- WASHINGTON JAMES, who is numbered among the early settlers
of Rock County of 1848,
- and is now a wealthy citizen of Beloit, was born near Auburn,
N.Y., on the 22d day of May, 1820. His grandfather, Paul JAMES,
served in the Revolutionary War for six years, after which he
settled in Rhode Island, but subsequently removed to Truxton,
Cortland County, N.Y., where his death occurred.
- The parents of our subject, Sheffield and Judy (CARD) JAMES,
were married at Lebanon, N.Y.,
- and to them were born eleven children - Joseph, who was a
pioneer of McHenry County, Ill., of 1841, died in 1887; Sheffield
L. is a prominent manufacturer of wagons and carriages and dealer
in the same, also agricultural implements, of Janesville; Newbury
located in Kane County, Ill., in 1844, and there died two years
later; Washington is the next in order of birth; Mason settled
in McHenry County, Ill., in 1844; Avery resides in Onondaga County,
N.Y.; Emily is the wife of A. FILMORE, of Lake County, Fla.;
Eliza and John died at the ages of eleven and nine respectively;
Cordelia is the wife of Jardin GOLLY, of Oneida County, N.Y.,
and Christiana, who is the wife of a Mr. WOOD and now resides
near Utica, N.Y. Mr. JAMES died in 1847, and Mrs. JAMES departed
this life in 1875. The latter was a member of the Baptist Church.
- Our subject, who is one of the prominent farmers and stock-growers
of the Northwest, received
- but a limited school education, being virtually a self-made
man, but possessing an observant eye and retentive memory, he
soon acquired, by private study and reading, sufficient knowledge
to qualify him for teaching, and he followed that profession
for eight seasons before coming West. In 1841, desiring to view
the far West, he started out, visiting Milwaukee, then a town
of a few thousand inhabitants, and from there proceeded to Jefferson.
Making inquiries of a few settlers whose homes he passed, he
came to the conclusion that the country was too new to make it
desirable for a location and so returned to the East. In 1848
he again came to Wisconsin, going to Marengo, where he had two
brothers living. The day after his arrival he was employed to
teach the school at that place for five months, but before entering
upon his duties as a teacher he made a tour of inspection through
the southern part of Wisconsin, and being pleased with the country
around Beloit, he determined to settle there. Acting upon this
resolution, in 1850 he purchased the lots on which he yet resides,
and his life in Rock County began.
- In the month of October, 1854, Mr. JAMES led to the marriage
altar Miss Cordelia D.
- MACKLEN, of Walworth County, Wis., and by their union one
child was born, Cordelia Adel, now the wife of S. H. SECRIST,
a commercial traveler. Mrs. JAMES died May 28, 1864, and Mr.
JAMES subsequently married Miss Frances J. MACKLEN, a sister
of his former wife.
- After coming to Beloit Mr. JAMES engaged in teaching for
three years, when he became a dealer
- in grain and stock, buying for the Chicago market. For a
number of years he followed that pursuit, but at length purchased
forty acres of land, which was the foundation of his present
farms, comprising 1,000 acres, 800 of which is under cultivation
and well stocked. On starting out in life his capital consisted
only of a good constitution and the bright hopes of youth, but
by industry and economy, together with the exercise of his good
business ability, he has accumulated a large property, and today
is numbered among the most prosperous farmers of Rock River valley.
Politically Mr. JAMES is a staunch supporter of the Republican
party, and a faithful adherent to its principles, and has been
honored with several local offices of trust. He has represented
his township for three years on the County Board of Supervisors
and has served as a member of the City Council.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, p. 426.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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