HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY  279

of Mobile and the siege of New Orleans, being under command of General
Butler at the prison city in 1862. Almost forty years before his father had
been a soldier at New Orleans under General Jackson in 1815, participat-
ing in what is known in history as the tearless battle, so small were the
losses of the American troops. George W. James cast his first presiden-
tial vote for James K. Polk, and voted for Abraham Lincoln for the sec-
ond term and remained a stalwart champion of the Republican party until
his demise. He maintained pleasant relations with his old army comrades
through his membership in General Canby Post No. 2, G. A. R., and
greatly enjoyed the camp fires where were recalled the scenes and mci-
(lents that took place on the tented fields of the south. He belonged to the
New Light or Christian church. He died January 9, 1904, at the ven-
erable age of eighty-two years and Brazil and Clay county mourned the
loss of a citizen who was uniformly respected and honored.
    Professor James, reared under the parental roof, supplemented his
early education by study in Bloomingdale Academy and in Danville Nor-
mal and State Normal. He afterward turned his attention to the pro-
fession of teaching as a life work and in 1902 became principal of the
Diamond school in Parke county, Indiana. He was principal of the
schools at Cory and for eighteen years was principal of the Brazil
high school, while at the present writing he is principal of the Jackson
street school at Brazil. He has taken special work for three years in
university extension work, devoting one year to literary economy, one
year to literature and one year to history. His long connection with
the schools of Brazil indicates in no uncertain manner his high standing in
the profession and the regard in which his ability is held in this city.
He has made steady progress, holding to high ideals in his work and keep-
ing abreast with the best thinking men of the age, who are devoting
their lives to education.
    On the 4th of March, 1875, Professor James was married to Miss
Orpha J. Hobson, who was born in Parke county, Indiana, January 31,
    a daughter of Milton and Charity (Davis) Hobson, both of whom
were natives of North Carolina, the former born in 1826 and the latter
in 1829. Mr. Hobson was brought to this state by his parents when
only three years of age, the family home being established in Parke county
near where the town of Marshall now stands. The Hobsons had come
from Greensboro, North Carolina, and with the work of pioneer develop-
ment in this section of the state they were closely, actively and helpfully
associated. Milton Hobson devoted his entire life to farming in Parke
county and his activity and enterprise made him a loyal resident of the
community. At the age of seventy-five years he returned to his old home
in North Carolina on a visit. In community affairs he was deeply inter-
ested, served as a member of the township committee, gave his political
allegiance to the Whig party and was a member of the Society of Friends,
or Quakers. In this state he married Miss Charity Davis, who died in
1902, while he survived until 1906. Their family numbered thirteen chil-
dren, of whom eight are living: Mrs. James; George W.; Josiah D.;
John R.; Martha, the wife of J. D. Fisher; Rhoda, the wife of I. Fulen-
wider; Mary, the wife of Charles Blake; and Wallace M.
    Professor and Mrs. James have a family of five children, as follows:
Eva Estelle, the wife of W. S. Davis, a practicing physician of Marshall.
Indiana; Milton T., who resides in Brazil; Jessie J., who is engaged in