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This page has been updated at a new location. To see the newest version, please visit the new James Family Genealogy Page
Thomas A. James, born circa 1803 in Tennessee or Georgia, married Mary "Polly" Bonds, born abt. 1807. Mary is believed to be the sister of A.T. "Andy" Bonds, who was a store owner/postmaster at the Blue Lick Post Office. Thomas A. James was the son of Elias James (b. abt 1775), and they had settled in Franklin County prior to 1820. Elias James (b. 1775) had 7-8 daughters, and three sons, only the name of one son, Thomas A. James is known.
Thomas A. James and "Polly" Bonds lived along Bull
Mountain Creek, near Vina and had the following children: Thomas,
(b. about 1830); Elizabeth (b. abt. 1833); Elias W. (b. Feb 4,
1836); William (b. abt 1837); Rachael (b. abt. 1840); David (b.
abt. 1842); Andrew Jackson (b. 23 Aug 1844, d. Nov. 8, 1902),
married Martha "Mat" Ann Britnell and they had ten or
eleven children (Arthur Lee, Nora "Myrtle", George,
Cynthia, Lillie, Willie, Jennie Beulah, Elias Hugh, Edward N.,
and Eugene); Enoch (b. abt. 1846), Mary (b. abt. 1848),
Jefferson, and John, [It is reported that there were two other
sons, Jordan and Amos, but these may be middle names for two of
the above children]. Andrew Jackson James (d. Nov 8 , 1902)
married Martha "Mat" Ann Britnell, they had eight
children. Enoch married Adeline Spruel and had atleast one
daughter, Ginnie Burton James that married her first cousin,
Thomas Enoch James (son of Elias).
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Enoch James
Elias W. James, born Feb. 4, 1836 . He enlisted in Co E, 4th
Alabama "Roddey’s" Cavalry, CSA. His younger
brother, Enoch, also served in this same unit. Elias was severely
wounded on Dec 24th 1864, in a skirmish North of Decatur,
Alabama. A piece of his skull was shot out and covered with a
metal plate. J. A. Taylor, of the same unit, carried Elias home
from the battlefield. Elias married Cynthia McGary Richardson, b.
4 Mar 1847, d. 18 May 1915. They settled at Pogo, just West of
Pleasant Site, where they resided in a log cabin that had a
"beautiful cold water spring" and a "milk house
where milk was kept cool in the running water". This is at
the base of the Freedom Hills, overlooking the beautiful valley.
The buildings are now gone but the James cemetery is still there,
hidden in the woods above where the cabin once stood.
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Elias James' Grave, Pogo, Franklin Co., Alabama
Family tradition tells of Frank and Jesse James as being
"Cousins" of Elias. When they robbed the Federal
payroll at nearby Muscle Shoals, they reportably hid out on
Elias’ farm, sleeping in his big barn. A relationship of 2rd
cousins is a possibility, if they had the same great grandfather.
In any case, the James gang was known, while in unfamiliar
country, to seek out pro-Southern James families, knowing that
they could depend on relatives, no matter how distant, for
support and protection..
Cynthia was the daughter of John Richardson (b. 14 Jan 1796 GA,
d. 12 Jan 1876) and Nancy Hester, (b. Oct 11 1808, d. Jan 26
1853). Atleast two of Cynthia’s brothers served in the
Confederate Army and fought at the Battle of Shiloh.
Cynthia’s maternal grandparents were William H.
"Buck" Hester and Amy Malone. Amy was the daughter of
John Malone and Anne Blackwell of Granville Co., NC.
"Buck" and Amy Hester came to Franklin County in 1818.
Elias and Cynthia had 13 children: William Amos (b. Oct 27, 1860,
d. Sept. 24, 1923), married 19 Sept. 1883 to Marthey Melisey
Culligan, they had eleven children; Robert David (b. June 16,
1862) married Annie ___, they had two children; John Andrew (b.
July 27, 1864, d. Sept. 17, 1922) married 29 Dec 1887 to Sarah
Louvenia Grissom, they had twelve children; Thomas Enoch (b. Aug.
17, 1866, d. June 19, 1954) married 24 Feb 1892 to Jennie Burton
James (daughter of Elias’s brother, Enoch ), they had ten
children; Daniel Jonson (b. Mar 16, 1868, died 1897), Alfred
Clark (b. Jan 8, 1870, d. Feb 4, 1936) married 5 Aug 1891 to
Cammie Rachaeline George, they had ten children; Elias W. (b. Jan
1, 1872, died May 18, 1921) married Lula Thomas, they had ten
children; Nancy Catherine "Kate" (b. Jan 9, 1875, d.
Dec 28 1938) married 23 Aug 1894 to Cullin C. "Cub"
Grissom, they had atleast five children and resided on Caine
Creek in Tuscumbia, Colbert County; Mary Etta (b. Feb 26, 1876,
d. June 5 1908) married Jim M. George, they had six children; Joe
Gardner (b. May 23 1878, d. Nov 16, 1902), Neoma Samantha
"Dobe" ( b. Mar 25, 1880, d. May 25 1933) married David
Lee George, they had three children; Modena Alice (b. Jan 25,
1883, d. 24 Jun 1969) married James T. Vaughn, they had four
children; and Jim A. (b. May 28, 1885, d. Aug 6, 1886).
To view photo of Aunt Kate and Uncle "Cub" Grissom's place, go to my "Aunt Kate Page".
The family of Alfred Clark "Ab" James (b. 8 Jan 1870
Franklin Co., Alabama; d. 4 Feb 1937 Golden, Tishomingo Co.,
Mississippi) and Cammie Rachaeline George (b. 28 May 1877,
Alabama; d. 20 Feb 1965 Tishomingo Co., MS) consisted of the
following children: Daniel A.; Lula Modena; Joe Clark; Robert A.;
John Earl; Lela Burton; Claudius E.; Edna Lucille; Bonnie Mae;
and Alice Beatrice. "Ab" and Cammie married, 5 Aug
1891, at the home of her parents, John George/Elizabeth Crowell,
then living in Lee Co., Mississippi. According to Joe Clark James
(1896-1985) when young wrote, they "were poor, yet we were
happy, and content with our lot. My birth place was a one room
log cabin in the well known Freedom Hills. It was located at the
foot of a mountain which broke into a beautiful plain in order to
give space for the big Cedar Creek that carried the water from
the many hills and springs to the Alabama River. This home was
near that of grandmother and grandfather’s…When I was
not fishing or playing I would grout [the cabin] and help
grandfather make boards. When quiet young I was taken from these
pleasures, the rocky hills and mountains, …clear flowing
springs, mountain breeze, and brought to Union County,
Mississippi. …We settled down on a little place, papa sold
his mule and wagon, and made three crops on halves. He then
bought a horse and managed to pay for it. After this we moved to
Lee County, where we have gained through hard labor, what little
property we now possess."
This site owned by Scott K. Williams, gg grandson of Elias James.
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Copyright 1998 by Scott K. Williams, All rights reserved.