Born 4/11/1842.
According to a 1912 History of Oakland Co., James came to the area first to George Beardsley's farm, then to Thomas Carran's farm. He was appointed by Michigan Governor S. T. Mason to assess & collect taxes for four counties. He was Justice of the Peace in 1837. In 1845 he built a foundry & machine shop in Clarkston. He left Clarkston in 1850 for Southfield. See History of Oakland County, 1817-1877.
