Joseph Minor James
b. July 1829, Shelby County, Kentucky, to William and Elizabeth (Turnham) James
d. 27 May 1911, Van Zandt County, Texas
m/1. 1 April 1853, Van Zandt County, Texas
Barbary Ann Whisenhunt
d. between 1881-1884, Van Zandt County, Texas
m/2. 1 October 1884, Van Zandt County, Texas
Amy Catherine (Arnold) Anderson
Children with Barbary Ann Whisenhunt:
- John H.
- Susan
- Elizabeth
- Joseph
- Benjamin
- Farmer
- Alpha
- Ira
Children with Amy Catherine (Arnold) Anderson:
- Jesse Lee
Joseph emigrated from Kentucky to Indiana in 1830 with his parents. Between January and July of 1830, his brother John was born and it is believe that his mother died in childbirth. His father remarried and had two more children. He was granted a divorce in 1841 and then returned to Shelby County, Kentucky with his sons, Joseph and John, leaving the children of his second marriage with their mother in Indiana.
In 1844, Joseph and John received their portion of their Grandfather John Turnham’s estate as heirs of Elizabeth (Betsey) Turnham. The land was sold to the other heirs before Joseph and John accompanied their father to Texas after he was mustered out of the Army.
Joseph received a Mercer Colony Headright Certificate #552 for 320 acres in Kaufman County, Texas in 1850. He fought in the C.S.A. during the Civil War and was assigned to Company I, 11th Texas Infantry, Roberts’ Regiment.
During his lifetime, Joseph was a farmer but would occasionally preach at the New Hope nondenominational church built on land donated by his father. He is buried in Rock Hill Cemetery, Van Zandt County, Texas.
Submitted by:
Yvonne James
Mineola TX
E-mail: yajames@cox.net