James, John Wesley

FJohn Wesley James
Submitter: Greggory E. Davies
120 Ted Price Lane
Winnfield, LA 71483
(Source: Chambers' "History of Louisiana", 1925.)

John Wesley James was born on a plantation near Winnfield, Winn Parish, March 19, 1878, son of Thomas J. James. His father served in a Louisiana regiment during the Civil War, participating at battles at Yellow Bayou, Mansfield, and Pleasant Hill. He was the son of Thomas J. James, who brought the family from Mississippi to Winn Parish when the younger Thomas was a boy. After the war, the younger Thomas operated a store in Winn Parish, later moving it to Caldwell Parish. His wife was a Caves, died around 1900 at the age of fifty-six. He remarried Mrs. Jessie J. Bennett. By his first marriage, he had nine children, of which John Wesley and C. C. survived past 1925.

John Wesley, in 1925 was in the mercantile business and farmed over 3,000 acres of land. He was educated at the rural schools near his home and at age twenty-one, he earned $ 12.50 per month working for his father. He bought, on credit for $ 300, interest free, 128 acres of land and during the first four years of his initial farming venture opened a store. He organized the Monroe Dry Goods Company and the King James Hardware and Furniture Company of Columbia, Caldwell Parish. He later became president of Citizens Progressive Bank of Columbia. He served for sixteen years on the Caldwell Parish Police Jury.

In 1905 John married Zarada Blythe, a daughter of E. D. Blythe of Rosefield. They had Clayton, Clyde, Myra, and John Wesley, Jr. John, Sr., was master of Columbia Lodge for sixteen years and a member of the Shreveport Scottish Rite Bodies and El Karubah Shrine.