We know from official records that Samuel married Pernina on July 30, 1811. SamuelPerninamarriagelic

Samuel’s Children with Pernina Dean

Samuel and Pernina mainly had girls and most of them are named after the Dean family.

Maranda James

Maranda was probably named after Peninah’s sister Miranda. Maranda died young at 36. She was married to Hugh Harkins, a prominent attorney and had 3 children. Her daughters sued their grandmother Peninah because they didn’t think they got treated fairly in the property distribution after Samuel’s death. They won. The documents page has a transcript of the lawsuit and settlement. Her youngest daughter Emily and her husband Robert Weddington settled in Golden, Missouri where her aunt Mahala and many of her children lived.

Hannah James

Hannah has caused me some confusion. In the short story Mountain Kinsman Ride there is no comma between Hannah and Mahala. So originally I thought they were one person, my grandmother Mahala. I have since learned they were two people. Hannah was named after Peninah’s Mother and sister. She married into two old Floyd County families the Indicutts and the Copleys and lived in Lawrence County and Wayne County, West Virginia. Wayne County, West Virginia is where her Grandfather John Dean moved to before his death.

Sarah James

Married Billy McCoy who was the sheriff on the posse when her half brother Abner shot William Prewett. They lived next door to the James homestead and the Priest homestead. She is named for Peninah’s sister Sarah.

Rachel James

Rachel must be a James name because Abner also had a daughter named Rachel. Rachel married into another old Floyd County family when she married William Ratliff. They moved to Fort Scott, Kansas where she died.

Malinda James

Caused some confusion between Maranda and Malinda. Malinda married John Roop from another old Floyd County family. John and Malinda stayed in the Floyd County area. John was also on the fateful posse with Billy McCoy and Abner James.

Tamsey James

I have no idea where the name Tamsey comes from. She married an outsider Ira Russell from New York and they moved to Lawrence County where many of her siblings settled or lived at one point in time.

In 1845  approximately 9 years after Samuel’s death, his third oldest son Abner went to court to be appointed the guardian of Samuel’s minor children David, Mahala, Samuel Jr. and Pernina.  We don’t know the reason why he did this. They were all over 14 years of age.  Was Pernina about to lose custody of them?  Was it done for property reasons.  What I do know is that Pernina and Abner were tight.  We can only speculate.

“Document from Floyd County 1845 film # 837276 Volume 8 pg 293 states: “David James, Mahala James and Samuel James, infant heirs of Samuel James, deceased, each being over 14 years of age came into official court and made choice of Abner James as their guardian. And it is ordered that said Abner James be appointed guardian of the said David James, Mahala James and Samuel James and also of Pernina Ann James infant heirs of said Samuel James deceased and who together with Hugh Harkins and Jacob made his security.”

David James

David James often gets confused with his brother Daniel James. David married Lovina Chapman and also lived in Lawrence County for many years.

Mahala James

Mahala was my 2nd great grandmother. I have a lot of information about her. She married John Priest. Please go to their page for information about them.

Samuel James III

Samuel James namesake married Minerva Fitzpatrick and moved to Minnesota in search of new land. His travels eventually led him to Washington where he lived on the Kitsap Peninsula across the sound from Seattle. He died in the Old Soldier’s Home and is buried in Poulsbo, Washington. I wonder if the Priests in Morton and LaBam, Washington knew their uncle Samuel was living in Kitsap County less than 30 miles away. There are several pictures of the Old Soldier’s Home at Retsil and the Cemetery where Samuel is buried on the James Photo page.

Pernina Ann James

Peninah’s namesake married John W. Smith. They lived in the Floyd County area and either John died or left because in 1870 Pernina is alone. In 1880 she is living with her Mother and children in Pike County, Kentucky.