Biographies J
Dr. Addison D. James
Dr. A.D. James, Muhlenberg County, was born February 27, 1849, in Butler County, Ky., four miles below Morgantown. He is the fourth of twelve children (six boys) born to Thomas M. and Eliza (Harreld) James, of Irish and English descent, respectively. The father of our subject was the son of Foster James, who married Elizabeth Wand, of English descent; a native of Virginia reared in Ohio County; was a stonecutter, and the son of John James, who married Lucy Mosby; two last named were born in Virginia. Lucy Mosby was a full cousin of Gen. Mosby.
The James family came to Kentucky and settled in Ohio County about 1796, where John James entered and improved lands. Foster James settled in Butler County in 1824. The parents of our subject moved to Texas in 1871, and settled in Fannar County, where the mother died in December, 1877. The mother of subject was the daughter of John and Nancy (Davis) Harreld, of English descent. He was a captain of a company in the war of 1812; had also been elected to the legislature for several terms from Butler County.
Dr. James was reared on a farm and received a fair common school education; he attended school at Morgantown and Greenville, Ky. In 1867 he engaged in the drug business, in Morgantown, studied medicine with R.B. Morehead, of Butler County, and graduated from Louisville University of Medicine in 1869. In 1875 he received his degree from Evansville Medical college; located at Penrod in 1869, where he practiced ten years; for the past six years has been engaged in railway contracting, also in merchandising. He has been engaged in railroading in Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky. Dr. James is one of the most energetic business men of the county.
He was married October 6, 1869, to Hattie Penrod, daughter of Lot and Lydia (Woods) Penrod. To this union were born four children: Mollie, Anna, Clarence and Mandie. Mrs. James died January 7, 1881; was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Doctor was next married on March 15, 1882, to Bell Penrod, a sister of his former wife.
Source: Battle, J.H., W.H. Perrin, and G.C. Kniffen. Kentucky: A History of the State. Louisville, KY: F.A. Battey, 1885. Page 910.
Updated July 9, 2018