certificate of William George James and Lucinda E. Whaley, July 6, 1853.

Page 32 - Children of Thomas James (circa 1690-1753) and Sarah Henderson (1720-1800) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Page 33 - Last Will and Testament of Elias James, May 29, 1789.

Page 114 - 1704 Patent for 33 Acres of Land with Confirmation of 253 Acres To David Meredith From William Penn.

I am so pleased to have the updates to the these pages ready for review by this auspicious holiday celebrating our family’s ancestors. As usual, a very special “Thank You” to all the family members and historians who have contributed to this effort with their research, data and time ensuring that our historic documents in the Library Section are as accurate as possible. For those seeking a deep dive into our James family ancestry, please feel free to peruse our Library of historic documents! If there is any particular information you seek, wish to share or correct, please contact us at info@jamesfamilyarchives.net.

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Monday, September 1, 2025:

Greetings James family members, loyal friends, renowned historians and fellow genealogists across he fruited plains of North America and around the world! Happy Labor Day! In honor of this most prestigious federal holiday, the James Family Archives announces the completion of its 2-year-long process of updating the Genealogical Section of our website with the updates to the following pages:

Page 50, Children of William George James (1832-1908) of Bedford County, Virginia and Lucinda Elizabeth “Betty” Whaley (1835-1881);

Page 61, Children of George James (1786-1844) of Washington County, Pennsylvania and Sarah Barber (1790-1844);

Page 65, Children of Braxton Leftrich James (1864-1923) of Fannin County, Texas and Flora Alice Johnson (1874-1960);

Page 185, Children of John Chalkley James (1856-1939) of Pendleton, Madison County, Indiana; Mary Gustin (1874-1908); and, Wilma Christina Gustin (1893-1970);

Page 188, Children of William “Bill” Jackson James (1894-1976) of Commerce, Hunt County, Texas and Mary Anne “Annie” Burleson (1892-1965);

Page 189, Children of Manson “Cap” Leon James (1902-1974) of Merkel, Jones County, Texas and Ella “Ellie” Wheeler Cox (1895-1969);

Page 192, Children of Elizabeth “Lizzie” Alice James (1904-1972) and Fred W. Beal (1902-1937) of Merkel, Jones County, Texas;

Page 193, Children of Florence “Lillie” Rachel James (1912-2005) and Elmer Jeanes (1914-2010) of Merkel, Jones County, Texas;

Page 194, Children of Thomas M. James (1861-1936) of Roanoke County, Virginia and Melissa Pearson (1869-1964) of Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa;

Page 195, Children of Jesse James, Sr. (1892-1978) and Mary Eliza Godley (1890-1976) of Lafayette County Missouri;

Page 196, Children of Dr. David James (1816-1900) of Jefferson County, Ohio; Margaret McDonald (1820-1854) of Pennsylvania; and, Rachel W. Carson (1819-1889) of Ohio;

Page 197, Children of Evan James (1842-1938) of Greensboro Township, Henry County, Indiana; and, Sarah Elizabeth Leedy (1850-1924) of Huntington County, Indiana;

Page 202, Children of Leroy Campbell “Leonard” James (1858-1937) of Commerce, Hunt County, Texas and Minnie Lee Draper (1875-1953) of Cass County, Texas;

Page 203, Children of Richard M. James (1871-1899) of Fannin County, Texas and Dora May Allen (1879-1947) of Arkansas;

Page 204, Children of Carey Cordelia James (1875-1972) of Fannin County, Texas and Jesse Benjamin Daniel (1871-1936) of Hunt County, Texas; and,

Page 205, Children of Melinda Alice James (1861-1934) of Ladonia, Fannin County, Texas and Robert T. Lewis (1862-1946) of Missouri.

Completing the update to all the pages within the Genealogical Section has been a “labor of love” and we are pleased to celebrate the completion of this comprehensive task on the federal holiday celebrating the fruits of our labor. A very special “Thank You” to all the family members and historians who have contributed to this effort with their research, data and time ensuring that our genealogical information is as accurate as possible. For those in search of their James family ancestry, please feel free to peruse our Genealogical Section! If there is any particular information you seek, wish to share or correct, please contact us at info@jamesfamilyarchives.net.

