My Genealogy Hound

Daniel James, also a representative farmer and stock raiser, of Garland County, with headquarters in Union Township, was born in Ripley County, Mo., in 1825, and is a son of Homer and Sallie (Byles) James. The father was a native of Tennessee, who moved to Missouri and was married in that State, and a few years later came to Saline County, Ark., where he passed the remainder of his days, dying shortly before the Civil War. He was one of the pioneers of Saline County, and an extensive stock raiser, and during his life had been married three times. His father was the Rev. Jesse James, a noted Baptist minister for many years, and one of the first settlers of Saline County. Daniel Byles, the maternal grandfather, died before his wife, who again married at the age of one hundred years, her second husband being a Mr. Brazzell, who was himself about one hundred and ten years old, and had fought in the Revolution. Daniel James was the third of three sons and three daughters born to his parents, all of them yet living except one son, who was accidentally shot while hunting. He was reared in the wilds of Saline County, with but very few facilities for education, and passed the greater part of his youth in hunting the savage animals that infested that region. In 1847 he was married to Malinda, a daughter of John and Tempa Bland, who were also pioneers of Saline County, where their daughter was born. Mrs. James died in June, 1883, after having borne her husband nine children, of whom three sons and three daughters are yet living: William, Barbara (wife of Daniel Robinson, of Saline County), Emily (wife of Stephen Hymus, of the same county), Catherine (wife of Louis Edging, Saline County), Daniel and Jesse. In 1883 Mr. James was married to Mrs. Elizabeth Milds, an estimable widow and a daughter of William and Elizabeth Terry, who came from Missouri at an early day, and settled in Saline County. He first moved on his present farm in 1874, which is situated on the Saline River, about twelve miles north east of Hot Springs, and now owns some 400 acres of very fertile land with 150 acres under cultivation. He has made farming and stock raising the study of his life, and his efforts have been amply rewarded, as he is considered one of the best in that business in Central Arkansas. During the Civil War Mr. James served two years in the Confederate army, being a member of Company B, Col. Fagan’s regiment, and performed gallant work for the Southern cause. He was captured on several occasions, but as many times daringly made his escape, and it became a belief that it was impossible to hold him a prisoner on account of his ingenuity and courage in taking desperate chances. In politics he is a stanch Democrat, and in secret societies a member of Whittington lodge No. 365, A. F. & A. M. He and wife are both members of the Baptist Church, to which they have belonged for over twenty years.