[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 1, Ed. 1, Tree #5641, Date of Import: Jan 19, 1999]
James rose to much distinction in public life. He had strong
attraction for books as a scholar and when seventeen years of taught
school in Georgia in 1809. He returned to Virginia in 1810, and served
in the clerk's office of Essex County under John P. Leland, read law,
returned to Georgia 1812, when, war was breaking out with Great Britain,
he entered the army and was appointed clerk of the Regiment. After the
war he practiced law at Linton, Georgia, ten years, and in 1823 he moved
to Jackson County, Florida. In 1828 he was appointed by President John
Quincy Adams Judge of the Southern District of Florida, and also judge
for the adjustment of claims on the coast. He moved to Key West, and was
reappointed Judge by President Jackson, and was retained by President Van
Buren.
During the administration of Van Buren he moved to Corpus Christi,
Texas and accepted the office of Secretary of state of Texas from
Mirabeau B. Lamar, then President of that struggling republic. After a
few years he was elected Attorney General, and next sent minister to
Mexico. He served again as Secretary of State, and was finally elected
judge of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, in which he lived.
On his death November 1, 1856, the Bar of his District passed
resolutions of highly eulogistic character.