Son of Chester Upham (b. Feb. 19, 1786 - d. in Elba, Genesee Co. N. Y. on Aug. 24, 1830), and his wife Rhoda Hinman (she was born in Mass., and she died in Eaton Co. MI on Nov. 4, 1878). They lived in Tyringham, Berkshire County Massschusetts, and later, the family moved to Elba [East Elba], Genessee County, New York about 1829 - 1830.
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Note: PLEASE, do NOT transfer this
memorial to other web sites.
Thanks, Nancy (Letcher) Heib.
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James was the 8th of 10 known children.
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Note: His father Chester Upham, died at the age of 44, when James was four years old.
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After his father Chester Upham died in 1830, in Elba, Genesee County, New York, leaving his mother Rhoda with 10 known children, his mother Rhoda married Ira Howe ["about" 1834], in Genesee County New York, the son of John Howe Jr. and his wife Esther Waller.
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Ira was a widower who had 11 children with his first wife Elizabeth ("Betsy") Sackett. Ira's first wife Elizabeth died in Nov. of 1833. [Some of Ira and Elizabeth Howe's children "possibly" were: Caroline, Olive, David, Alfred W., Sarah, Franklin, Lovis J., Ira Jr., Janette, Ella M., Mary A, and Edward Howe].
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Rhoda gave birth to Ira's twelfth child Elizabeth Howe, who was born about 1835 [Elizabeth later married Erasius Taylor]. (Two of Rhoda's sons, married their step-sisters).
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James's step-father Ira Howe, died on April 8, 1867, and is buried in the Springvale Cemetery, in East Elba, Genesee County New York, with his first wife Elizabeth ("Betsy"), and two of their children Mary A., and Edward Howe.
After Ira passed away Rhoda lived with her step-son David Howe in Elba, Genesee County New York [per 1870 census].
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In the history book titled "Portrait and Biographical Album of St. Joseph County, Michigan" (in article on Rhoda's son-in-law Gideon Sanborn, on page 328), it states that James's mother Rhoda Upham-Howe died on [Nov. 4], 1878 in Charlotte, Eaton County Michigan, and that her remains were taken to Eaton Rapids, Eaton County Michigan for interment.
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Note: Rhoda is buried next to her son Anson Upham in the Rosehill Cemetery in Eaton Rapids, Michigan. Rhoda is listed in her death record as "Rheda" Howe, a widow, born in Mass., and died of old age at the age of 86, in Charlotte, Eaton Co. MI. (Ledger page 167, Record No. 11). Rhoda is listed in the Rosehill Cemetery Sexton's records as "Roda" Howe.
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James moved (probably from Elba, Genesee County, New York), to Burr Oak, St. Joseph County, Michigan, with his sister in 1838, when he was twelve years old [per his obituary]. Most of his siblings also followed them to Burr Oak, St. Joseph County, Michigan.
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James Bagley Upham was married on July 3rd, 1846, to Susannah/Susanna Bishop, in Burr Oak, St. Joseph County Michigan
(per James' obituary).
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Note: James' wife Susannah, is listed
as Susannah "Cowles", on the marriage
record for their son Oscar J. Upham,
and in the Upham genealogy.
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They moved to [what would later become] Richland township [one mile North of Williamstown], in Chickasaw County, Iowa in 1854. His log cabin was the earliest settlement in the township.
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James and Susanna had ten children, including daughter Clarissa, who was born about 1848 in Michigan: four of their children died in infancy: only five of their children survived James. The five surviving children are:
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1, Warren V. Upham.
b. June 5, 1855.
m. Adalaid ("Allie") Caine/Kain,
in Nov. 1877,
and lived in Fredericksburg, Iowa.
d. (between 1895 and 1900?)
Buried: ?
Children:
(1.) Earle/Earl W. Upham.
b. Sept. 15, 1879, in Iowa.
(Earle lived in Gettysburg,
South Dakota in 1941).
m. Pearl unknown.
Child: Viola Upham.
(2.) Clarence Albert Upham.
b. July 3, 1883, in Fredericksburg, Iowa.
m. Izetta/Zetta unknown.
He was the Sheriff in Newhampton, Iowa.
d. June 23, 1941,
in Lebanon, Linn County Oregon.
Buried: New Hampton Cemetery,
New Hampton, Chickasaw Co. Iowa.
Children: Beatrice L. and Dale L. Upham.
