Fresno County, California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of 
the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with 
its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

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


NOAH E. JAMES. � The rapid growth of Fresno, city and county, has 
brought to this section of the state men expert in the different lines of busi- 
ness involved in the upbuilding of a growing community, and each has done 
his share toward making it one of the show places of California. None more 
so than Noah E. James, one of the best known men in the building line in the 
San Joaquin Valley. Born in Logan County, Ill., November 14, 1870, he is 
a son of Benjamin F. and Eliza (Bowman) James, the former a native of 
Iowa and the latter of Illinois. The mother died in the East, and the father, 
with his three sons, came to California in 1876. A carpenter by trade, he 
located in the San Joaquin Valley and followed contracting and building all 
his life. He now resides in Los Angeles and is eighty-four years of age. 

Noah E. James, now the only one living of the children, finished his 
education in the public schools of Oakland, and on its completion, became 
associated with his father in building contracting, working in Tulare County, 
at Tulare, Tipton, Exeter, Lindsay and Porterville. They built many flumes 
in the orange section around Porterville and Exeter. 

In 1900 Noah E. James located in Fresno and engaged in contracting and 
building; some of his work includes: the Bert Harvey residence; the Staples 
home ; the Ml Cahn residence ; the machine shop and annex to the Fresno 
High School ; the Crematory ; many cottages and bungalows and, besides 
his local work, he contracted" for building in other parts of the county. He 
has been foreman of construction for many contractors, among them, E. J. 
Farr, James Smith, Frank Rehorn, and Emmet Riggins, in fact, there is hardly 
a building erected in Fresno, in recent years, in which he has not had a hand 
in the construction. 

The marriage of Mr. James united him with Ida Lillian Haney, a native 
of Macon County, Ill., and eight children have been born to them, all natives 
of California, as follows: Helen M. ; Grace E., wife of Robert York; Marie; 
Lurene ; Elmer ; Russell ; Mildred ; and Frank. Fraternally Mr. James is 
a member of the Central California Lodge of Odd Fellows, in which order 
he is a Past Grand, having passed all the chairs ; he is a member of the 
Modern Woodmen of America and for the past three years served as Chief 
Forester of the lodge. He is also a member of the Carpenters' Union, No. 701, 
of Fresno. In April, 1917, Mr. James was appointed by the county board of 
supervisors superintendent of construction of buildings, for Fresno County. 
This is one of the most important positions in the county, and he is superin- 
tending the work in his usual highly satisfactory manner. An expert builder, 
Mr. James has aided materially in giving Fresno the type of buildings in 
keeping with the prosperity and progress of the county, and has been an 
important factor in the life of the community.