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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
OF
HON. JOHN H. JAMES.
John H. James was born in Henry county,
Georgia, on the fourteenth day of July, 1830.
His father, David James, a native of North Car
olina, emigrated to this State about fifty years
ago, and married the beautiful and accomplished
Miss Sarah Sanders, of Franklin county. This
estimable lady has passed from earth, but her
husband survives at a green old age, full of
mental and physical vigor—a sturdy, respected
and independent farmer, at the old homestead
in Henry county.
The childhood of John H. James was unmark
ed by any features of particular interest to the
public. As a member of a respectable and in
dustrious family, devoted to rural pursuits, he
bore his part in the labors of the farm with un
complaining and cheerful spirit. Dutiful to his
parents, careful of their happiness, affectionate
and just to his brother and sisters, he illustrated,
in early years, the embryo of the splendid Chris
tian character which makes him appreciated and
honored by the good and noble of the State. He
was never known to murmur at the circumstances
of his early life, nor in Summer’s heat or Win
ter’s cold to desert the post of duty. Through
many a melting day he has followed the plow or
handled the hoe, as a barefooted boy, and in
many a wintry blast labored cheerfully for the
bread of the family.
After the crops were laid by, he was permit
ted to enjoy the advantages of the neigh
borhood schools, in which he obtained, by close
application, a limited knowledge of the rudi
ments of an English education. For about three
months he attended a boarding-school at the
village of Jonesboro, after which he entered the
great University of Nature, in which he has
gathered a fund of practical knowledge that con
stitutes him one of the best-informed men of
this country. The facility with which he meas
ures character, circumstances and things, is
wonderful—enabling him, with unerring preci
sion, to reach conclusions.
At the age of twenty he bade adieu to the old
home, endeared to him by many fond memories,
and located at Atlanta. There was a vital prompt
ing energy within him that required more active
and exciting scenes and employment than were
furnished by life in the country. However dear
were the pursuits and associations of his child
hood ami youth, he yielded to the stern bidding
of his nature and sought the city, not for idle
enjoyment, but for the performance of manly
duty. A situation was promptly secured al ten
dollars per month. Soon it was advanced to
twelve dollars and fifty cents ; and as his capac
ity and fidelity were discovered, and his experi
ence increased, his salary was enlarged, reach
ing, in due season, one hundred dollars per
month. At that period this was regarded as
first-class compensation, and none but first-class
clerks could command so much. For five years
he continued in the relationship of employee,
and enjoyed the fullest confidence of his em
ployers.
In 1865, having saved from his earnings two
thousand three hundred dollars, which he deem
ed sufficient to justify business on his own ac
count, he decided to engage in that of an auc
tioneer. Rightly judging that change from point
to point was necessary to the life and profit of
that pursuit, he determined to conduct it as an
itinerant. For years he wa> punctual in attend
ance at those places in the Southern States best
suited to the success of his plans. In five years
he had accumulated property valued at twenty
thousand dollars, and demonstrated to himself
the wisdom of reliance upon his own mental
suggestions which have proven unerring guides
to fortune.
In 1860, feeling that his possessions were am
ple, and influenced by a true and ardent affec
tion, he sought and gained the heart and hand
of Miss Susan C. Leonard, daughter of A. K.
Leonard, Eeq., of Talbot county, to whom he
was married during that year. Blessed with a
wife of proverbial gentleness and beauty of
character, he felt that an era had dawned upon
him replete with the promises of happiness, and
that his changed condition required a change of
pursuit. Accordingly, with fortune enlarged,
he located permanently in Atlanta, engaging in
the business of banking. Success re war led his
efforts until the war of the States was instituted.
This circumstance, which disturbed the finan
cial condition of so many citizens, fell with heavy
force upon the fortune of Mr. James, leaving
him only a small portion of his acquisitions with
which, after the smoke of the conflict had passed,
to resume his selected pursuit. About four
thousand dollars in cash, and real estate of per
haps twice this amount in value, constituted all
’hat was left him by the tedious and terrible
strife. Undaunted and with a ch'erful spirit,
he reopened his bank, and has since steadily
prosecuted busineas with unvarying success.—
m m wan w waiw
Grasping results through a power of perception
well-nigh prophetic, his conclusions have proved
unerring. He has acquired fortune after for
tune, until he now ranks as one of the wealthi
est men in the State —owning as much (or more)
real estate in Atlanta as any other citizen, and
wielding a banking capital equal to every neces
sity of his business position.
