Willam R JAMES and his wife Isabelle WILLARD arrived in Gentry County in 1848 (or 1843). They came from Cannon County,Tennessee, starting with Ox teams in April and arrived in Gentry county, MO in June. They had eleven children:
- Rufus B. b. April 22, 1935 m Nancy J Gearhart
- Nancy E. b. October 22, 1836 m Pleasant Strange
- Emily James b. February 9, 1838 m Nathaniel Cooper
- Mary J b. December 06, 1839 m William Brown
- John D b. October 28, 1841
- Martha b. May 05, 1843
- Latta b. June 28, 1845
- William R. b. July 08, 1848 Gentry County m. Nancy Lykins
- Joab Neal b. December 01, 1850 Gentry County m. Flora Blumfield
- Eliza L b September 1851 m. Dallas White
- Harriett L b. April 02, 1855, Gentry County m William R. Moore