JAMES JEFFERYS, ESQ. OF YORKVILLE

JAMES JEFFERYS, ESQ. OF YORKVILLE
by Louise Pettus

On the 24th of February in 1883 the oldest male resident of the town of Yorkville died. James Jefferys, Esq. had an unusual background. He was born August 6, 1800 on the Island of Aldeney in the English channel of poor parents. The parents moved to Guernsey Island, about 21 miles distant, when Jefferys was still an infant. When he was 12 years of age he was apprenticed to a cabinet maker, Thomas Dews.

Under the contract Dews made with Jefferys parents, Dews would provide room, board and clothing for the boy until he was 18 years of age. During that time Dews was to instruct young Jefferys in "the arts and mysteries" of the cabinet maker's trade. Four years after the contract was made Dews decided to emigrate to the United States. He asked the parents to allow him to bring along his 17-year-old apprentice and they consented.

In 1817 Dews, his wife and children, and James Jefferys landed in Philadelphia. They stayed there for 7 months and then moved to New York city for about 2 years. After that Dews was at Richmond, Va. for 2 months, then to Petersburg, Va., Raleigh, Salisbury and Lincolnton, N. C.-- never finding a satisfactory situation.

Jefferys' apprenticeship was extended by two years in order to pay his passage over. The apprenticeship expired August 6, 1821. Believing that there was not enough business in Lincolnton to employ both Dews and himself, on his 21st birthday, Jefferys bid Dews goodbye and set out on foot to find employment for himself. His only money was $2 loaned to him by a friend.

Jefferys walked to Providence community in lower Mecklenburg County where he expected to find employment but was disappointed. Again he set out on foot and was at the crossroads at Tirzah Church where a fingerboard pointed in one direction to Yorkville and in another to Chesterville. Jefferys later said that he asked for Divine Guidance and always believed that his prayer directed him to Yorkville.

He arrived in Yorkville on foot in the middle of November 1821. At that time Yorkville had only about 200 people and nearly all of the homes were constructed of logs. The first person he met was Samuel Chambers, one of the leading men of the village. Chambers directed Jefferys to the house of Samuel Wright. Wright invited Jefferys to spend the night and the next morning they made a nine-month contract. Jefferys was to work as cabinet maker and Mr. Wright would furnish him a shop, materials and board. Each was to get one-half of the gross sales.

When the nine-month contract ended Jefferys had enough money to go into business for himself both as a cabinet maker and storekeeper. In 1838 he dropped cabinet making and became one of Yorkville's leading merchants. His store prospered and he accumulated much property in Yorkville.

From 1838 to 1862, he was magistrate and thereafter known as James Jefferys, Esq. (The title of "Esquire" was generally given to any judge, no matter the type of court.) It is estimated that, as magistrate, Jefferys handled at least 2800 local cases and additional state cases in his court. His reputation for fairness was widely known. He kept such meticulous records as magistrate that he was often called upon to settle disputes. According to Jefferys' obituary in the Yorkville Enquirer, his decisions were never questioned.

A pious man, Jefferys was one of the first 8 organizers of the Yorkville Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1829 he organized the first Sunday School in Yorkville. All of his life he was a zealous and active worker for the church.

Jefferys married Elizabeth H. Smith, daughter of Capt. Thomas H. Smith of Yorkville. They had twelve children, 8 sons and 4 daughters.

The name of James Jefferys is not listed among those immigrants to York District who swore allegiance to the United States of America. Perhaps he did and the record is lost. Whatever the case, he was long remembered and respected in Yorkville as one of the town's best and finest citizens.