Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....James, Moses 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 13, 2006, 6:22 pm

Author: History of Grundy County, 1914

James, Moses – The self-made man wins approval from his associates, especially 
when he proves in his everyday life that he has developed his talents and made 
a success of his endeavors.  It is difficult for the present generation to 
appreciate how difficult it used to be for a boy, especially in the rural 
districts, to obtain the requisite amount of schooling, for today the 
magnificent public school systems provides ample opportunity for all.  Moses 
James appreciates the advantages given the children of these times, and 
realizes just how much harder his life work was because he lacked them.  Mr. 
James was born in Hamilton, Ohio, May 2, 1833.  When still a lad in 1842, he 
came with his mother to Kendall County from Indiana, where he remained until 
1847.  In that year, he left Kendall County for Wauponsee Township, Grundy 
County, where he spent a year working for a brother.  In 1848, he came to 
Norman Township and for a short time worked for this same brother, and then 
became his partner, the two buying land and operating it together.  In 1862, 
they divided this property, Moses James receiving 214 acres as his share, 
which land is now included in his homestead.  This property was unimproved and 
thirty-five acres was under heavy timber.  Since 1862, Mr. James has developed 
this farm in a remarkable degree, and erected all of the buildings which are 
modern in character.  In the spring of 1903, feeling that he deserved a rest, 
he retired, and now rents his farm to his grandson, Edwin Reeves.

On October 5, 1862, Mr. James was married to Martha Pyatt, born in Kendall 
County, Ill., daughter of John and Cynthia (Misner) Pyatt, natives of Ohio and 
Indiana, who were early settlers of Kendall County.  Later they moved to 
Grundy County, and subsequently went to Bates County, Mo., but returned to 
Grundy County in 1861.  There Mr. Pyatt died in August, 1861, his widow 
surviving him until 1874.  Mr. and Mrs. James had one daughter, Eveline, who 
married D. A. Reeves, and died October 2, 1888.  She had three sons:  George 
I., who lives at Salt Lake City, Utah, married I. O. Wells, no issue; Edwin, 
who conducts his grandfather’s farm, married Leda Edna Winsor, daughter of 
John and Sarah Winsor, and they have four children:  Edna Adeline, Glenn, Lois 
and Ruth R., and Alfred James, youngest son of Eveline, who lives at Moline, 
Ill., married Anna Operman.  Mrs. James is a consistent member of the 
Methodist Church, and is an active worker in it.  Politically Mr. James is a 
Republican.  His success is all the more remarkable as he never attended 
school for more than forty days all told, so that what he knows he taught 
himself.

pages 837-838

Additional Comments:
Source:  History of Grundy County, Illinois, Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co. 
Publishers; 1914

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