Mr. James enjoys the confidence of all who
know him. His capaciiy and integrity challenge
the criticism of the world. No one can truly
charge him with a single act either of illiberal
ity or dishonor, and none will doubt the power
of his intellect who judge it through the medium
of his achievements—the only reliable test.
During the panic of 1873. when many of the
wealthiest bankers were compelled to suspend—
some going into bankruptcy—a heavy pressure
was brought to bear upon the establishment'of
Mr. James, by the unexpected demands of de
positors. At this juncture he closed his bank
until he could marshal assets, when a number of
the wealthy men of Atlanta, voluntarily and
through the press, proposed to assume, in his
behalf, liabilities varying from five to fifty thou
sand dollars each. Such a manifestation of
faith is seldom met with in the history of bank
ers or banking institutions; and this was an
expression of confidence unmistakably sincere,
since it was based upon the advance of large
sums of actual capital for immediate use. These
shrewd men had measured not only the integrity,
but the ability of Mr. James, and this act was
the highest commendation that could have been
given.
The financial storm passed, leaving many a
noble wreck as a consequence of its fury, but
the establishment of Mr. James survived its
threatenings and came out even strengthened in
the face of the dangers which seemed to impend.
Unwilling in such a period to force collections
from his many debtors —feeling that such a course
would result in great inconvenience and perhaps
serious injury to them—he placed promptly on
the market a large amount of valuable city
property, which he brought to actual sale at pub
lic outcry. Thus he was not only enabled to ex
tend extraordinary favors to his patrons, but to
make such additions to his banking capital as
would prepare him, in all events, for the calls
of panic-stricken depositors.
Mr. James has wrought out for himself, in an
incredibly short space of time, the reputation of
an accomplished and far-seeing financier. He
entered the arena of commerce when but a plow
boy, and has handled the great financial prob
lems of his day with the fhcility and success of
a master. Even when fresh from the farm and
the field, his conclusions and his actions were
marked by accuracy, and the history of his ac
quisitions show few errors of judgment in the
many details constituting his business decisions.
Men born in the lap of wealth, educated to the
highest degree in literary and commercial
schools, having long experience in banking under
the most advantageous circumstances, esteem it
a privilege to advise with John H. James.
His fortune has been made, not by niggardly
savings, but heroic investments. Relying upon
his own comprehension and judgment, he has
amassed largely by venturing where others
feared to go. As an illustration, he realized
over twenty thousand dollars from the purchase
of a lot of bonds of a suspended bank. These
securities were freely advertised in the papers
of the State, and by distributing handbills.
Their character ami the time of sab- were brought
to the notice of bankers generally, but they
failed to comprehend the situation, and suffered
Mr. James to purchase them for a little over
three hundred dollars. Dealing in stocks and
bonds as an important feature in his banking
business, and though regarded hazardous, has
brought him only an unbroken succession of
financial triumphs. He scans the question, de
cides, acts and succeeds.
No one has displayed so much enterprise, good
judgment or refined taste in the improvement
of Atlanta. The most valuable, beautiful and
imposing structures are due to his designs. His
bank block, extending on Whitehall and Ala
bama street towards the railroad crossing, the
Executive Mansion and his private residence on
Peachtree street are ornaments to the city and
monuments to his liberal enterprise and refined
taste. The latter is a costly and magnificent
model of architecture. Though, as stated, his
s*les of city property in 1873 were considerable,
he still retains a large amount of great value,
bringing him good annual profits byway of
rent. Every room in his spacious bank block,
embracing basements and attics, is occupied.
Here is situated his banking business, the ma
chinery of which moves with a quiet precision
and absence of all ostentation, which seems to
be copied from the equanimity and deportment
of the proprietor. With him its portico is a
favorite point. There he may be seen every
morning, greeting the passers-by with his genial
face, or engaged in pleasant conversation with
those who pause in the sunshine of his presence.
