Crawford Co., AR - Biographies - John D. James

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SOURCE: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford,
Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago: The Goodspeed 
Publishing Co., 1889.
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John D. James, general merchant, planter and stock dealer, was born 
near Alma in 1848, and is a son of Robert S. and M. E. (Freeman) 
James, natives of Cannon and Warren Counties, Tenn., respectively. In 
1842 they came to Arkansas, and about 1849 Mr. James went to 
California, and has never since been heard of. He was of English 
descent, his grandfather having come to America with Lord Baltimore. 
Robert was a mechanic, and served in the war with Mexico. The mother 
died in 1885. John D. is the fourth child of a family of three sons 
and two daughters, and, after receiving a common-school education, 
[p.1160] began life for himself at the age of fourteen by farming and 
stock trading. During the latter part of the war he served about two 
years in Company A, with the Cherokees, in the Indian department, in 
the Indian Territory, Arkansas and Texas. In 1869 he wedded M. L., 
daughter of Harvey Steward, who was a native of Vermont. Mrs. James 
was born in this county, and is the mother of seven children. After 
his marriage Mr. James engaged in farming and trading until the 
foundation of Alma, when he built a hotel and livery stable, the first 
in the place, which he conducted several years. He is now one of the 
wealthiest and most prominent business men in the place, his stock 
being valued at from $25,000 to $40,000, and his annual sales 
amounting to about $100,000. He employs about eight clerks constantly, 
and his success is due to his business ability, as he has twice been 
burned out. About ten years ago he was shot in the street by a 
desperado, and for a long time was disabled. He owns 900 acres of land 
near Alma, and was one of the leading men in the upbuilding of that 
town. In politics he is a Democrat, and has served as chairman of the 
Democratic County Committee. His first presidential vote was cast for 
Tilden. He belongs to the I. O. O. F., and his wife is an earnest 
worker in the Christian Church. 

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