John James of Grosmont, Monmouthshire
The name John appears several times in the James family of Grosmont, Monmouthshire. A John James was baptised in 26 May 1788, the son of Henry (c.1740-1809) and Mary James (nee Price) who married in Grosmont on
May 1 1767. Grosmont is near the
border. A Henry James, parish clerk, was buried in Grosmont
on 28 January 1809 aged 69. His father appears also to have been Henry. Other children included:
William son of Harry? and Mary James, baptised 21 February 1768
10 September 1771, Henry 'was born'
Thomas, baptised 5 December 1773
Walter, baptised 18 November 1775
Mary, baptised 11 February 1788
Anne Abigail, 20 May 1780
George, 14 August 1785, when
Henry was described as a mason. A George James aged 24 was buried 8th February 1810.
John James was married in Grosmont 23 June 1819, otp, batch to Jane Edmonds, Skenfrith, spin witnessed by Wr James and Elizth James
with consent. Jane Edmonds had been baptised in Skenfrith as daughter of Charles Edmonds (1750-1828). John James is named in the will of
Elizabeth James of Kingsfield who died in 1835. She appears to have been his aunt.
Grosmont Church James Wall Plaques
According to Bradney's History of Monmouthshire, Part 1 (1904) (p.:
Kingsfield takes its name from being the place where King Henry III encamped when he was attacked and defeated by Hubert de Burgh
in 1232. In the eighteenth and early part of the nineteenth century this place belonged to a family named James, who seemed to have been an
old family in Grosmont. It was sold to Colonel Scudamore about 1860. The same family also owned Trevyr, the Grug Lodge, and the Town Farm.
Bradney describes Town Farm thus (p.86):
The Town Farm, so called because of its situation at the edge of the town, also belongs to Mrs Gazzard.
At the end of the eighteenth century it belonged to William Roberts James, who in 1806, then residing in Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
married Maria Hodges. He died in 1850 at Lested Lodge, near Sutton Vallance, Kent, having had issue Maria, William, Eliza, Amelia, Helen,
Robert Edwards, Henry Brandram, Thomas Lloyd, and Edward Wallwyn.
The house is a very old one, some of it having been apparently built in the early part of the sixteenth century. Over the door is
the date 1673, and on the door-frame of the stable 1671.
There is a Grosmont baptism record dated 19 September 1825 for a Jane daughter of John and Jane James, otp, farmer who married
in 1845.
Other baptisms for a couple of the same name include: Mary, 26 November 1820; Ann, 11 June 1826; Sabina?, 9 March 1828; Sabina, 17 August 1828 (transcription error?);
Sarah, 15 August 1830; Isabella Abigail, 18 January 1833; Louisa Martha, 11 December 1834. These names and ages correspond with a family listed at
Mansion, Grosmont in 1841 without mother Jane (buried 4 February 1839, aged 48), daughters Mary (buried 30 September 1837, aged 16), Sabina (buried 9 December 1837, aged 9)
and Louisa (buried 16 January 1841) but including a Walter James with a rounded age of 65, 'Independent'. Walter was buried on 10 March 1854, aged 79,
opt, Coroner's Order. Isabella Abigail Nicholas was brought back to Grosmont from Broad St, Hereford for burial 20th October 1864 aged 32. John James
was buried on the 20th October 1869, aged 81.
Last updated January 2010.
