The Caldwell News - Chronicle

Caldwell, Texas, July 20, 1906

 Death of Rev. W. E. James

   Submitted by:  Will James

     Rev. W. E. James died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Coffield, in Bowie Texas, on the 17^th instant.

     Brother James was well and familiarly known to the people of Burleson county, with whom he lived and spent many of the best years of his life.  He was 75 years old at the time of his death.  He was a native of Wales, where he grew to manhood, and married his wife, who died only a few months ago.  Immediately after their marriage they sailed for the United States.  The resided in the northwestern states of the union for many years, and about 1877 removed to Texas, and settled near Rockdale.  He was called to the pastorate of the First Baptist church of Caldwell in 1878, and spent most of that year in Caldwell, his family remaining near Rockdale, until the fall of that year, when they removed to the vicinity of Caldwell and settled on a farm which he purchased about that time a few miles below town and where they resided up to the time he left Caldwell.  He was pastor of the First Baptist church of Caldwell from 1878 to 1883, when he resigned.  He was again called to the pastorate of the same church about 1888, and resigned again in 1893.  He was converted and joined the Baptist church in Wales and soon afterwards became a minister and was actively engaged in the ministry up to the time of his last illness.  He was a ripe scholar and was particularly well versed in the Bible.  While he was a firm believer in the doctrines of the Baptist church, yet he was broad enough in his views to embrace all who professed the name of Jesus as the Savior of mankind.

     While he never re-visited his native land, yet he was possessed of an ardent love for Wales and her people, in in his will he left a small bequest out of his estate to be used in the spread of the gospel in that country.  He raised a large family, consisting of five sons and three daughters.  His sons are G. E. James, a merchant in Caldwell; Dr. A. Judson James, who lives in Galveston county; T.O. James, Wade James and Weyland James, the last three being engaged in stock raising in the Panhandle.  His oldest daughter, Gretta, married Mr. C. H. Coffield, who now resides in Bowie, Texas; the second daughter, Clolista, married E. L. Ousley and died several years ago, and the youngest daughter, Miss Bertha Maye James, who is unmarried.  All of his children are noble and honorable Christian men and women and are an honor to their parents.

     Although the parents left but little of this world’s goods to their children, yet in the Christian lives which they lived and the good which they did in the world, they left them a heritage the value of which is more precious than gold.         A FRIEND

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