James Family Archives

 

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

 

1.    Rebecca Ann James:  born March 16, 1840 in Wabash, Wabash County, Indiana; married George Jeys (1830-1913); died April 11, 1909 (aged 69) in Dickens, Lincoln County, Nebraska; buried in Fairview Cemetery, Grant, Perkins County, Nebraska; known children include: Charles Sumner Jeys, Thomas Henry Jeys, Hannah Jeys, Samuel Franklin Jeys, James Lafayette Jeys, Fannie Elizabeth Jeys, Joseph Elnathan Jeys, Irene Estella Jeys, Bertha Alice Jeys and Louisa Mabel Jeys.

 

2.    Sarah Elizabeth James:  born February 10, 1842 in Wabash, Wabash County, Indiana; married December 19,  1860 to Moses Ferguson Clark (1837-1914), son of Archibald Glenn Clark (1800-1856) and Susan Wishard Alexander (1806-1859); died October 21, 1919 (aged 77) in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa; buried in Indianola, Iowa; known children include: Eudora Cordelia Clark, Lincoln Grant Clark, Addie Clark, Alvin Avalo Clark, Nellie Clark, Albert Clark, George James Clark, Anna Clark, Lula Belle Clark, Grace L. Clark and Grace S. Clark.

 

3.    Thomas Henry James:  born October 3, 1845 in Wabash, Wabash County, Indiana; married Margaret Delilah Douglas (1848-1931), daughter of William Harrison Douglas (1821-1912) and Charlotte Charity Douglas (1817-1892); died December 13, 1912 (aged 67) in Loma Linda, San Bernardino County, California; buried at Pioneer Memorial Cemetery in San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, California; known children include: Frankie C. James and Dr. Dow Sylvester James.

 

4.    Samuel Otey James:  born December 5, 1847 in Wabash, Wabash County, Indiana. In 1888, Samuel married the widow Nancy Florence “Flora” Means (formerly Johnson) (1847-1921) in Fremont County, Iowa. Nancy was the daughter of Smith Gregory Means (1809-1888) and Lucinda Ann Bentley (1810-1888). She had two children from her prior marriage to Richard M. Johnson (1836-1878). These two step-children included Olive Marie Johnson (1876-1926) and Frank R. Johnson (1879-ukn.). Samuel and Nancy are not known to have had any children of their own. Samuel was a laborer by trade. He and Nancy lived in Knoxville Township, Marion County, Iowa in 1900, and then in Spencer, Clay County, Iowa through 1915. Nancy died in 1921 at the age of 74 and was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Spencer, Clay County, Iowa. Samuel then relocated to Los Angeles, California to live under the care of his nephew, Dr. Dow Sylvester James, M.D. (1879-1963), the son of his late younger brother Thomas Henry James (1845-1912). Samuel died on January 18, 1936 at the age of 88 at the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Downy, Los Angeles, California. He had previously been a resident of Morovia in Los Angeles County. He was then cremated and his remains were placed at Pioneer Memorial Cemetery in San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, California near the grave of his brother Thomas.

 

5.    David Sylvester James:  born September 27, 1850 in Wabash, Wabash County, Indiana; married September 11, 1873 in Clarke County, Iowa to Margaret Ann Shively (1858-1921), daughter of Christian Shively, V (1812-1862) and Susannah Heasley (1813-1893); died May 17, 1909 (aged 58) in Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska; known children include:  Eva Elmina James, Royal Urgus James, Rosa May James, David Bertola James, Susan Harriet James, Minni Adyca James and Darley Shively James.

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Biographical Notes:

 

Otey James (1813-1907) was the son of Thomas James (1781-) and Barbary Britz (1782-1812) of Botetourt County, Virginia.

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Sources:

 

See, Records of the James Family Archives.

 

See also, Standard Certificate of Death, No. 77 6928, State of Iowa, for Sarah Elizabeth Clark (died October 21, 1919).

 

See also, Samuel O James, Spencer, Clay County Iowa State Census, 1915.

 

See also, Index to Deaths in City of Los Angeles; James, Samuel; Jan. 18, 1936; Vol. 357.

 

See also, Standard Certificate of Death for Samuel Otey James, Los Angeles County, No 506, dated January 18, 1936, State of California.

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Virtual Memorials on “Find A Grave” Website:

 

Rebecca Ann James Jeys (1840-1909), Memorial ID No. 62443586, by David Goltry, added December 2, 2010.

 

George Jeys (1830-1913), Memorial ID No. 62443579, by David Goltry, added December 2, 2010.

 

Thomas Henry James (1845-1912), Memorial ID No. 183684042, by “afri8a”, added September 23, 2017.

 

Margaret Delilah Douglas James (1848-1931), Memorial ID No. 80329237, by Barbara LeClaire, added Nov. 12, 2011.

 

David Sylvester James (1850-1909), Memorial ID No. 21731648, by Sherri McManus, added September 23, 2007.

 

Samuel Otey James (1847-1936), Memorial ID No. 34079010, by Barbara LeClaire, added February 21, 2009.

 

Nancy Florence “Flora” Means James (1847-1921), Memorial ID No. 183666446, by afri8a. added September 23, 2017.

 

Margaret Ann Shively James (1852-1921), Memorial ID No. 21731776, by Sherri McManus, added: Sep 23, 2007.

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Photos:

Top Row: Royal “Roy” Urgus James (1876-1948) (son), Willis Edwin Lewis (1872-1951) (son-in-law),

Eva Elmina James Lewis (1875-1945) (daughter), and, David Burtola “Burt” James (1879-1968) (son).

Middle Row: David Sylvester James (1850-1909) (father), Darley “Darl” Shively James (1890-1956) (son), and,

Margaret Ann Shively James (1852-1921) (mother).

Third Row: Rosa May James Neff (1877-1965) (daughter), Margaret Rowena Lewis Lambert (1896-1984) (granddaughter),

and, Minni Adyca James Christensen (1881-1974) (daughter).

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Updated: December 5, 2025