James A. Felts was born March 18, 1862, in Lake Creek Township, about four miles north of Marion to David Jocham Felts and Jane Binkley, both of Tennessee.
James grew up on his father’s farm near Johnston City. In the 1880 census, James was 18 and listed as a farmer. His mother had died and his father remarried to Susan D. Herrington. In this census, she had one son from a previous marriage by the name of James H. Herrington living with Albert and his sister Susan Felts and two brothers John H. Felts and Joseph W. Felts. Also living with them, was Sarah Felts, his father’s sister-in-law who worked as a domestic servant.
His school days closed with two terms of college at Valparaiso, Indiana. He then entered upon the profession of teaching, which he followed in the common schools of the county for ten years, from 1884 to 1894. In the fall of that year, 1894, he was elected County Clerk on the Republican ticket and re-elected in 1898.
He was married November 6, 1895, to Miss Stella Jane Sanders.
In September 1903, he entered into partnership with Rev. B. F. Baker of the First Baptist Church in a book and stationery business called Felts and Baker, Stationers and Booksellers. They erected a fine brick building on a part of block 14, in the northwest corner of the public square September 1, 1903. The address of the building was 403 Public Square.
Even though the business was listed in 1906 and 1907 city directories, apparently, things did not go well with the book business venture. By the 1910 census, the couple was found living back in Lake County Township north of Marion on a farm.
At this time, James was 48 years old and Stella was 32. She notes that she has birthed 3 children and all three are alive. They were present in the home as David Virgil Felts 10, James Kenneth Felts 8 and Clifton Felts aged 5. Living with them were James’s sister Susan, aged 42 and single. James owned the farm they were living on free of mortgage but is employed at farming by someone else.
Between the 1910 census and 1918, the Felts family returned to Marion and bought a family home located at 306 N. Van Buren Street. James had become employed as a secretary for the Illinois Mutual Union insurance company. No listing was found for this company’s office.
In the 1920 census, the family is living at 306 N. Van Buren. James is 57 and Stella is 42. Their three boys, Virgil, Kenneth and Clifton are all teenagers and living at home along with James’s sister Susan who is now 53.
By the 1930 census at the start of the depression, James had reached 68. The couple now only have two sons left at home. James Kenneth Felts is 25 and is a public school teacher while Clifton is 23 and works as a laborer at odd jobs. They are still in their Van Buren street home which they own free and value at $2,500.
When the 1940 census was taken, the couple was still in their family home which they then valued at $3,500. James is now retired from the insurance business, although he noted making $2,400 in the previous year of 1939. He is now aged 78.
James A. Felts passed away on January 10, 1947 at age 84 and was interred in New Rose Hill Cemetery.
He belonged to Modern Woodman Camp 5337.
James’s wife Stella J. died in 1954 in Marion.
Sam’s Notes:
David Virgil Felts, born January 31, 1900. Graduated from University of Illinois, Champagne-Urbana around 1923. Died in Fort Pierce, Florida in March 1985.
James Kenneth Felts, born May 11, 1904. Graduated from University of Illinois in the class of 1929. By 1940 census was living in Monticello, Illinois and working as a school teacher. Married to a female named Mary Louisa and had two sons, James Kenneth Felts, Jr. and John F. Felts. He died in Monticello, Illinois February 24, 1986.
Clifton Felts, born June 18, 1906. He became a medical doctor, married to female named Joanne and had a son named Patrick Felts. In 1940, they were living in Seminole, Oklahoma and in 1960 were living in Grand Junction, Colorado. Clifton died in November of 1967 presumably still in Colorado.
(Data extracted from the 1905 Souvenir History; Federal Census Records; Illinois Death Records; Marion City Cemetery Records; Marion City directories; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 08/25/2013)