My Genealogy Hound

ALBERT A. JAMES, an active and energetic farmer and a good citizen of Nashville, New York, was born in Brookfield, Madison county, New York, February 3d, 1813, and is a son of Louis P. James and Hannah (Hill) James. His grandfather James emigrated to America from England, though he was of Irish descent. Upon his arrival he located near New London, Connecticut, where he took up his occupation as cabinet-maker and continued it during the remainder of his life. His coming to America was just prior to the war of the Revolution, so that as far as his loyalty to the country of his birth or adoption is concerned, he occupied a neutral position. Subject has in his possession quite a number of souvenirs and mementoes of that memorable struggle. Maternal grandfather Hill was of English descent, and upon his emigration to America also settled in Connecticut. Louis P. James claims as his native State Rhode Island, where he was born April 15th, 1780. While living in Rhode Island he pursued the vocation of a farmer, but shortly removed to the county of Madison, State of New York, where he took up a like pursuit. In 1819 he removed to Chautauqua county, town of Hanover, where he spent the remaining years of his life, and in 1865 died at the age of eighty-five years. He owned a farm of eighty-four acres of land, which he purchased from the old Holland Land company. His first political alliance was with the Whig party, but at its death he transferred his allegiance to the Republican party. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for over sixty years prior to his death and was one of its most earnest and ardent supporters. His marriage to Hannah Hill resulted in the birth of seven children, three sons and four daughters. His wife was a native of Connecticut, was born June 1st, 1768, and died at the age of ninety years.

Albert A. James was reared in the State of Connecticut, where he also attended the common schools. He spent his youth as a fanner boy and later was apprenticed to a cabinet maker, which business he worked at a few years and then returned to farming, which for the last forty-two years, has been his exclusive occupation. He owns a farm of eighty-three acres, votes the Democratic ticket and devotes considerable time and energy to the interests of politics. At the time of the civil war he was proselyted from the whig party. At the age of twenty-four years he was captain of a company of militia in New York State.

On January 21, 1836, he was united in marriage to Betsey Near, by whom he had five children: Marilla, wife of Victor M. Dewey, a postal clerk of Kansas City, Missouri; Almeda, wife of Jacob Daly, a farmer living near Carthage, Cattaraugus county, New York; Hannah, living with her sister; Harriet, wife of Harry Brownell, a farmer of the town of Hanover; and Susan, wife of Frank Irish, a gardener of the town of Hanover, Chautauqua county. Upon the death of his first wife, he was united in marriage to Nancy Mizen, widow of Henry Mizen, who bore him one child, Frank, now deceased.