James Genealogy

Jennifer James October 21, 2017 4 Comments

Benjamin James, Sr. (1714-1774)
The first information with any specificity on the early James’s in America is on Benjamin, son of James James and even this is sketchy. Benjamin was born in 1714 and was also known as “Big”. Where this nickname came from is not known. He took part in the Cherokee Expedition of 1759. He was married to Jane Dobbins and had two children – Ann and Benjamin. This is all the information we have on him.

Benjamin James, Jr. (1740-1800)
Benjamin James, son of Benjamin James, Sr. and grandson of James James, served as a private soldier in the Revolutionary War. He served in General Sumpter’s brigade, 1st Regiment, state troops. He moved to Jefferson County, Georgia where his will dated September 13, 1797 was probated on September 16, 1800. The will mentions his wife Sarah, a son Benjamin Ditcher James, youngest son John and a daughter Sarah who was married to Isaac DuBose. Benjamin and Isaac were executors of the estate.

Benjamin Ditcher James, Sr. (1760 – )
The third Benjamin in a row to come along bore the middle name of Ditcher. Like his father, Benjamin Ditcher also served in the Revolutionary War. He was a private in Capt. Hall’s Company, 10th North Carolina Regiment. He enlisted in 1781 for 12 months and was mustard out on August 16, 1782. He also served in Capt. Earl’s Company, 1st North Carolina Regiment. Later he was in the war of 1812. I don’t have any details on this.

He moved to Cheraw District, South Carolina in 1787. A file copy of his marriage license exists in the state of North Carolina. He was married to his cousin Kezia James. They were married November 1788. A sum of 500 pounds (a considerable amount at that time) was paid by Benjamin to the state of North Carolina – why, I don’t know. Kezia died on March 4, 1791 giving birth to Benjamin Ditcher’s only child of record. This child, a son, was also named Benjamin Ditcher James. He later became a deacon in the Baptist Church.

Benjamin Ditcher James, Jr. (1791-1861)
(Deacon) Benjamin Ditcher James 1791-1861, the fourth James in a row to bare the name of Benjamin, was the father of William Thomas James. He was 21 years of age when the war of 1812 erupted. He was drafted into the service on June 27, 1812 at Whippy’s Swamp in Beaufort District, South Carolina and served as a private in Capt. Haywood’s Company. He was honorably discharged in Beaufort, South Carolina October 12, 1812 and returned home. About 1817 the Deacon married Sarah Riggins and settled in Cheraw District, South Carolina the couple had their first child, Rachel, in 1818. They had ten natural children in all… three died at birth. In addition to these they also took in sixteen orphaned children at various times, allowing them to retain their birth names if they chose, even though they were legally adopted. He gave each of his children, including the adopted ones, a sizable piece of land to help them begin their adult lives once they reached maturity and had married.

In 1825, shortly after Eliza Jane James (1824-1885) was born to Benjamin and Sarah, the family moved from South Caroline to Wiregrass, Georgia, settling in Liberty (now Long) County. It was in this same year that Ben became a member of the Jones Creek Baptist Church. Within five years of moving to Georgia, William Thomas James, great-grandfather to the Red James children (Betty, Billie, Rosie, etc.) and another Benjamin Ditcher James (the 5th Benjamin in a row) were born to (Deacon) Benjamin Ditcher James. It was also in 1830 that the Deacon was a delegate from Jones Creek Baptist Church to the Piedmont Baptist Association.

In 1832 they moved from Liberty County, Georgia and settled in Ware (now Pierce) County, Georgia. It was about this time that the Ben James Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church and Cemetery were organized. Ben served as Justice of the Inferior Court of Ware County for twelve years and from June 9, 1838 to August 19, 1838 he served in the Indian Wars of 1838 under Captain David J. Miller’s Company of Ware County Militiamen. In 1851 he made application for bounty land based on his military service and was granted 80 acres. He actively participated in the Ben James Shiloh Baptist Church and Cemetery until his death in 1861.

James James
(1670-1735)
∇
Benjamin James
(1714-1774)
∇
Benjamin James
(1740-1800)
∇
Benjamin Ditcher James
(1760- )
∇
(Deacon) Benjamin Ditcher James
(1791-1861)
∇
William Thomas James
(1827-1896)
∇
William Duncan James
(1869-1935)
∇
Edward Warren James
(1902-1958)

The next two issues will be devoted entirely to William Thomas James on whom we have quite a bit of interesting and exciting material..