Biography - James W. Onley

Capt. JAMES W. ONLEY was born in Sussex County, Va., in 1827, to John E. and Elizabeth (Randolph) Onley, who were born in North Carolina and Virginia, in 1803 and 1802, and died in Bossier Parish, La., in 1875 and 1874, respectively. They were married in Wake County, N. C., and after a few years removed to Virginia; in 1834, to Winston County, Miss., and in 1871 to Bossier Parish, La. The father was a cabinet maker throughout life, and during the Rebellion was a Union man, being postmaster of Buck Horn. He and his wife were Methodists, and he was a son of William Onley, a native of England, his wife having been born in Ireland. They came together to the United States, became acquainted while en route, and were married soon landing, settling in North Carolina. He died at New Orleans while serving in the War of 1812 under Jackson, his wife's death occurring in Wake County, N. C. Peter Randolph, the mother's father, was a Virginian and died in Columbus, Miss., about 1849. The subject of this sketch was the third of eight children, and was reared on a farm, receiving but a limited education. In 1843, when but sixteen years of age he left home and went to Texas, where he joined the United States army and fought for the independence of the Texans. He was captured by the Mexicans, and after being kept a prisoner in Mexico for about seven weeks, he made his escape and returned to his home, and feeling the need of a better education began attending school. During his captivity in Mexico he resolved that if the opportunity ever presented itself he would retaliate for his capture, and when the Mexican War broke out he took advantage of the opportunity and joined the First Mississippi Regiment, commanded by Col. Jeff Davis, and fought at Palo Alto, Matamoras and Monterey, and was one of the men that charged the Black Fort. After the resignation of Gen. Taylor he joined the Second Mississippi and was with Wood until the close of the war, being discharged at Vicksburg, Miss. He once more returned to his home and entered school, but in 1850 or 1851 was engaged in boating on the Tombigbee River, after which he spent seven years as an apprentice at engineering in the city of Louisville, Ky., and in the meantime, in 1856, was admitted as a first-class engineer. He then followed his calling on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers until 1861, having been licensed as a pilot in 1859. In 1861 he went to Illinois, where he was engaged in saw milling one year, then returned to Kentucky and farmed until the close of the war, removing in 1866 to Shreveport, La., where he built the steamer "W. E. Hamilton," which he owned and operated on Red River. In 1868 he was licensed as a captain, and in 1870 as a pilot on Red River, but the same year he left the river and removed to his present farm about thirteen miles northeast of Shreveport, on the Bellevue road, which comprises 881 acres of fine land, all the result of his own industry. He was married in 1858, to Susan, daughter of Elias and Elizabeth O'Neal, both of whom were born in McCracken County, Ky., their marriage also taking place there. The mother died in Missouri after the war, and Mr. O'Neal was assassinated in Shreveport in 1871, an incident familiar to Northwest Louisianians. He was a farmer in early life, but at the time of his death was a merchant of Shreveport. Mrs. Onley was born in Ballard County, Ky., and she and her husband are among the first citizens of this community, being kind, neighborly and generous.

Contributed 29 Aug 2020 by Norma Hass, extracted from Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana, published in 1890, page 143.