James was born in 1800. James' father was David Bruton and his mother was Polly White. His paternal grandparents were Ralph Olin Bruton and <Unknown>. He had four brothers and four sisters, named David, Enoch, David, John, Kitty, Kitty, Nancy and Sallie. He was the fourth youngest of the nine children. He had a half-brother named Enoch. He died at the age of 55 in 1855.