JOHN JAMES
Director/Trustee
John James in 1915
John James was born March 1, 1864, in Pembroke, Pembrokewhire, Wales. He died July 29, 1954, in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. His stepfather was George James (born 1826), and his mother was Elizabeth James (née James, 1838–1905).
In 1885, James emigrated from Wales to the United States with his wife (Jennie Williams, 1860–1894) and two children. After living for a short while in Brooklyn, New York, the family settled permanently in Salt Lake City. Here, James became the court reporter for Deseret News from 1894 to 1900, where he was also the editor of a local joke column. During that time, he took law classes and graduated from the Sprague Law School of Michigan in 1896. In 1900, he was elected County Clerk of Salt Lake County and ex-officio Clerk of the Third Judicial District of Utah, which included the civil, probate, criminal, and equity courts. During that time, he was also clerk of both the Board of County Commissioners and the Salt Lake County Board of Health. He later served as the State Insurance Commissioner and was also elected president of the Utah Association of Life Underwriters.
After helping to organize the Cambrian Association of Utah in 1891, James served as its secretary for a number of years. The focus of the organization was to preserve Welsh music, literature, and history in Utah. James had such a knack and reputation for organizing Eisteddfods (Welsh cultural festivals) that Lloyd Jones of Denver's Cambrian Society once remarked, "'No man can do it like John James' is the universal verdict of all our people. I do not know but that they love James more than Jones out here [in Denver]." Because of this, James was asked to help organize Eisteddfods throughout the American West. A talented baritone singer, he regularly performed at Welsh community events, helping preserve one of Wales’ most cherished traditions. In 1927, he became president of the Cambrian Association and remained in that role until his death.
John James as Salt Lake County Clerk ca. 1900.
Throughout the early 1900s, the Cambrian Association worked alongside local Scottish organizations, such the Thistle, Caledonian, and Scottish Clubs. In 1937, James became one of the founders of the Utah Pipe Band and served as a trustee and director on its original board.
During WWI, James served on a committee recruiting Canadian and British citizens in the U.S. for military service. In WWII, he was vice chairman of the Utah chapter of the British War Relief Society, a U.S.-based humanitarian organization providing financial, medical, and nutritional aid to the people of Britain.
James served as the British Vice Consul for Utah and eastern Nevada for17 years. Upon his retirement in 1948, he was awarded the King's Medal for Service in the Cause of Freedom by King George VI.
James married twice and had 11 children. In 1882, he married Jennie Williams (1860–1894) in Swansea, Wales. Together, they had seven children: Florence (1883–1883), Lillian (1884–1955), George (1886–1887), John Williams (1888–1944), Genevieve (1890–1944), Harold Pembroke (1892–1959) and Frank Kendall (1894–1964). After his first wife's death, James married Eliza Ann Merrill (1870–1948) at Salt Lake City in 1899. Together, they had four children: George Merrill (1900–1996), Glydnwr "Glen" Tudor (1901–1991), William Merrill (1902–1972), and Elizabeth (1907–1960).
In 1954, James died in Salt Lake City at the age of 90.