Mary Jane 'Jennie' James

Other Events:

• Name: Ayer
• Name: Jennie James
• Census: 1841, Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales
• Immigration: 1850, Boston, Massachusetts
• Census: 1851, Hampton, New Brunswick, Canada
• Census: 7 Jul 1860, Richmond, Virginia
• Census: 5 Jun 1880, Ashland, Virginia
• Census: 6 Jun 1900, Brooklyn, New York

Notes:

Biography:
The 1900 census says that she had six children all of whom were still alive. According to tradition, her pension application, and a biography of her husband, her name was Jennie but the census identifies her as Virginia. At the time of her husband's death she received a life insurance settlement of $5,800 of which $3,800 had to go to settle debts. She received a pension until her death.

Census:
Daughter.

Immigration:
On the ship Juliet bound from London to Boston, their final destination was New Brunswick, Canada.

Census:
Daughter.

Census:
3rd Ward.

Census:
Wife, 31 Rail Road.

Census:
Wife, 37 Cabridge Place.

Buried:
Lot 31286, Section 193

Mary married Ira Ayer, II on 21 Dec 1863 in Corner of G and 14th Streets, Foundry Methodist Episcopal Church, Washington, District of Columbia. Ira (son of Ira Ayer, I and Julia Mariah Wadsworth) was born on 14 Jul 1836 in Evans Center, New York; died on 3 Feb 1903 in 37 Cambridge Place, Brooklyn, New York; was buried on 6 Feb 1903 in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Jennie James Ayer was born on 28 Aug 1864 in New York; died on 20 Jan 1923; was buried on 24 Jan 1923 in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.
2. Julia Fletcher Ayer was born on 20 Oct 1866 in Hanover County, Virginia; died in 1935.
3. Dr. Ira Ayer, III was born on 6 Oct 1868 in Ashland, Virginia; died on 9 Jul 1939 in US Naval Hospital, San Diego, California; was buried in Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California.
4. Edith Lavinia 'Daisy' Ayer was born on 26 Jul 1871 in Norfolk, Virginia; died on 19 Sep 1957 in 22 Seward St, Putnam, Connecticut.
5. Alice Wadsworth Ayer was born on 28 Sep 1873 in Norfolk, Virginia; died on 29 Apr 1966 in Carlton Convalescence Home, Riverside, Connecticut; was buried on 25 May 1966 in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.
6. Clementine Ayer was born on 14 Aug 1875 in Ashland, Virginia; died in Feb 1972 in Ithaca, New York; was buried in Grove Street Cemetery, Putnam, Connecticut.

Other Events:

• Census: 1841, Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales
• Immigration: 1850, Boston, Massachusetts
• Census: 1851, Hampton, New Brunswick, Canada
• Census: 7 Jul 1860, Richmond, Virginia

Notes:

Biography:
According to Alice Ayer Williams and Clementine Ayer Morse he was the younger son of the Earl of Carmarthen. I have not been able to prove this. He came to America and settled in Richmond, VA. He was in the shipping business between Canada and Liverpool (his wife wrote a poem while sailing from St Johns, New Brunswick and Liverpool). He was also involved in shipping to China and other eastern ports. Most of the beautiful and valuable things that he collected during his travels were lost when Richmond was burned during the Civil War. During the war he and his family moved to Washington because he was a Union man. At the time of his daughter Jennie's wedding they were living at 302 13th St in Washington. His son, Samuel, said (in his 1904 Civil War Pension application) that there were nine children of which four were still alive.

Census:
Head, Corn Street, Mine Merchant.

Immigration:
On the ship Juliet bound from London to Boston, their final destination was New Brunswick, Canada.

Census:
Head, Farmer.

Census:
3rd Ward, Baptist Minister living with "Rev? John Francis".

Died:
Obituary:

Died at Ashland, Hanover County, Virginia,
on Friday, February 28th, 1873, at 4:30 P. M.,

Col William James,

In the 66th year of his age,

The many warm friends of Colonel William James, of Ashland, Hanover County, Virginia, in Washington, will hear with deep regret that after a lingering illness of five weeks, he died at this residence in Virginia, of heart disease, in his 66th year.
Colonel James was extensively known in this city and throughout the South. He was a strong Republican, and has filled many offices of trust and responsibility. He was the first collector of internal revenue for the Richmond district, and by his uprightness and strict integrity won the esteem and respect of all the citizens in his district.
He was a gentleman of great refinement of manners, kindness of heart and integrity of character, and was a pure-minded christian, and passed to his reward “like a shock of corn fully ripe.”
He was the father of Samuel R. James, Esq., formerly connected with the Census Bureau, in this city, but more recently of the Petersburg “Index.”
The funeral services were held at the Foundry M. E. Church, in Washington.