No one would imagine that Mr. James has an
unpleasant care upon his heart, or a disturbing
thought in his brain. His eye beams with a
lustre that burns steadily, and his countenance
is sereiie as a cloudless morn of the spring. Free
from all affectation, ready at every moment to
communicate with others, showing no selfish
reticence for the sake of gaining advantage,
practical, far-seeing, sensible and good, no won
der that his presence is an attraction which
causes many of the passing throng to halt before
him.
To say that Mr. James is a noble character is
only the language of true description. At home,
in society or in the counting-house he illustrates
this truth. His family consists of his wife, a
little girl about ten, and a son about nine years
of age. No happier home adorns the State. Af
fection presides over it and with generous care
provides for every want. Towards his employ
ees he maintains a respectful, polite and kind
deportment, never assuming that chilling aus
terity so common with those who wield capital
in the control of labor. To society he always
adds a charm by his genial good nature.
He is a man of great liberality, furnishing a
striking exception to the maxim that human na
tures becomes miserly in the ratio of its accumu
lations. The evidences of his generosity are
seen on every hand. At his individual expense
two commodious and handsome church edifices
have been built in Atlanta, and to the comple
tion of another he contributed the sum of three
thousand five hundred dollars. Both of the
churches which he had erected are regularly
supplied with pastors and services each Sabbath.
Though he has been a devotedly pious member
of the Baptist denomination since his eighteenth
year, and though now attached to the Second
Baptist Church of Atlanta, he is possessed of
nothing like bigotry, but gives to all churches
and all races, whether Jew or Gentile, Catholic
or Protestant, home or foreign born, white or
black. Thousands of minor charities have re
lieved the necessity of the poor, and if the
worth of men shoufd be measured by their gifts
to the needy, that of Mr. James would appear
pre-eminent. His donations to churches since
the war sum up more than fifteen thousand dol
lars, an.amount considerably in excess of the
entire capital with which he resumed business.
The fact that he gives in the prime of life,
while in the vigor of health, distinguishes him
from most of those who have bestowed charities
and benefits. It is the general custom to cling
closely to the sordid dust until robbed by death
of the power of enjoyment, and then to bequeath
a portion to charity and the church.
Though temperate in all his habits, he has
never joined a temperance society. His advice,
however, to all now is to guard themselves with
jealous care against the insidious indulgence in
strong drink.
He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and
lives in obedience to its injunctions of purity
and charity. To give some idea of his appre
ciation by the denomination to which he is at
tached, it maybe said that he is prominent in
almost all of its important enterprises, being a
trustee of Mercer University; trustee and treas
urer of the Georgia Baptist Orphans’ Home ; be
ing. also, with the help of his good wife, super
intendent of that institution. He has given to
the “ Home ” more than any other man, and his
wife more than any other lady. He has for a
number of years been president of the Atlanta
Bible Society ; also, of Fulton County Sabbath
School Society, both of which are composed of
members of the various orthodox denominations.
In this we have proof that he is esteemed by
Christians of other churches who have measured
his virtues and honored him.
In 1871, Mr. James was called unanimously to
the Mayoralty of Atlanta, having first been
nominated by a popular vote of the Democratic
citizens over three gentlemen of highest standing
socially and politically. This indicates his
strengh With the Democracy of the city and his
great personal popularity. This is the only of
fice he ever held. It was not sought, but ac
cepted because tendered by his constituents in
a manner so complimentary. A high apprecia
tion of his administrative ability and his integ
rity promoted their choice. As proof that his
administration was accepted and approve I, he
was strongly urged to allow his re-election.—
This he declined. His public service was char
acterized by a desire to advance the common in
terests of the city and by the sbiebst honesty.
In 1872, his name was suggested in connec
tion with the gubernatorial election office.—
Many citizens of foresight and influence desired
to see him in position for the exercise of his
great financial mind in redeeming the State from
her financial embarassments and perplexity.
They saw in him the hope of Georgia, and
therefore entreated him to allow his name placed
before the nominating convention of that year.
This he declined to do, and apprehending that
his position might not !»e fully understood, and
that this might interfere with the desired unani
mity of that body, he published a letter in
which he declared that he would, under no cir
cumstances, be a candidate at that time.
