The legend in my family is that 4 to 5 James brothers came to America in the mid 1700's. Because Elisha K. James was born about 1793, I assume that he was the son of one of these brothers. In the book, Albion's Seed, Four British Folkways in America, by David Hackett Fischer, on naming characteristics among the people from the border (Northern England and Scotland) he stated: "The descent of names from one generation to the next was very similar to the folkways of Virginia and the south of England, but different from Puritan and Quaker customs. Eldest sons in the backcountry tended to be named after grandfathers, and second or third sons after fathers . . ." I do not know whether Elisha had any other brothers, which makes any assumption about the origin of his name difficult. Speculating though, he may have either been named after his father or grandfather. And another intriguing point: if they went according to the book, then his son, Elijah James, being the eldest son, may have been named after his grandfather, and since that name is of course different from Elisha's name, possbily Elisha was named after his grandfather too. To go back the book then, we would have the following: Elisha K. James, born (est 1730), followed by Elijah James born (est 1760), then Elisha K. James born 1793, then Elijah James born July 7, 1816. The problem that arises is his children. Elijah James did not follow the above naming pattern. But Hackett states: "The naming rhythm was much the same in every part of the border region - in the English counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland, in the Scottish lowlands and also in Northern Ireland. It was introduced to the American backcountry in the eighteenth century and persisted for a long time." The names and order of birth of Elijah James' children were: John William (8 Dec. 1837 - 1844), Carolyn Virginia (29 Jan. 1839 - abt 1862), Sarah Anne (4 Aug. 1842), Thomas Jefferson (2 March 1844 - 1863), Mary Elizabeth (5 June 1846 - ABT 1910), Belvia P. 22 dEC. 1847), Overton Petris (29 Nov. 1849 - 31 Mar. 1932)(this name was taken from Overton Petris Goodwin, brother in law of Elijah James, and uncle to Overton Petris James), William Elijah (29 Oct. 1851 - 15 Jan. 1940), George Washington (26 June 1854 - 3 March 1937)(I can only assume that he was named after his uncle, Washington James), Archibald Buchanan James (19 Dec. 1857 - abt 1940), and Amos P. James (21 Jan. 1859 - abt 1933) All of these children were born between 1837 and 1859.

Muster Roll - Bunch's Regiment January 10, 1814 - February 28, 1815. Power of attorney - ". . . that I Elisha James of Blount County of the Regiment under the command of Captain Samuel Bunch East Tennessee Militia . . ." * Note - upon checking the index of War of 1812 soldiers, I found only two Elisha James listed, one with the 6th Virginia Militia, and one with the East Tennessee Militia, Bunch's Regiment. The Elisha listed with the Virginia Militia was shown to have died in 1815. Therefore, and I hope this is not a false premise, the only Elisha probably is the one we search.

Note * I have a muster roll of Elisha's regiment in which a Benjamin James is also listed. In the 1850 Blount County Census there is a Benjamin James shown as being 60 years old. Benjamin is also shown in the 1830 Blount County Census. Benjamin squares with both census returns as being the same person. Benjamin was born about 1790, and Elisha was born about 1794. Therefore he could have been Elisha's older brother. Also in the 1850 census, Benjamin showed his place of birth as Virginia. If they were indeed brothers than Elisha must have been born in either Virginia or Tennessee.

Also Blount County is close to Roane County, where his son's wife's family is shown in the 1830 Census. Elisha K. James, his son Elijah James, and Elijah's younger brother, Washington James, all traveled to Arkansas and are first shown in Arkansas in 1820 according to the 1820 census. E. K. James is listed as an early settlor of Lee County in Goodspeed Biographical Memoirs of East Arkansas.

CENSUS: ST. FRANCIS COUNTY, ARKANSAS 1830 show an Elisha James who was >< 30 & 40 this would square with a birth in 1794, ie., 36 years of age. Note other 1830 census index shows E.K. James in St. Francis County; so this is the one.

