James married Mary Filtes 6/2/1826, four months before his father died. According to his Will, his father made favourable provisions to leave his tools and stock-in-trade for James to set up on his own. James first appears in the trade directories the same year and is listed as a nail maker of 24 Trippet Street with a home at 5 Leek Square, Hull (Battle). The 1841 Census records James and Mary, then both aged 35, at 10 Jennings Street, with children: Rebecca (aged 15) and Lydia (12) both described as cotton spinners, Collin (9), Esther (6), Martha (4) and James (2). The KHRO records index gives a case in which James gave evidence (CQB/198 277) - more later. A year later, James is listed in Kelly's as a blacksmith with a yard at 10 Jennings Street. In 1848, Kelly's records that James is at 2 Bricklebank Square, Hodgson Street. The 1851 Census records James (49) and Mary (48) at 2 Cooks Place (Hodgson Street) and James is described as a journeyman nailmaker. Their children are listed as: Lydia Holdsworth (23) and Esther (19)(both cotton spinners), Collin (19) (boiler maker), Ann (11) (scholar), Mary (5) (scholar), and George (2) (scholar). The 1868 Poll Book shows James was registered as a new householder in Castle Street and voted for James Clay and Charles Morgan Norwood (Norwood won). James was on the opposite side of the political fence from William and Donald, both of whom voted for the other two candidates, Henry John Atkinson and Robert Baxter. The 1971 Census records James (69) at 7 Marvel Street with his second wife, Priscilla (54) and boarders John W Stephenson (28) (iron tinner) and Charles Ward (24) (house and ship joiner) both from Rothwell, Yorkshire, and Thomas Fife (23) (engine fitter) from Scotland.

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