The suggestion of his name for Governor
brought out a number of jealous and unjust
comments, designed to prejudice his standing
with the people. It was alleged that he had re
alized a large fortune from the Treasury of Geor
gia by the sale of his magnificent residence for
an Executive Mansion. The facts and figures
show that the report of his profits were exag
gerations. The original cost of the land, build
ing and furniture conveyed to the State amount
ed to seventy-three thousand dollars. For these
he received one hundred thousand dollars in
depreciated bonds, which, by extraordinary
shrewdness, he managed to dispose of to Henry
Clews & Co. for eighty-five thousand dollars.
This left him only the apparent prdfit of twelve
thousand dollars. The land cost Mr. James ten
thousand dollars. Upon this for three or four
years, while unproductive, he paid State, county
and city taxes. Add to this the interest on its
cost—ten thousand dollars; then to this add
the interest for one year on the cost of the
building, it having been about that length of
time in process of erection, and consequently
unproductive. When these amounts are summed
up and subtracted from the apparent profit—
twelve thousand dollars—it will be reduced to
an inconsiderable amount, if not altogether
absorbed. These facts and figures are capable
of easy proof, and certainly vindicate Mr. James
effectualy against this charge. As soon as it was
sold he built another fully as handsome which
cost about the same, which clearly shows that he
built the first one for his own use. The more
serious allegation that be absconded from the
.Confederacy during her struggle for independ
ence was put in circulation. This was regarded
by the opponents of his political advancement
as a fatal shot— one that would cause him to hide
his face in shame from his countrymen; one that
would class him among the enemies of Georgia,
convincing all that he was untrue, and therefore
unsafe, to hdr interests. Mr. James was ap
prised of the zeal with which this slander was
circulated, and also that thousands of honest
people believed the report. He gave no direct
denial, calmly awaiting the period of his choice
to employ the proof at his command for his vin
dication.
The facts are these : For a short period he was
in the military service, but upon the tender of
his personal aid as bearer of dispatches to for
eign powers, he was granted a release from the
army and furnished a passport beyond our lines.
Embarking at Wilmington, North Carolina, on a
blockade runner, he reached Nassau in safety,
and remained there most of the time until the
close of the war. He visited and spent a short
time in Canada, and while there devoted himself,
at great personal cost, to the object of relieving
Southern soldiers who languished in Northern
prisons. Many received the benefits of his lib
erality and knew not to whom they were indebt
ed. To make his plans more effective, it was
essential that profound secresy should be main
tained. When he advertised in the New York
Herald, it was over an assumed name. Perhaps
those who were his beneficiaries have innocently
believed or circulated this unjust charge. If so,
they should, when informed of the actual facts,
be equally active and zealous in doing justice to
a persecuted patriot.
The passport of Mr. James was granted by
Hon. J. P. Benjamin, Secretary of State of the
Confederate States, and was doubtless allowed on
the hypothesis that the applicant could and would
render more efficient service beyond our lines
than as a private in the ranks. It is absurd tn
say that Mr. Benjamin, in 1863, when able
bodied soldiers were in so much demand, would
have allowed his departure on any other account.
Lest some may dispute the correctness of this
statement and persist in urging the false and
prejudicial charge, we are permitted to publish
the following copy of the passport, and to refer
to Mr. James for the examination of the original :
Confederate States of America.
To all whom these Presents shall Come—Greeting :
1, the undersigned Secretary of State of the
Confederate States of America, hereby request
all whom it may concern to permit safely to pass,
J. H. James, accompanied by his wife, a citizen
o f the Confederate States of America, and in case
of need to give him all lawful aid and protec
tion.
Given under my hand and the impression
of the [Seal], seal of the Department of State,
at the City of Richmond, this the 12th of Oc
tober, 1863.
[Signed,] J. P.‘ Benjamin,
Secretary of State.
This act of Mr. Benjamin whs approved by
Hon. James A. Seddon, Secretary of War, as
will appear by reference to an original letter
from that officer now in possession of Mr.
James. This passport was not granted in
and if the person to whom it was
issued is subject to public censure, those who
granted it must also be condemned. The Con
federacy not only required soldiers to figh’
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