Mathias Family Archives

How the James Family Lived

Jenkins & Margaret James with their children--and horses!

Jenkins James was the son of Rev. J.T.James. He and his wife Margaret raised their family on a farm near Shubert, Nebraska in the late 1800´s and early 1900´s. Praire homes such as this one were very common across the Great Plains among pioneer families.  Even though the house was small, that became an advantage when temperatures ranged from 100^o in the summer to -20^oF in the winter!

 JENKINS THOMAS³ JAMES (JOHN THOMAS², JOSEPH¹) was born November 13, 1852 in Breconshire, South Wales¹, and died in 1913.  He married MARGARET THOMAS May 3, 1880 in Nemaha County, NE², the daughter of DAVID THOMAS and MARY

Children of JENKINS JAMES and MARGARET THOMAS shown in the picture above are:

BASIL JAMES, born about 1879. According to Freddrick J. Mathias, "Basile died of early (sic) age he was never well. I have been there (and) he never would come out and play like the other kids."

WILLIAM G. JAMES, was born in 1883.  He eventually married ALMA HELM, June 20, 1906, in Dawson, NE.

ANNA JAMES, was born in  1883.

HERCHELL JAMES was born September 1884.

Finally MYRTLE JAMES, was born in April 1885.