(3.) Claude Ray Upham.
b. Dec. 29, 1888, Fredericksburg, Iowa.
m. "about" 1912,
to Lillian ("Lillie") M. Linstrom.
d. Nov. 17, 1968, in Portland,
Multnomah County Oregon.
Lived in S. Dakota in 1915.
Lived in N. Dakota in 1917-1918.
Lived in Portland, Multnomah County
Oregon from 1930 to 1968.
Children: Glenn C., and Florence A.
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2. George Cole Upham.
b. 1857, in Fredericksburg, Iowa.
m. Emma J. Strubel/Struble,
on Jan. 31, 1878, in Chickasaw County
Iowa. Emma was the daughter of John N.
Struble and his wife Mary J. Birdsall.
d. June 23, 1950, in Fredericksburg,
Chickasaw County Iowa.
Buried: Rose Hill Cemetery,
Chickasaw County Iowa.
Children:
Harry Legrand Upham (Dec. 28, 1878-1961).
Lloyd G. Upham (1885-1947).
William Clair Upham (1894-1967).
Vern (Vernon) McKinly Upham (1896-1976).
Isabel Esther Upham, b. 1899.
m. Lyman Ward Lampson, July 2, 1921,
in Fredericksburg, Chickasaw Co. Iowa.
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3. Eva Jane Upham.
b. Sept. 3, 1860, in Iowa.
m. Charles William Putney
(known as "William" and "Willey")
(1857-1933),
on Sept. 21, 1877, in Williamston,
Chickasaw County Iowa.
(His obit in "Waterlou Daily Courier"
on Sun. Dec. 17, 1933).
They had a son Percy Lloyd Upham,
(1879-1917).
They lived in Richland, and then
in New Hampton, Chickasaw Co. Iowa.
d. Oct. 26, 1940.
Buried: New Hampton Cemetery.
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4. William J. Upham.
b. about 1861-1863, in Iowa.
m. Mary/May M. Strubel/Struble, on
Nov. 28, 1883, in Fredericksburg,
Chickasaw County Iowa.
d. ?
Buried: ?
William lived in:
Richland, Chickasaw Co. Iowa in 1885.
Marathon, Buena Vista, Iowa, in 1900.
Moved to South Dakota about 1900-1901.
South Dakota, in 1905 and 1908.
Morton Co. North Dakota, in 1910
(as a widow).
Grant Co. North Dakota, in 1920.
Children:
Arthur "Artie" J. Upham, b. 1886/1887.
Lamont Upham, b. about 1887.
Glenard Harrison Upham, b. about 1894.
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5. Oscar Jefferson ("O.J.") Upham.
b. Aug. 12, 1867, in Iowa.
In 1885, Oscar was living with his
parents in Richland, Chickasaw Co. Iowa.
m. # 1. Ida Ann Ultz, on March 15, 1891,
in Burr Oak, St. Joseph Co. Michigan.
She was the daughter of John A. Ultz,
and his wife Sarah I. Ultz.
They adopted 4-year-old Charles Stearns,
on Aug. 16, 1909. (Charles was born
about 1905 in PA. His father had
died, and his mother was unable
to care for him).
They lived in Burr Oak, Michigan
in the 1900 and 1910 census.
(Ida died on Dec. 2, 1911, of suicide).
m. # 2. Viola Nelthorpe,
on July 15, 1915,
in Coldwater, Branch Co. Michigan
(OR Tekonsha, Calhoun Co. Michigan).
Viola was born about 1870 in MI.
d. Oscar died on July 13, 1947,
in Burr Oak, Michigan.
Buried: Burr Oak Township Cemetery
(with first wife Ida).
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Most of these children died in Frederksburg, Chickasaw County, Iowa, except for Oscar J. Upham, who lived and died in Burr Oak, Michigan.
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Note: James was one of ten children. [He also had one half-sister, and 11 step siblings]. James's eldest brother Anson Upham married his step-sister Caroline Howe, and they settled in Hamlin, Eaton County, Michigan, and are buried there in the Rose Hill Cemetery. His sister Jane, married Gideon Sanborn, and they are buried in the Sanborn Cemetery, in Burr Oak, Michigan. James's brother Albert T. Upham married Elizabeth Wells and they settled in Kalamo, MI and are buried just South of Kalamo, in the Bellevue Cemetery in Bellevue, MI. His brother Freeman Fisher Upham married his step-sister Olive Howe, and they settled and died in Odell, Illinois. His brother Stephen Upham of Burr Oak, MI served in the Civil War.
