Henry Wilson Storey's History of Cambria County, V.III, p.338

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History of Cambria County, V.3

338 HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.

to Johnstown, at which place the father of the family worked in the mines as much as was permitted by his advancing age. He and his wife were devout members of the Methodist Episcopal church. William Arthur James married Mary Manuel, and their children were: William; Catherine, married George Edmunds, and died in Wales; Margaret; Ann, wife of Thomas Lawrence, died at Sharpsburg, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania; Evan; John W.; Emmanuel; and Mary. Mr. James, the father, died in 1860 at his home in Main street, Johnstown, being then seventy years old. His widow long survived him and at the time of her death had almost attained to the dignity of a centenarian. Of their children, William James married, and came to the United States in 1848, settling in Pittsburg, and finally in Johnstown: his death occurred in Irwin, Pennsylvania. A daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James, Margaret, became the wife of David Pugh, and en emigrated to the United States later than 1848; she died at her home in Pittsburg. Evan James, son of William Arthur and Mary James, was the first of the family to emigrate, coming to this country with his wife prior to 1848. He settled in Johnstown, where he passed the remainder of his life.
    John W. James, son of William Arthur and Mary (Manuel) James, received his education in the schools of his native land, learning to read in Welsh and English. At the early age of eight years he became his father's assistant in the mines and continued to labor as a miner after coming to this country with his parents in 1848. In 1854 he, with his brother Emanuel, came to Johnstown, preceding the other members of the family, and there worked in the coal mines in different parts of the town, receiving instruction meanwhile from a minister of his church, and thus supplying in some degree his educational deficencies. On his arrival in Johnstown he found the place still in the formative period, its growth and advancement being promoted by such men as Daniel J. Morrell, John Fritz and George Hamilton, and later by George Fritz, William R. Jones, Daniel Jones, James Williams, and James Morley, all of whom were prominently connected with the mills. Among the other well-known men of that day were John Lewis and his son.
    Mr. James continued to work in the mines until about 1856, when he retired. He also engaged at different times in contracting, building and other occupations, his work as a builder being the construction of bridges. Like so many of his fellow-citizens, he sustained severe losses and bereavements at the time of the disastrous flood of 1889. He was then living on Main street, in the second ward, and his dwelling, with all the property contained therein, was utterly destroyed. A heavier calamity befell him in the loss of his wife and his son, eight years of age. His daughter, three years old, was saved.
    Mr. James married, in Johntown, Elizabeth Reese, who died four years later. His second wife was Ellen Keitely, who bore him four children: John, drowned in the flood; William, died in infancy; another, also died in infancy; and Marian, at home. The mother of these children was drowned in the flood. The third wife of Mr. James was Mary Davis, of Johnstown, who was born in North Wales and brought at the age of three years to the United States.
    Emanuel James, son of William Arthur and Mary (Manuel) James, was the builder and proprietor of the Grand Central Hotel. His death occurred in Johnstown. Mary James, daughter of William Arthur and Mary (Manuel) James, became the wife of James Bickerstaff, who was killed in the battle of the Wilderness. The death of Mrs. Bickerstaff occurred in Irwin, Pennsylvania.

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338	HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
to Johnstown, at which place the father of the family worked in the mines as much as was permitted by his advancing age. He and his wife were devout members of the Methodist Episcopal church. William Arthur James married Mary Manuel, and their children were: William; Catherine, married George Edmunds, and died in Wales; Margaret; Ann, wife of Thomas Lawrence, died at Sharpsburg, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania; Evan; John W.; Emmanuel; and Mary. Mr. James, the father, died in 1860 at his home in Main street, Johnstown, being then seventy years old. His widow long survived him and at the time of her death had almost attained to the dignity of a centenarian. Of their children, William James married, and came to the United States in 1848, settling in Pittsburg, and finally in Johnstown: his death occurred in Irwin, Pennsylvania. A daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James, Margaret, became the wife of David Pugh, and en emigrated to the United States later than 1848; she died at her home in Pittsburg. Evan James, son of William Arthur and Mary James, was the first of the family to emigrate, coming to this country with his wife prior to 1848. He settled in Johnstown, where he passed the remainder of his life. John W. James, son of William Arthur and Mary (Manuel) James, received his education in the schools of his native land, learning to read in Welsh and English. At the early age of eight years he became his father's assistant in the mines and continued to labor as a miner after coming to this country with his parents in 1848. In 1854 he, with his brother Emanuel, came to Johnstown, preceding the other members of the family, and there worked in the coal mines in different parts of the town, receiving instruction meanwhile from a minister of his church, and thus supplying in some degree his educational deficencies. On his arrival in Johnstown he found the place still in the formative period, its growth and advancement being promoted by such men as Daniel J. Morrell, John Fritz and George Hamilton, and later by George Fritz, William R. Jones, Daniel Jones, James Williams, and James Morley, all of whom were prominently connected with the mills. Among the other well-known men of that day were John Lewis and his son. Mr. James continued to work in the mines until about 1856, when he retired. He also engaged at different times in contracting, building and other occupations, his work as a builder being the construction of bridges. Like so many of his fellow-citizens, he sustained severe losses and bereavements at the time of the disastrous flood of 1889. He was then living on Main street, in the second ward, and his dwelling, with all the property contained therein, was utterly destroyed. A heavier calamity befell him in the loss of his wife and his son, eight years of age. His daughter, three years old, was saved. Mr. James married, in Johntown, Elizabeth Reese, who died four years later. His second wife was Ellen Keitely, who bore him four children: John, drowned in the flood; William, died in infancy; another, also died in infancy; and Marian, at home. The mother of these children was drowned in the flood. The third wife of Mr. James was Mary Davis, of Johnstown, who was born in North Wales and brought at the age of three years to the United States. Emanuel James, son of William Arthur and Mary (Manuel) James, was the builder and proprietor of the Grand Central Hotel. His death occurred in Johnstown. Mary James, daughter of William Arthur and Mary (Manuel) James, became the wife of James Bickerstaff, who was killed in the battle of the Wilderness. The death of Mrs. Bickerstaff occurred in Irwin, Pennsylvania.