Buried:
Lot 58, Section N
William
James.
Died
Feb. 28, 1873
Aged
67 Years

William married Jane Francis. Jane (daughter of William Francis) was born about 1811 in Wales; died on 17 Apr 1883 in 124 Willoughby Ave., Brooklyn, New York; was buried on 19 Apr 1883 in Glenwood Cemetery, Washington, District of Columbia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Jane James
• Census: 1841, Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales
• Immigration: 1850, Boston, Massachusetts
• Census: 1851, Hampton, New Brunswick, Canada
• Census: 7 Jul 1860, Richmond, Virginia
• Census: 5 Jun 1880, Ashland, Virginia

Notes:

Biography:
According to Samuel James' pension application, Jane had 9 children, 4 of whom were still alive in 1904 (Samuel, Jennie, Hannah, and Emma).

During the Civil War she helped the wounded and dying in hospitals. She often wrote letters to the families of the soldiers that died. She is mentioned in the biography of her son-in-law Ira Ayer, II because after writing a letter to the family of a soldier from Ira's regiment Ira came to thank her. This is when Ira and Jennie met. According to Alice Ayer Williams and Clementine Ayer Morse she is one of the few woman mentioned in "Deeds of the Civil War" (this book may have been "Martial Deed of Pennsylvania). She crossed the Atlantic 24 four times and Jennie was born on one of those trips. Below is a poem she wrote during a particularly rough passage. The ship was traveling from New Brunswick to Liverpool when it encountered a terrible storm.

STANSAS
Written on board the "Lillies"
on a passage from St John NB for Liverpool

In the "Lilies" from the port of "St John" we set sail.
Towed out by the steam boat, with a southerly gale,
Around the bluff headlands where the winds wildly blow
Away! far away! to the Eastward we'll go
II
Three cheers 'from the gallant ship soon rose on high
And rang through the vapour that obscured the sky,
But twill soon clear away and Norwesters will blow
Bound away to the East ward in the "Lillies" we'll go,
III
Night soon came on and the winds wilder blew
We stood by and up our top gallants did clew
While the tempest tossed ship lay rolling to and fro
Bound away to the East ward in the "Lillies" we go
IIII
We beat down the bay for two days or more
Till the winds drove us down on the bold Yarmouth shore
Our foresail to pieces while we "ware ship" is rent
But another good sail in it's place soon is bent,
V
The wild "Petite "passage" lay under our lee
Either we must run through it or lost we shall be
Either we must run through it from the frost and the snow
Or away to the Eastward we never shall go
VI
So now then Lay aft-every soul of our crew
Stand by your "Clewgarnets" your mainsail up Clew
Jump start your main Jack and let your wheel flow
And flying away to the passage we go.
VII
We near it hope in each sailors heart now beats high
Alternately "luff" and "Keep away" is the cry
We clear it. We fly from the frost & the snow.
And in triumph away to the Eastward we go.
VIII
But still there Cape Sable looms out on our lee
Board your main tack and we'll stand out to sea
And now let the west winds more wildly blow
For before them in triumph to the Eastward we go
IX
Still wilder and wilder the good west wind blows
Think our good starboard anchor is adrift from the boat
And our boatswain washed away with a wild [Gyfar - may be Gybe or Jibe]
Still away far away far away to the Eastward we go
X
Our anchors secured we snugged every sail
And ran 'fore the fury of that western gale
Away from New Brunswick and the [ice] & the snow
In the wild Ocean "Lillies" to the Eastward we go

We run fore the fury of that western sea
Till our bulwarks are stove and life boats washed away
But the west wind is Blowing. so let each sheet flow
And away! far away! to the East ward we go.

Let her ride o'er the foam let her bend to the blast
Thirteen knots are counted as each hour is past
Blow good wind and we fly from the frost and the snow
And in triumph away to the East ward we go

But Hark! the ship popps she is struck by the sea
Our wheel is all smashed and taffrel rail washed away
Our foresail is split [Dump] and up it blew
As flying wildly away to the Eastward we go

Lay aft with your tackles lay aft all our crew
Quick with your helm up before we come to
There away she goes off 'fore her deadly foe
Like lightning away to the East ward we go

These lines are most respectfully dedicated to the Captain & passengers of the ship "Lillies" and will be concluded on arrival in the Mersey.

-- Clew-garnet is the tackle used to furl the lower square-sails.
-- "Till the bulwarks are stave" means till the bulwarks are broken.
-- Taffrel rail or taffrail is the rail around transom of a ship.

Census:
Wife, Corn Street.

Immigration:
On the ship Juliet bound from London to Boston, their final destination was New Brunswick, Canada.

Census:
Wife.

Census:
3rd Ward.

Census:
Head, 32 Rail Road.

Died:
She died while visiting the family of her daughter, Emma. She had been there six months.

Buried:
Lot 58, Section N
Blessed are the
dead who die in
the Lord.
Jane F. James
Died Apr. 17th 1883
Aged 72 Years.

married Jane Spencer. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Jane James