Brother James was born at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, in the year 1846. His education was conducted by a private tutor and in the public schools till he was fifteen years old, when he studied one year mining engineering. In the year 1864 he left the parental roof for the purpose of joining the Twentieth Wisconsin Volunteer Regiment, which was then stationed in the Iron Mountains, Missouri. He reached the regiment in time to take part in the battle of Pilot Knob, September 27, 1864, when the National troops, under General Ewing, drove General S. M. Price out of the state of Missouri. After handling a musket for five days in the regiment he was refused regular enlistment on account of age, but insisting upon remaining with it he was attached to the regimental Quartermaster’s department, in which he remained till the close of the war. Returning home he engaged in the mercantile business.

In the spring of 1866 Bro. James and others formed a company to ship mining supplies to Montana, and on June 2nd of that year a large and well-equipped train of ox-teams, loaded with merchandise of all descriptions, left Omaha, Neb., for the newly-discovered gold fields in the north. On the trip the train, in which were 105 well-armed men, had two big Indian fights, resulting in the killing of nineteen men and the wounding of five. Other skirmishes with hostile Indians were encountered on the trip, but no more lives lost. Having disposed of the goods in Montana, he was employed as an assayer by the Gold Hill and Montana Mining company. The spring of 1867 found him in Idaho with a surveying expedition, and in the fall of that year he came to Salt Lake City. From here he went to Nevada and California prospecting and mining. Returning to Utah in 1871 and making Salt Lake City his home, he engaged in mining in Utah, Nevada and Idaho, and ever since has successfully followed the mining industry. In 1880 he was elected president of the Utah Ore Producers’ Association, which association he represented during the preparation and adoption of three tariff bills in the United Stated Congress, and also at two monetary conferences held at Washington.

In politics Bro. James is a firm adherent to the principles of the Republican party. He took an active part in the campaign of 1886 in Nevada, casting his maiden vote for U. S. Grant, an act of which he is still proud. He assisted in the organization of the Republican party in Utah, 1872, serving as a member of the Territorial committee for a number of years, In 1884 he was elected a member of the National Republican Committee, occupying the position for four years. On the abandonment of the People’s and Liberal parties in Utah, he assisted in the organization of the Republican party, and was chairman of Salt Lake County Republican Committee during two campaigns.

In 1894 he was elected a member of the Constitutional Convention, and assisted in framing the Constitution of the new State of Utah. He was appointed by President Harrison as a member of the U. S. Annual Assay Commission, which convened in Philadelphia February 14, 1893, and attended the convention during its sessions. In 1889 he was elected on the Liberal ticket as a member of the Salt Lake City Council, serving in that office the full term of two years.

Bro. James was married in Salt Lake City in February, 1875, to Miss Elizabeth Bancer Hull.

The Masonic record of Bro. James commenced in 1872, and for over a score of years he was a zealous workman on the Masonic edifice in Utah, upon which he left strong marks. His petition for the three Degrees was received by Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 2, May 27, 1872; was elected June 24th; was initiated July 3rd; passed September 9th, and raised November 11th. He was Senior Warden of the Lodge in 1878. During that year the Lodge held twenty-nine meetings, and Bro. Charles Popper, the then Master, being frequently out of the city, Bro. James acted as Master at twenty of these meetings. He was elected Master December 9, 1879, and installed the following Monday, December 16th. The year, in fact two years, of his administration were successful ones. He was a trustee of Mt. Moriah Lodge for six years, 1886 to 1892.

Bro. James was elected Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Utah November 12, 1879, Deputy Grand Master November 18, 1880, and Grand Master January 18, 1882. At the request of the New West Education Institute he laid the corner stone of Hammond Hall, the large school building on the corner of Third East and Third South streets, September 23, 1882, on which occasion he was presented by the trustees of the school with a gavel and trowel made of Utah mountain mahogany and bound in Utah silver. He was Grand Lecturer in 1887, 1889, 1890 and 1891. He was one of the guiding stars of the Masonic Public Library from its incipiency to its end. He was the Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas since September 1, 1879, and of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, his native state, since November 21, 1881. He is an honorary member of the Masonic Veteran Association of the Pacific Coast since April 11, 1883. His Lodge number is 53; Grand Lodge number 185.

The Capitular Degrees were conferred upon him in Utah Chapter No. 1, R. A. M., as follows: M. M., June 14th; P. M. and M. E. M., June 15th; R. A., June 23rd, in the year 1881.

He was knighted in Utah Commandery No. 1, K. T., November 23, 1882. Never held an office in Chapter or Commandery, devoting all his time and attention to his first love - Blue Lodge Masonry.

Bro. James died at Long Beach, California, January 18, 1920. (Proceedings 1921)