San Joaquin County Biographies


This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm



 
CHARLES A. JAMES.
 
        For a number of years Charles A. James has been successfully identified 
with the agricultural interests of San Joaquin County where he has continuously 
lived since 1891, and in 1918 he purchased his fine ranch of sixty-one acres on 
the Harshner Road, which is devoted to vineyard, alfalfa raising and diversified 
farming. He was born in Wales, November 17, 1875, a son of John and Mary (Jones) 
Janes, both natives of that country, and they were the parents of two children, 
our subject and a daughter, Mary Ann.
        Charles A. received his education in his native country, with the 
exception of one year that he attended school after coming to California. In 
1891 he accompanied an uncle, John Jones, to America and then to California. Mr. 
Jones died the day after they arrived in Stockton, then Mr. James made his home 
with another uncle, T. E. Jones. For nine years following his arrival, he worked 
for wages on farms in the county; in 1900 he was able to purchase a place on the 
Sargent Road of twenty-five acres of grain land; this he developed to vineyard 
and alfalfa, erected buildings upon it and later sold it; he then purchased ten 
acres in the Barnhart tract on South Central Avenue; this he also set to 
vineyard and orchard and resided there for twelve years when he sold that place. 
Four years ago he came to his present location west of Lodi on the Harshner 
Road, where he bought sixty-one acres, twenty of which is in old vineyard; he 
has also planted twenty acres to young vineyard and ten acres is devoted to 
alfalfa, the balance being used for general farming; he has also improved the 
ranch with a good residence and other buildings and the land is irrigated from 
the Stockton-Mokelumne ditch.
        On November 5, 1907 Mr. James was married to Miss Belle Powell, born 
August 29, 1875, near Lodi, Cal., a daughter of John and Ann Powell, both 
parents now deceased, the father about 1889 and the mother in December, 1908. 
Mrs. James is one of eight children born to her parents and she received her 
education in the grammar school of Lodi. Mr. and Mrs. James are the parents of 
five children: Ruth Irene, Annabel, Hilard Wilson, Grace Elizabeth and Charles 
Albert, Jr. In politics, Mr. James is a Republican and he belongs to the 
Episcopal Church.
 
History of San Joaquin County, California � Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 
1923
p  740        
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.