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Sunday, July 27, 2025:

Greetings Kathy James Clark! And welcome to the James Family Archives. Thank you so much for the positive feedback and your hard work in helping us document your side of our James family. Your grandfather, John Paul James (1908-1972) was born on March 17, 1908 in Syracuse, Hamilton County, Kansas to Claude Hurlburt James (1885-1969) of Hutchinson, Reno County, Kansas and Rhoda C. Edmunds (1886-1911) of Kansas. On October 6, 1932 in Roanoke, Virginia, your grandfather John married  Elizabeth Mae Wright (1916-1987), daughter of Charles Thomas Wright (1883-1975) and Della Sink Wingo (1898-1965). The wright family was very prominent in the Roanoke and Bedford Counties of Virginia at this time. However, on October 7, 1935, the couple divorced. There is no known record of John remarrying after his divorce. Your grandfather died on July 28, 1972 at the age of 64 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, California. He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in the town of Independence, Jackson County, Missouri. His known children include: Bobby Randolph James (1935-2007), your father, and Betty Jean James. John was also the great x5 grandson of David James (1660-1739) and Margaret Jane Mortimer of Glascwm and Llandegley parishes in Radnorshire, Wales who migrated from Bristol to Philadelphia, arriving with William Penn on October 28, 1682. Your side of the family is what we describe as the "Virginia Line" because following the Revolutionary War, David's grandson, Daniel James (1750-1817) migrated from Pennsylvania and settled in Bedford County, Virginia where the James family remains to this day. You can find more information about your grandfather’s family on Page 166 of the Genealogical Section of the James Family Archives web site entitled, “Children of Claude Hurlburt James (1885-1969) of Hutchinson, Reno County, Kansas and Rhoda C. Edmunds (1886-1911) of Kansas.”

 

Kelly James Clark, RE: Updates to Memorial of John Paul James (1908-1972) - July 25, 2025:

Good Morning! Thank you so much for contacting me. I am so happy to see that my father is recognized and officially included in the James Family Archives. Today is my birthday and this is the best present I could have received. My father grew up without a father and sadly never met his biological father (John Paul James). I wish that my father was still alive so I could share all of the information that I have learned about our ancestors. He would be proud.

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Friday, July 4, 2025:

Greetings James family members, loyal friends, renowned historians and fellow genealogists across he fruited plains of North America and around the world! Happy Independence Day! This day marks the 249th Anniversary our our nations declared independence from the King of England. This day also marks the anniversary of the day our James family declared it’s sovereign independence from the English monarchy following 492 years of subjugation. In honor of this prestigious holiday, I am pleased to report updates to the following pages in the Genealogical Section of our archival database:

Page 36, Children of Daniel James, Sr. (circa 1750-1817) of Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and Susanna Bealert (1745-1849) of Germantown, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania;

Page 129, Children of Daniel James, Jr. (circa 1773-1841) of Pennsylvania and Elizabeth Windott Bandy (1780-1850) of Bedford County, Virginia;

Page 134, Children of Otey James (1813-1907) of Botetourt County, Virginia and Maria Theresia Jerusha Beroth (1807-1872) of Stokes County, North Carolina;

Page 137, Children of John McNeil James (1843-1931) and Mary Elizabeth Amos (1843-1906) of Roanoke County, Virginia;

Page 150, Children of William Henry James (1869-1934) and Emma Idabel White (1877-1956) of Bedford County, Virginia;

Page 162,Children of Ira Raymond James (1872-1947) of Iowa and Jennie H. Garrett (1886-1952);

Page 164, Children of Alice Mary James (1902-1967) of Buchtel, Athens County, Ohio and Mathew Albert Elson (1896-1971):

Page 165, Children of John Vada James (1864-1943) of Ladnonia, Fannin County, Texas and Rev. Jonathon Calhoun Clement (1859-1946) of Gnatville, Cherokee County, Alabama;

Page 166, Children of Claude Hurlburt James (1885-1969) of Hutchinson, Reno County, Kansas and Rhoda C. Edmunds (1886-1911) of Kansas / Carrie Jane Nickels (1888-1977) of Blue Spring, Smyth County, Virginia;

Page 168, Children of Charles Rogers James (1844-1906) of Madison County, Indiana and Tabitha Shields Morton (1844-1919) of Chester, Delaware County, Pennsylvania; and,

Page 169, Children of David Sylvester James (1850-1909) of Wabash County, Indiana and Margaret Ann Shively (1858-1921) of Lucas County, Ohio.

