His mother said she was married to E. Laval Arwood in Cobb Co., GA, had James and his brother Theodore. E.Laval was in the CSA and killed at Stone Mountain, GA. There is no reason to doubt her story but there are no marriage records nor CSA records.

She later married Luke R. Medford in 1868 and they came to Texas with family and friends, arriving in Red River Co., TX in 1870.

James may have begun his career in medicine helping his half brother,
William Monroe "Monk" Medford. Monk had graduated from a college in Louisville, Kentucky. James did not attend college but was registered in
the District Clerk's Office in Red River County, Texas, District 6 in 1894.

Many Doctors at this time were not college graduates but self educated men. James was also a Dentist. In 1900 he was living in Detroit, Red River County, Texas with his sister in law Knorah Arwood and her children.

I tried to check Lamar County District Clerk Records but they had burned.
There was a large fire in downtown Paris in 1916, I know.

He was registered in Young County about 1904 and he was transferred soon
after that to the State Medical Board. His date of verification was 7 April, 1908 and his number was 5850. It shows him to be a non graduate, he was registered through 1944, when the record shows him to be deceased.

The informant on his death certificate, one of his nieces, says his fathers initials are N.J., but his mother has told people his name is E. Laval much earlier than 1944. The earlier record from a more direct source is the much preferred.

His and Knorah's marriage license was recorded in Taylor County, Abilene,
Texas 17 November 1906 and wedding performed by D.A. Shaw, minister of
the Methodist Church South of Truby, Texas.

They actually bought property there before they were married, issued in both their names ( and being the same, nothing was thought about them not being already married) on 3 November 1906 recorded in Volume 32 page 587.
The land being 165 acres (less 4 1/2) off the north end of the E. 1/2 of the M.R. Longoria Survey #258 in Section 16 on the south bank of the Clear Fork of the Brazos River about 13 1/2 miles above Ft. Phantom Hill,giving $4,300. for this land.

He was also listed as a Mason in the Bennett Lodge #531 in Detroit, Texas
initiated in 1901. It shows him to have been dismissed for non payment of dues but reinstated. He is then affiliated with Anson Lodge #575 in 1906 and shows him suspended a couple of times there for non payment. Guess he was busy and forgetful.

In his home in Truby, he had an office with outside staircase, and a drug room where he made up his own prescriptions. He was a much respected Doctor and considered an outstanding diagnostician.

A descendant and the clerk of court in Jones County told me the above.

He was a slim, tall, straight man up until his death in 1944.