Harry D. James, a prominent young lawyer in Wagner, South Dakota, was born in Ogle County, Illinois, on October 14, 1869. His father, Amos C. James, a Civil War veteran, relocated the family to Bon Homme County, South Dakota. Harry attended Yankton College and the agricultural school in Brookings before studying law in Sioux Falls. Admitted to the bar, he practiced in Flandreau, serving two terms as state’s attorney. Known for his vigorous prosecution style, he moved to Wagner about a year ago, combining legal work with stock raising. He married Emeline Seaman in 1895, and they have one daughter, Lucile.
Harry D. James, the popular young lawyer of Wagner, belongs to a family whose culture and merit have given them unusual prominence in the state of their adoption. His father, Amos C. James, was born in New York, August 3, 1838. He was brought to Illinois at so early an age that he has hardly been able to regard himself otherwise than as a native of the Sucker state. He had hardly completed his fourth year when this western migration took place and all of his rearing as well as his schooling was obtained in the commonwealth of Lincoln, Douglas and Grant. Shortly after reaching manhood, the Civil War broke out and Mr. James enlisted in Company B, Ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which he served with a fidelity and gallantry that won him high commendation. In January, 1867, he was married to Miss Frances Hewitt, a lady whose intelligence and worth entitle her to more than a passing notice. She is descended from the famous New York family of that name, who trace their pedigree back to the Revolutionary War period. Mrs. James had been a teacher before her marriage, and after the passage of the Illinois law allowing women to hold certain offices connected with the educational system, she was one of the fifteen women in the whole state elected to serve as a school trustee. She filled this office with such marked ability as to be urgently importuned by prominent citizens to accept political places of various kinds, but owing to her husband’s objections she declined all such overtures. By his union with this talented lady Mr. James became the father of five children, of whom the four survivors are Harvey, Harry D., George C., and Clara. The latter married Walter Wagner, of Bon Homme County, South Dakota, to which section her father had removed some years ago. Since settling here Mr. James has served three years as commissioner of Bon Homme County.
Harry D. James, the second son and one of the brightest members of this talented family, was born in Ogle County, Illinois, October 14, 1869. He attended Yankton College after the removal of his father to this state and subsequently took a course at the agricultural school in Brookings. After completing his college education, he studied law in the office of Cherry & Powers at Sioux Falls and in due time was admitted to the bar of South Dakota. For one year he practiced his profession at Sioux Falls and then removed to Flandreau, where he remained until three years ago. During his residence at Flandreau he was appointed state’s attorney of the county, was retained in the office at the subsequent election and in all served two terms in this important position. During his incumbency Mr. James attracted general notice by the vigor with which he pursued all law violations, without distinction of persons and utterly free from fear or favor. Two of his cases are worthy of especial comment by reason of the prominence of the parties and the peculiarly exciting circumstances accompanying the prosecution. One of these was the case of the state against Wilson, the charge being murder in cold blood of a farm hand, which caused widespread comment throughout that section. In spite of a vigorous defense by eminent legal talent, Mr. James, after a protracted trial, secured a conviction and the defendant is now serving a life sentence in the state penitentiary. Another “cause celebre” in which Mr. James played the star role was the prosecution of a man accused of adultery, which attracted much interest on account of the prominence of the parties concerned. In this case also, notwithstanding the hardest fight that could be put up by money and hired talent, the plucky young prosecutor succeeded in convicting his man. About a year ago Mr. James opened a law office at Wagner, and combines professional work with stock raising. His ideals of the law are derived from a study of the lives and examples of the great jurists of England and America, whose decisions have so enriched the lore of the profession and he aims to conduct all his business on the high lines of rectitude and morality. Mr. James believes most sincerely that an attorney, in his intercourse with the public, should be like Caesar’s wife — not only virtuous, but above suspicion.
In 1895 Mr. James was united in marriage with Miss Emeline Seaman, of Flandreau, and they have an only daughter who has been christened by the classic name of Lucile.
Source: Robinson, Doane, History of South Dakota: together with mention of Citizens of South Dakota, [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen, 1904.