Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/65

 JAMES

JAMES

that of D.D. by Judson university in 1880, and tliat of LL.D. by the same institution in 1881. He is the author of: The Walk ivifh Christ through the Valley of Death (1862); Forest Mon- arclis and Other Poems, and numerous tales, poems, essays and other contributions to period- icals, including a biographical obituary notice of the Rt. Rev. Henry Niles Pierce, the fourth bishop of Arkansas (1899).

JAMES, Samuel Humphreys, author, was born at Cottage Oaks plantation, Madison parish, La., Dec. 12, 1857; son of Dr. D. H. and Susan Edith (Barnes) James; grandson of the Rev. Peter Clark James and of John A. and Sarah L. (Hum- phreys) Barnes, and greats-grandson of Col. Ralph Humphreys, of Virginia, who served in the Revolutionary war. He was a student at Emory and Heniy college, Virginia, 1872-76, and at Roanoke college, Va., 1876-78. He was presi- dent of the Virginia State Oratorical association, 1877-78. He studied in Germany, first at Heidel- berg university, 1878-79, and then at the Uni- versity of Berlin, 1879-80. Returning to America, he attended the University of Virginia, 1880-81 and 1882-83, where he was awarded the magazine medal in 1881, and was elected editor-in-chief of the Virginia University Magazine in 1882. He then studied law at Tvilane university. La., re- ceiving the degree of LL.B. from that institution in 1881. His novels: A \Vonia7i of Neto Orleans (1889), A Prinee of Good Felloivs (1891), received high praise. His authorship was incidental to his duties as the owner and manager of a planta- tion at Moimd Station, La.

JAflES, Thomas Chalkley, physician, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1766; son of Abel James, and a descendant on his mother's side from Thomas Hasell, a government councillor under William Penn, and master in chan- cery in the high court established in 1720. Abel James was a Quaker preacher of Welsh descent and a prosperous Philadelpliia merchant; liis wife was a daughter of Thomas Chalkley, the Quaker itinerant preacher. Thomas was grad- uated at the University of Pennsylvania, M.D., in 1787, then went as ship's surgeon to the Cape of Good Hope, and studied in London and Edin- burgh, 1790-9.3. He founded the Philadelphia School of Obstetrics in 1803; was professor of midwifery in the University of Pennsylvania, 13 11-34; obstetrician in the Pennsylvania hospi- tal, 1811-35; president of the Philadelpliia College of Pliysicians several years; a founder of the Pennsylvania Histoi'ical society, and associate editor of the Election Repository. He contributed to the Portfolio translations of Gessner's Idyls (1801 ), signed " P. D." He is the author of: The Princijoles of Midwifery, a standard text-book. He died in Philadelphia, Pa., July 25, 1835.

JAflES, Thomas Lemuel, cabinet officer, was born at Utica, N. Y., Marcli 29, 1831. He received his early education in the public schools of Utica, and in 1846 was apprenticed at the printer's trade. In 1851 he became, with a partner, pub- lisher of the Madison County Joiimal, at Hamilton, N.Y. He was married, in 1852, to Emilj^ I. Freeburn. In 1854-56 he was canal collector at Hamilton, N.Y. In 1856 his paper was united with the Dem- ocratic Reflector as the Democrat ic-Re- pidylican. In 1861 he removed to New York city and was appointed inspector of customs; was pro- moted weigher of teas in the warehouse de- partment in 1864, and deputy collector of the third (warehouse) division in 1870. President Grant appointed him postmaster of New York city, March 17, 1873, and President Hayes reap- pointed him to the position in 1877, after he had declined the collectorship of the port of New York. His administration of the affairs of the New York postoffice was unique in the history of postal service in the United States. He developed the organization of the office to a jjoint it had never before reached, and increased the efficiency and security of the mails. In 1888 he declined the postmaster-generalship made vacant by the transfer of David M. Key to the bench of the U.S. circuit coui-t. He also declined the Repub- lican nomination for mayor of New York. He was appointed postmaster-general by President Garfield, March 5, 1881, and his administration of the office was distinguished by the abolishment of the scandalous "star route" and steamboat mail contracts, after bitter opposition. He made the postal service self-sustaining up to the time of the reduction of the postal rates in October, 1883. After President Garfield's assassination, July 2, 1881, President Arthur reapjiointed him postmaster -general, but personal reasons led him to resign the office, Jan. 4, 1882, and during the same month he became president of the Lincoln National bank and of the Lincoln Safe Deposit company in New York city. While postmaster- general he effected a convention with all the Australian colonies and with the island of Jamaica to secure improvement in money-order facilities, and both as postmaster of New York and as I^ostmaster-general lie was an efficient friend of civil service reform, which he inaugurated and