Charles Balfour James (abt. 1848 - 1914)

Born about 25 Jun 1848 in Paris, Henry, Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Ellen May (Cooper) James — married about 1875 in Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee

Descendants

Died 21 Dec 1914 at about age 66 in Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee

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Charles Balfour James, son of John and Ann Balfour James, was born in Paris, Henry, Tennessee, where his father worked in the family grocery store located on the town square across from the Henry County Courthouse. The family lived two blocks down the street in a white two story home.

When his father moved to Memphis in 1859, Charles moved too. He worked in Memphis in the JM James & Sons Grocery business and cotton brokers. This was just after the Civil War and Memphis was in an ideal location for business on the Mississippi River.

Charles was motivated to begin new businesses too working as manager of a Roller Skating Rink in 1871, and continued in the family business until after 1900 when his father died.

Charles married Ellen May Cooper in 1875 in Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee.

In the 1880 Sullivan County TN census, Charles had moved to Bristol, Sullivan, Tennessee, and worked selling lots in the new town being developed.

In 1900, Charles was president of the Keely Institute Company in Memphis.

In 1903 he was president and owner of the Old Homestead Sanatorium. His sons, Charles Cooper James and John May James, worked in the family business also. The Sanitorium was one of the first facilities founded to treat alcoholism.

In 1909, Charles was president of the James Land & Investment Company, the James Sanitorium on Raleigh Springs Road, and continued to develop new businesses.

On December 21, 1914, Charles Balfour James died of chronic nephritis with burial from his home at 935 S. Belvedere, Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, to Elmwood Cemetery.

Souurces

1850 Tennessee Henry County Census Art/Advertising Supplement to the Evening PRess Scimitar, Memphis 1880 Tennessee Sullivan County Census 1871, 1879, 1880, 1890, 1891, 1903, 1909, 1914, Memphis City Business Directories 1900, 1910 Tennessee Shelby US Census Records 1908 US Passport Application Newspaper articles from the Memphis Commercial Appeal

• The information on Charles is from Tennessee Death Records, Elmwood Cemetery Records, census records, and family information.

Tennessee, Deaths and Burials Index, 1874-1955 <http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2546&enc=1> about Chas P James Name: Chas P James Birth Date: 1848 Birth Place: Tennessee Age: 66 Death Date: 21 Dec 1914 Death Place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee Burial Date: 22 Dec 1914 Burial Place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee Cemetery Name: Elmwood Gender: Male Race: White Marital Status: Married Residence Place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee Occupation: Sanitarium President Father's Name: J H James Father's Birth Place: Tennessee Mother's name: Annie Belfour Mother's Birth Place: Virginia FHL Film Number: 1299630