1914 Biography - James A. Ventress

Ventress, James Alexander, was born in Wilkinson county, Miss., Feb. 14, 1853, and died at "Greenwood" plantation, West Feliciana parish, La., Jan. 10, 1912. He was a son of James Alexander and Charlotte Davis (Pinchon) Ventress. His father was born in 1805, at the Ventress plantation, "La Grange," near Woodville, Miss., and died there in 1867. The Ventress family has been prominent in Mississippi for many years, and is of Scotch origin, coming through the celebrated Stewarts. The Pinchons are of English Lineage and were prominent in the annals of Massachusetts. The mother of our subject was born at Brimfield, Mass., in 1815, and died in 1877. She bore her husband 3 sons, namely, Lawrence Trask, James Alexander, and William Pinchon Stewart Ventress. James Alexander Ventress was reared on the "La Grange" plantation, near Woodville, Miss., and was educated at Norwood school, Virginia, and the University of Virginia. When 20 years of age he lost his father in death, and he returned home to take charge of his father's estate. Thereafter he devoted his life to the pursuit of a planter with gratifying success, and amassed a good estate. He continued to reside in Mississippi until his marriage in 1901, when he became a resident of Louisiana, residing in West Feliciana parish, on "Greenwood" plantation which was the heritage of his wife from her father. She bore the maiden name of Sallie Matthews, and her parents were Charles Lewis and Penelope (Stewart) Matthews, and she was born and reared at "Greenwood." Mr. Ventress never sought political honors, but was a democrat in politics, and a public spirited citizen. Fraternally he was a Knight Templar Mason, and he was also a member of the Order of Magna-Chartre.

Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from Louisiana: Comprising Sketches, edited by Alcee Fortier, published in 1914, volume 3, pages 444-445.