JAMES, ELISHA showed males: one male child under 5, one male 10 - under 15, and one male 30 under 40 -- Women: one female under 5, one 5 under 10, one 15 under 20, and one 30 under 40 .. no slaves (computing this - The male 10 under 15 would work since Elijah would have been 14. The other male under 5 would have probably been "Wash." James. There are no stories in the family about Elijah having sisters. I can only presume that they moved to south Arkansas along with Elisha and Washington James.

TAX ROLLS: ST. FRANCIS COUNTY, ARKANSAS 1833:

Show: James, Elisha K. This is the earliest document in which he is shown as Elisha K. or E. K.

Land Records: Elisha K. James, Lee County, Sec. 14, T3N, Rng 3E, 160 acres, 1839/10/10 C.

PHILLIPS COUNTY, ARKANSAS "Marriages 1820 to July, 1879"

page 36: I-56 James, E. K. 47 to Frost, Katherine 18, January 24, 1841. *This would indicate a birth date @ 1794.

*E.K., if the same as one in Phillips County, would have been @22 years old when Elijah was born. Elijah was born July 7, 1816.

D.

Compilation of Independence County, AR, probate and chancery records located at Jackson County Library.

Probate: WALLS, Thomas died 2-21-1843; LA, George P. Lambert, 3-20-1843. George P. Lambert, administrator, and Frances Walls, administratrix, Oct. 1843. George P. Lambert "surviving administrator," 1844; Frances Walls has married E. K. James. Division, 1844; Elisha K. James and wife Frances, dower interest; Samuel Caruthers and wife Sarah, White Co.; Gideon Lambert and wife Eliza, Independence Co.; Joseph, White Co.; Joel, Pulaski Co.; Thomas N., Mo.; Benjamin Churchman and wife Nancy, Jackson Co.; Richard, Rebecca, Levi, and Mary Walls, Independence Co.

Divorces: page 18

James, Frances vs. Elisha K. James; married June 4, 1844; granted August 1845; cha-112 and, he would have been @ 50.

Portion of Business Ledger from family Showing name of E. K. James - must be good has been held in family for over 100 years. *Note the ledger shows him using the name of E.K. James.

SECONDARY SOURCES: Family stories:

E. K. James a/k/a Elisha K. James, was supposed to have been in the War of 1812. He was supposed to have been one of three or four brothers who emigrated to this country from England in the late 1700's. There is a fragment of a story handed down from generation to generation, He stated," Jane, Jane, bring me some broth, before I die." This was in heavy brogue or accent. Further he is said to have remarried and moved to South Arkansas in the 1840's or 50's. Also, E. K. James is said to have died when he was carrying home a gallon of rum on an icy night. He slipped on the ice? and cracked his skull.

Elijah James, date of birth: July 7, 1816, birthplace Tennessee, provenance of date of birth and place - 1860 Lawrence County Census Scott T-ship. showing:"Elijah James 43 born-Tn" & 1860 Lawrence County Census Scott T-ship. Elijah James married Jane Ann Martha Goodwin on December 10, 1836 in either St. Francis County, Arkansas, or Independence County, Arkansas. By 1844, Elijah James and Jane had established themselves in Independence County, Arkansas, having first settled near Moorefield, Arkansas, the home of her brother, Overton Petris Goodwin, and then moving further up into the hills on the Independence County/Lawrence County border. The family story is that they left the fairly fertile soil near Moorefield, and moved to the rocky hill ground on the border of the counties, because the hunting was better. I understand Elijah's motive, because I regularly deer hunt near the Elisha James homeplace on the border of Independence County and Sharp County (the homeplace was not moved, Sharp County was formed from a portion of Lawrence Couunty), and I regularly bring home a deer.

I and am many other members of the James family have been trying to break through the "stonewall" and find the ancestors of Elisha K. James for years. If you have information on my James clan please e-mail to:- rifleman@cei.net

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