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The following obituary was published in the "New Hampton Courier" newspaper, in New Hampton, Chickasaw County, Iowa. About two-thirds of this long obituary was published in the "Burr Oak Acorn" newspaper, in Burr Oak, Michigan on Feb. 20, 1908:
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OBITUARY. James Bagley Upham.
Died at his home in Fredericksburg Monday, February 10th, 1908, James B. Upham, one of the oldest residents of this county.---Deceased was born in Tringham [Tyringham], Berkshire county, Massachusetts, March 3rd, 1826; he came with his sister to Michigan in 1838 and resided there for many years and there lost his right leg by being caught in the cylinder of a threshing machine, at which time he was but nineteen years of age. He spent many years in railroad construction work, first on the Michigan Southern and later on the Illinois Central.---He wooed and won Miss Susanna [or Susannah] BISHOP and on July 3rd, 1846, they were married in Burr Oak, Michigan, where he went when a boy of twelve. Ten children were the fruit of this union, five of whom survive the father: Waren; George C.; Eva, now Mrs. Wm. PUTNEY, of this city; William, who resides in South Dakota; Oacar [Oscar J.], who resides in Burr Oak, Michigan.---He came to this county [Chickasaw County] in 1854 and settled in [what would later become] Richland township [one mile North of Williamstown] where he resided until the death of his wife [Susanna], August 5th, 1889; he then sold his farm and retired from business, making his home in Fredericksburg [with his son George Cole Upham] most of the time since.---Having lost a leg he was handicapped for life, but notwithstanding that he was an active farmer for many years and made his way to a compentency, so that in his declining years he has been able to pay his way and live the life of an independent citizen.---He was a man of strong personality, very positive in character, independent in mind, frugal in life, temerate in habits, tenacious in his opinions, forcible in everything he undertook. He loved his family with the love of a strong man, he guided them with his eyes ever upon the right, training them for usefulness and good citizenship.---His was a strenuous life, filled to the very limit with hard work, often with the hardships incident to the pioneer, meeting privations and hardships with courage; he had faith in himself, in the future of this country, and planned accordingly, and found ample reward for his industry and pluck in the growth and development of the country which he had chosen for his home.---A man of sterling integrity, he made many warm friends, a man of ideas and force he made some enemies but in all his work and business he held the respect and esteem of a wide circle. He was a desirable citizen, a kind and loving husband, a good father, oblinging neighbor and living through two generations he kept faith in himself and his friends and goes to his rest respected, loved and esteemed by men and women who have known him half a century.---There are few men in the world, handicapped at the age of nineteen by the loss of a leg, who has made as brave a fight; who has borne as much, who has under such difficulties accomplished as much as J. B. Upham.---He was from splended families on both sides, real old Puritan stock, men and women who left their mark in Massachusetts and their children in the west have followed by the teachings of an ancestry noted for pluck, endurance and thrift, and have contributed their full share to the growth, intelligence and enterprise of this western country.---The last years of the life of this man were made burdensome to him by a stroke of parlysis and finally came another which ended a life that in many ways was a grand one.---The funeral was held Wednesday from the residence of his son, George C., in Fredericksburg, and the body was brought here [to New Hampton] and laid to rest in Graceland cemetery [now called "New Hampton Cemetery"], to await the call of Him who said "I am the resurrection and the Life"
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Note: James Bagley Upham died at the home of his son George Cole Upham and his wife Emma J. (Struble) Upham, one mile West of Fredericksburg, Chickasaw County Iowa.
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Note: James's nephew James H. Upham (the son of his brother Albert T. Upham), also lived in Chickasaw County Iowa, and is also buried in this cemetery.
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A large article on the "life" of James Bagley Upham was published in "The Fredericksburg News" in Fredericksburg, Iowa (about 1903 or 1904), about four years before his death. This article was also re-printed in the "Burr Oak Acorn" newspaper in Burr Oak, Michigan, on Feb. 25, 1904.
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James Bagley Upham is also mentioned in several books on the history of Chickasaw County Iowa, including:
1. "History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties, Iowa, by W. E. Alexander, 1883".
2. "Historical and Reminiscenses of Chickasaw County Iowa, by Julis H. Powers, 1894".
3. "History of Fredericksburg and Vicinity", by W. S. Pitts, pages 156 and 157.
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For more family history, click on
his mother's name below.
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