We are now down to 12 pages in the Genealogical Section remaining to be updated. These pages are not accessible until the updates are complete. It is a labor of love and we strive to ensure that the genealogical information contained on our family history web site remains as accurate and complete as possible. A very special “Thank You” to all the family members who contribute their research, data and time ensuring that our genealogical data is accurate. For those of you in search of your James family ancestry... please feel free to reach out! If there is any particular information you seek, wish to share or correct, please contact us at info@jamesfamilyarchives.net. Happy 4th of July!

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Wednesday, June 4, 2025:

Greetings James family members, loyal friends, renowned historians and fellow genealogists across he fruited plains of North America and around the world! Did you know that “June” is officially “National Immigrant Heritage Month”? In honor of this prestigious month, I am happy to report the update of the following pages in the Genealogical Section of our archival database:

Page 56, Children of George Washington James (1812-1864) and Elizabeth West of Bedford County, Virginia; and Martha Patsy Whoberry (1829-1879) of Mercer County, Kentucky;

Page 155, Children of Isaac Richard James, Sr. (1797-1880) of Georgia and Elizabeth Culp (1803-1870) of Union, Newton County, Mississippi;

Page 156, Children of Thomas Enoch James (1866-1954) and Jennie Burton James (1871-1953) of Franklin County, Alabama;

Page 157, Children of Dora Lucille James (1893-1965) of Franklin County, Alabama and Curgus Earnie Malone (1891-1954) of Colbert County, Alabama;

Page 158, Children of James W. James (1837-1897) of Bedford County, Virginia and Jannetta H. West (1840-1911) of Braggs, Muskogee County, Oklahoma;

Page 161, Children of Israel B. James (1850-1924) of Hardin or Logan County, Ohio and Elizabeth Ann Capehart (1844-1933) of Harrison County, Ohio; and,

Page 163, Children of Eugene Edgar James, Jr. (1892-1963) of New Straitsville, Perry County, Ohio and Celia Rosser (1895-1958).

We are now down to 18 pages in the Genealogical Section remaining to be updated. These pages are not accessible until the updates are complete. It is a labor of love and we strive to ensure the genealogical information contained on our family history website remains as accurate and complete as possible. So for those of you in search of your James family ancestry... Happy Hunting & Happy National Immigrant Heritage Month! Oh, and as always, if there is any particular information you wish to obtain, share or correct, please contact me at info@jamesfamilyarchives.net.

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Sunday, April 20, 2025:

Happy Easter to all James family members, loyal friends, renowned historians and fellow genealogists across he fruited plains of North America and around the world! On the occasion of this most joyous holiday, I am pleased to report updates to the following pages in the Genealogical Section of our database:

Page 36, Children of Daniel James, Sr. (circa 1750-1817) and Susanna Bealert (1745-1849);

Page 129, Children of Daniel James, Jr. (circa 1773-1841) and Elizabeth Windott Bandy (1780-1850); and,

Page 150, Children of William Henry James (1869-1934) and Emma Idabel White (1877-1956).

We are now down to 24 pages in the Genealogical Section remaining to be updated and may not be accessible until the updates are complete. Happy Easter everyone and thank you for your patience. If there is any particular information you wish to obtain share or correct, please contact me at info@jamesfamilyarchives.net. Thank you and have a great Easter!

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Monday, April 7, 2025:

Greetings James family members, loyal friends, renowned historians and fellow genealogists across he fruited plains of North America and around the world! And a special greeting to our beloved family and friends in Great Britain, Australia and South Africa! I am pleased to report updates to the following pages in the Genealogical Section of our database:

Page 48 Children of James James (1777-1866) and Sarah Hanks (1781-1854);

Page 68, Children of Jesse Kirzey James (1814-1896) and Mary Elizabeth Harvey (1813-1900);

Page 148, Children of Alfred “Ab” Clark James (1870-1936) and Cammie Racheline George (1877-1965);

Page 149, Children of Isaac Dallas James (1845-1927) and Henrietta Emily Victoria Meador (1850-1922);

Page 186, Children of David Ridgeway James (1847-1930) and Elizabeth Alice Davis (1848-1921); and,

Page 198, Children of Walter Pavy James, Sr. (1890-1959) and Anna Belle Anderson (1888-1935).

Please keep in mind we have 25 pages in the Genealogical Section that are still in the process of being updated and may not be accessible until the updates are complete. As always, thank you for your patience. During this time if there is any particular information you wish to obtain, please feel free to contact me at info@jamesfamilyarchives.net. Thank you and have a great Spring!

