James Family in Texas & Flordia

[Georgia (Gigi) James Edwards]

Our Grandad Frank James and Grandmother Verne (Mimi) had two son's Robert(Bob) & George. They married two sisters names Ione & lois Steckelberg so that makes all of their children double cousins!! We are the luckiest cousins!! Just had to add this I think it is important part of our family history !! :)
gigi

[Pamela Jo James King]

So as Gigi said, we all had the same grandparents on both sides!!! For many years I thought that was how it was in all families. On all the holidays everybody was together because we did not have to share ourselves with another set of grandparents. When Frank and Verne left the farm and moved into Manilla, they lived in a big two story house a block off main street. Then when we moved into town, they built a new house catty corner from the two story. We moved into the two story, they moved into the new house and Gigi's family moved into the farm house. Then when our other grandparents moved off the farm, they built a house right beside Frank and Verne's!! Bill and I would get up in the morning and run over to Mimi and Grandad's for breakfast. Then during the day we would walk the block and a half to James Hardware to visit Dad and Grandad. What I remember most about the store was the old cash register, the men sitting in chairs around the spittoon, the huge old safe and Grandad giving us a nickel so we could go next door to Bridey's drugstore and get an ice cream cone. It was a great childhood. I am the oldest grandkid so I am sure they thought I was the bossiest but I did get all the "shows" produced and directed!!

[Georgia (Gigi) James Edwards]

The Memories of the James kids in Manilla the town is not the same since we left!!!! :)
Living there as a child was great having both sets of grandparents so close was normal for us they lived miles a part until Grandpa and Grandma Steckelberg (Lois & Ione) parents moved into town....they built a house RIGHT next door to Grandad James & Mimi how lucky can the James kids be......go to one for breakfast and the other for lunch!!! If you got in trouble with one just go to the other one!!!!!!!! Then when my family moved away we beeged to go back to visit, when we did my brother Jim and I run all over the town!! The James Gang were City Kids now!! I can remember when my cousins would come from Florida to visit and we would do all kinds of stuff and thought no one knew all the tricks we pulled but somehow Grandad always found out and each morning he came back from having breakfast with his buddies (probably the town cop) and rip us a new!!!!!!!! Grandad would take us outside so Mimi never would hear or see him get on to us!!! He was great at keeping it between us and him thank God he never told my Dad!

[Robert Patrick James]

Pamela
After reading this I totally envision a Norman Rockwell painting.
Great story!
Pat

[Georgia (Gigi) James Edwards]

Well Pat I really do not think any of us would say it is even close to a Norman Rockwell painting....?? Let me leave it up to anyone of my family members to name it whatever they want to this should be interesting???????? I would love to hear my Uncle Bob's response or even my Dad's but of course my Dad's we would have to blank out the words I am sure!! :)

[Pamela Jo James King]

Pat,
I never thought of it as a Rockwell painting but I am sure there could have been alot of great poses for one.

Manilla's main street is three blocks long. The east end has a band shell, the memorial hall, the two lane bowling alley (which was a huge attraction). the middle street has a grocery (used to be three), cafe, hardware store, post office (used to be a meat locker, drugstore and the bank) and the west block has the feed store but beyond that we as kids did not go because there were bars and the state liquor store. Evil!! On the north side of town(divided by main street) were the Lutheran and Catholic churches about a block apart and on the south side of town were the Presbyterian and Methodist churches. One at one end of block and one at the other end!!! Again as kids we would only travel within a 3 block radius in all directions. If we went beyond it was an adventure. Of course, Astor was even smaller than that. Dad has pictures and drew a map of Astor...I am not sure I have it but will get it and put it on the site. More later, Pam

[Robert Patrick James]

Pamela

Thanks for the info on Manilla.
The only thing I ever knew about it was that my dad lived there as a boy.
I would like to visit there some day.
I hope your father will get you those pictures and map so you can post them.
I have talked to him on several occasions in the last couple years.
I look foward to meeting him and yourself someday.

Pat

[william richard James]

just a funny story my dad told me about bud him turkey theobald got one off there friend on a raft and put him in the river the nishnsbota at the astor brigde the river was cresting and running quite fast bud and turkey then raced one mile west to the bridge north the astor cemetery to catch him but there to late the finally recovered him about a mile from defiance cuz bill of odessa