Harry D. James Biography


	This biography appears on pages 778-779 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	HARRY D. JAMES, the popular young lawyer of Wagner, belongs to a 
family whose culture and merit have given them unusual prominence in 
the state of their adoption. His father, Amos C. James, was born in New 
York, August 3, 1838. He was brought to Illinois at so early an age 
that he has hardly been able to regard himself otherwise than as a 
native of the Sucker state. He had hardly completed his fourth year 
when this western migration took place and all of his rearing as well 
as his schooling was obtained in the commonwealth of Lincoln, Douglas 
and Grant. Shortly after reaching manhood, the Civil war broke out and 
Mr. James enlisted in Company B, Ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteer 
Infantry, with which he served with a fidelity and gallantry that won 
him high commendation. In January, 1867, he was married to Miss Frances 
Hewitt, a lady whose intelligence and worth entitle her to more than a 
passing notice. She is descended from the famous New York family of 
that name, who trace their pedigree back to the Revolutionary war 
period. Mrs. James had been a teacher before her marriage, and after 
the passage of the Illinois law allowing women to hold certain offices 
connected with the educational system she was one of the fifteen women 
in the whole state elected to serve as a school trustee. She filled 
this office with such marked ability as to be urgently importuned by 
prominent citizens to accept political places of various kinds, but 
owing to her husband's objections she declined all such overtures. By 
his union with this talented lady Mr. James became the father of five 
children, of whom the four survivors are Harvey, Harry D., George C. 
and Clara. The latter married Walter Wagner, of Bon Homme county, South 
Dakota, to which section her father had removed some years ago. Since 
settling here Mr. James has served three years as commissioner of Bon 
Homme county.  

	Harry D. James, the second son and one of the brightest members 
of this talented family, was born in Ogle county, Illinois, October 14, 
1869. He attended Yankton College after the removal of his father to 
this state and subsequently took a course at the agricultural school in 
Brookings. After completing his college education, he studied law in 
the office of Cherry & Powers at Sioux Falls and in due time was 
admitted to the bar of -South Dakota. For one year he practiced his 
profession at Sioux Falls and then removed to Flandreau, where he 
remained until three years ago. During his residence at Flandreau he 
was appointed state's attorney of the county, was retained in the 
office at the subsequent election and in all served two terms in this 
important position. During his incumbency Mr. James attracted general 
notice by the vigor with which he pursued all law violations, without 
distinction of persons and utterly free from fear or favor. Two of his 
cases are worthy of especial comment by reason of the prominence of the 
parties and the peculiarly exciting circumstances accompanying the 
prosecution. One of these was the case of the state against Wilson, the 
charge being murder in cold blood of a farm hand, which caused 
widespread comment throughout that section. In spite of a vigorous 
defense by eminent legal talent, Mr. James, after a protracted trial, 
secured a conviction and the defendant is now serving a life-sentence 
in the state penitentiary. Another "cause celebre" in which Mr. James 
played the star role, was the prosecution of a man accused of adultery, 
which attracted much interest on account of the prominence of the 
parties concerned. In this case also, notwithstanding the hardest fight 
that could be put up by money and hired talent, the plucky young 
prosecutor succeeded in convicting his man. About a year ago Mr. James 
opened a law office at Wagner, and combines professional work with 
stock raising. His ideals of the law are derived from a study of the 
lives and examples of the great jurists of England and America, whose 
decisions have so enriched the love of the profession and he aims to 
conduct all his business on the high lines of rectitude and morality. 
Mr. James believes most sincerely that an attorney, in his intercourse 
with the public, should be like Ceasar's wife - not only virtuous, but 
above suspicion.  

	In 1895 Mr. James was united in marriage with Miss Emeline 
Seaman, of Flandreau, and they have an only daughter who has been 
christened by the classic name of Lucile.