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Descendants of William James

Generation No. 1

1. WILLIAM¹ JAMES was born November 21, 1805 in Glasgow, Scotland¹, and died October 04, 1881 in Barrington, Illinois Rosehill Cemetery². He married CATHERINE COWAN SINCLAIR June 20, 1824 in Barony Parish Lamark, Scotland³.

Notes
George Kennan's Letter to Vivian James in 1979 stated that William had 11 children. (His records may have been more complete, never forwarded to us) Also, it makes reference to the inventor of spinning machine for manufacturing was a Mr. Hargreave which had an associate named Thomas James. They invented the machine about 1780 in Nottingham, England. They were from Lancashire/The Midlands, England. This Thomas James could very well be William's Father which was brought to Scotland to manage the Monteith Cotton Mill which was the first Mill to have mass manufacturing capability. The Mill was opened in 1801 which coincides with William's birth in Johnstone in the year 1805. Regardless of speculation in the years 1960 thru 1996, William's place of birth was documented in his Chicago Tribune Obituary of October 6, 1881 as being Glasgow, Scotland.

RLDS records found that two Williams were christened in Wales shortly after his birth in November. 1. William christened on Dec. 9, 1805 in Llanfyrnach, Pembroke, Wales - Father was Thomas James and Mother Elizabeth Bain. Batch no. C081761, source no. 105170, pr 103702B. 2. William christened on Dec. 3, 1805 in Saint Michaels, Pembroke, Wales - Father was Jas Herd and Mother Lettice. Batch no. C081801, Source no. 105197, pr 1238692.

Later RLDS search found a William christened Dec. 22, 1805 in Gorbals, Lanark, Scotland - Father was William and Mother Sarah Couper. This is very probable of being William's parents. Siblings listed were Sarah (C:7-31-1803), Thomas (B:4-9-1808), Mary ( 6-9-1812), Robert (C:7-23-1815), Robert Johnston (C: 10-19-1817) and Agnes (C:2-13-1820). Note that William had daughter named Sarah.

Research found in the Cook County Records, dated April 13, 1856, by Thomas J. Stavrum of Cable, Wisconsin that William's farm encompassed Sections 21, 22, 27 and 28, Township 42 North, Range 9 E.

Research of passenger list for the years 1831-1833 found a William James arriving on August 31, 1833 on the ship Cassander which coincides with the birth of his daughter Isabella born May of that year. Notations made in the ship register were he was 27 years of age (correct for that date), from Scotland, and possessed one trunk and a bundle of clothing. However, the record did make mention that he was going to Pennsylvania and his occupation was Book Binder.

Research of a book named "History of Chicago 1857-1871 Vol II" had notations of William on pages 91, 164 and 669 where he was noted as being the President of the St. Andrew Society of Chicago in 1864. William Jr. was found on pages 228, 229, 230 and 292. Alfred was found on pages 642, 644, 645 and 650. A Frederic T. was noted on page 650. H. (Henry) B. Willmarth (William's Son-in-Law) was found on pages 638, 639, 642, 644 and 651.

Mark James contact of the St. Andrew Society in April of 1997 proved Wiliam's association with this group. A Mr. Wayne Rethford, Director of the Society, recalled William's records but explained that not much was found due to the fire of 1871.

Found William's Naturalization record at the National Archives during a trip to Washington D.C. in May of 1997. He became a citizen on October 30, 1838 in Pittsfield, Mass. at the Court of Common Pleas. Records in the Courthouse of Pittsfield were found on page 28 of the 1823-1842 Volume. It said: "William James of Adams in said County, formerly of Glasgow in Scotland, having previously declared his intention, having proved his residence and character by witnesses in Court, E.P. Pinnsoneault, R.H. Wells, and taken and subscribed the oath and declaration by law required is admitted to be a citizen of the United States."

Children of William James and Catherine Sinclair are:

2.	i.	JANNET VENICE² JAMES, b. April 07, 1825, Johnstone, Scotland; d. November 23, 1896, Chicago, Illinois.
3.	ii.	WILLIAM JAMES JR., b. March 28, 1827, Glasgow, Scotland; d. October 17, 1867, Chicago, Illinois Rosehill Cemetery.
	iii.	SARAH JAMES, b. May 20, 1829, Johnstone, Scotland; d. 1830, Johnstone, Scotland.
4.	iv.	ALFRED JAMES, b. May 26, 1831, Renfrewshire Johnstone, Scotland; d. December 03, 1904, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
	v.	ISABELLA JAMES, b. May 02, 1833, Johnstone, Scotland; d. 1833, Johnstone, Scotland.
5.	vi.	GAVIN JAMES, b. February 22, 1836, North Adams, Massachussetts; d. May 05, 1917, Kansas City, Missouri.
	vii.	ELIZABETH JAMES, b. April 09, 1837, North Adams, Massachussetts; d. 1840, North Adams, Massachussetts.
	viii.	EDWARD A. JAMES, b. September 17, 1839, North Adams, Massachussetts; d. November 02, 1862, Civil War.
	ix.	MARIA JAMES, b. March 09, 1846, Barrington, Illinois; d. 1848, Barrington, Illinois.
6.	x.	FLORA C. JAMES, b. February 20, 1849, Dundee, Illinois; d. December 09, 1901, Chicago, Illinois Rosehill Cemetery.
7.	xi.	FREDERIC SINCLAIR JAMES, b. February 20, 1849, Barrington, Illinois; d. Unknown, unknown.

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