Minutes of the annual conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Churches – Memphis Conference – Held at Brownsville, Tenn., on Nov. 15 – 20, 1899, Page 127
D. J. James, the preacher in charge of the Atwood Circuit, Memphis Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was born in Pittsburg, Pa., November 3, 1838; died at Atwood, Tenn., July 14, 1899.
The Rev. J. S. Postle, the pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Haverhill, Ohio, an old friend of Brother James, writes: “His parents were from Wales and strict members of the Welsh Congregational Church. When he was a small boy, he joined that Church and was a member of it until his thirteenth year. He preached some during these years in the Welsh language.
On January 10, 1863, he was married to Miss Pluma Beman, who was spending her widowhood in the city of Ironton, Ohio. He was a soldier in the Union Army during the civil war. This young couple moved to Etna Furnace, in Lawrence County, Ohio, in the fall of 1867, where he taught the public school.
Here they joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he was recognized as a local preacher. He was in that Church until 1893. using his talents now and then as a local preacher. In the year 1893, he transferred his membership to the Presbyterian Church in the town of Jackson. Ohio, and was ordained a minister of the gospel. This was in the month of September 1893. He was always a Methodist at heart. There never was anything against him; his career was honorable from beginning to finish. On November 15 of the year 1896, he left here to take up work among you.”
With us, he served first Friendship Circuit, then Bolivar Station, and this year the Atwood Circuit. He was in great favor with the people of Atwood, who insisted that funeral services should be held there before the body was taken away. The funeral sermon was preached to a large and tearful audience.
Just before the train left, his son-in-law arrived to accompany the remains to their home in Ironton, Ohio. His daughter writes: “You will be interested to know’ that my husband reached here with the body at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, the 16th. The funeral was at 5 o’clock the same afternoon. The Rev. J. C. Postle of Haverhill, Ohio, preached the funeral sermon, and the Rev. C. E. Chandler assisted in the services. The text was. ‘I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.’”
Brother James won the love of all who knew him. He was a faithful pastor, visiting and praying with everyone in the bounds of his charge. He leaves a wife, son, and daughter, with one grandchild.
From there, he had been separated for three years. He wept sorely over this continued separation but went forward in his work. When the road got too hard for him to travel, the good Father took him up in his arms.
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