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Sunday, April 6, 2025:

Greetings Ms. Converse, Thank you for your kind letter. Yes, we are familiar with your James family ancestor Sitha James (1811-1864), born November 28, 1811 in Bedford County, Pennsylvania to James James (1777-1866) and Sarah Hanks (1781-1854) of Loudoun County, Virginia. Sitha married Henry N. Snyder (1808-1876) and died on June 19, 1864, at the age of 52. She is buried at Shreve Chapel Cemetery in Monroe Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania along with her husband. Her known children include: Elizabeth Snyder Kennard (1836-1911), Rhoda M. Snyder Mills (1836-1915), Minerva Snyder Rice (1842-1933) and Jacob Henry Snyder (1848-1906). What we were not previously aware of is her actual first name, "Cynthia." Thank you for sharing that detail with us. It is always a blessing to make the acquaintance of a new cousin. We are glad to hear you are enjoying the fruit of our research. The James Family Archives represents James family historians and their work going back more than 100 years. We maintain a repository of our work at the James Family Archives website. You can locate us at www.jamesfamilyarchives.net. If you have any additional information concerning your James family ancestor you would like to share with us, please feel free to do so. Likewise, if you have any questions we can answer for you about our particular James family, please feel free to do so also. It has been a pleasure making your acquaintance. We look forward to corresponding with you further about our family.

 

Carole Converse, crconverse@yahoo.com - Saturday, March 25, 2025:

Hello to the keeper of the James Family Archives, Yesterday, I was looking at Find a Grave entries and decided to see how far back my 2nd Gt grandmother’s family of ‘James’ could be traced. My, I was joyfully surprised to find out that her 2nd Gt grandfather, David James, was born in Wales of a distinguished family background, and came with William Penn to Philadelphia in 1682! Thank you for all the genealogical research that the James family has done. My second gt grandmother was Cynthia ‘Sitha’ James Snyder. I am descended through her daughter, Minerva Snyder Rice, my Gt grandmother. I like genealogy because it connects us to a time and a place in history. I will look forward to reading more and continuing research on the James family. Thank you.

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Monday, March 3, 2025:

On this day in James Family History, 255 years ago! Jacob Baelert, the father of Susanna (nee “Bealert”) James (1745-1849), the wife of Daniel James (1750-1817) of Upper Merion Township, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, penned his Last Will and Testament in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Jacob’s will was recorded in Pennsylvania Book “Q”, Will 198, Pages 234-235. In this will the researcher will find reference to Susanna's siblings including Mary who married Rudolph Latch. Interestingly, Mr. Bealert does not provide his wife's name in this document although he refers to her several times leaving her a very generous legacy. A transcription of this document can be found in the Library Section of our database at:

Page 24, The Last Will and Testament of Jacob Baelert, dated March 3, 1770.

 

Larry James, Senior Research Historian - Wednesday, January 1, 2025:

Merry Christmas! And, Happy New Year to all James family members, loyal friends, renowned historians and fellow genealogists across he fruited plains of North America and around the world! And a special greeting to our beloved family and friends in Australia and South Africa! I am so excited as we head into the new year! I also want to send a special shout out to James family members and family historians Marty Rutledge in Arizona and Alice Louise Denson in Texas for their recent contributions posted on the Find a Grave website! To kick off the new year I want to report updates to the following pages in the Genealogical Section of our database:

Page 50, Children of William George James (1832-1908) and Lucinda Elizabeth “Betty” Whaley (1835-1881);

Page 68, Children of Jesse K. James (1814-1896) and Mary Elizabeth Harvey (1813-1900);

Page 139, Children of Clarence James (1886-1953) and Edith May Gustin (1897-1976);

Page 141, Children of George Washington James, Jr. (1846-1919) and Alice Ann Burcham (1865-1944);

Page 142, Children of Elias James, Jr. (1785-1860) and Nancy Fry (1785-1863); and,

Page 143, Children of Thomas James (1812-1889) and Sarah Ann Cochran (1815-1888).

Please be aware that many of our pages are still in the process of being updated and may not be accessible until the updates are complete. I greatly appreciate your patience. During this time if there is any particular information you wish to obtain, please feel free to contact me at info@jamesfamilyarchives.net. Thank you and have a great year!

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Updated: January 29, 2026