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William Dodge James
William Dodge James, CVO DL (December 7, 1854 – March 22, 1912) was the son of a wealthy American merchant, who was raised and educated in England. He married Evelyn Elizabeth Forbes, daughter of the 4th Baronet of Newe, who became a celebrated society hostess of the period. James was a big game hunter and Edward, Prince of Wales, was one of the frequent visitors to their West Dean country estate in West Sussex.
William's father, Daniel, was the son of a Connecticut farmer who when young had walked barefoot to New York to save wear on his shoes. He married the daughter of merchant Anson Greene Phelps and ran the British end of his organisation, exporting metal to America and importing cotton in return. He remained in Liverpool for the rest of his life, becoming a highly respected merchant in Anglo-American trade. His American partners diversified into lumber, property, and rail roads. When Daniel died in 1876 he was a shareholder in his brother Henry's lumber business in Baltimore, and he held an 18% share of the Phelps, Dodge & Co., business, considered to be the largest mercantile house in the world dealing in metals. His eldest son from his first marriage, Daniel Willis James, also held 18%.
Following the death of his first wife in 1847, Daniel James remarried to American, Sofia Hall Hitchcock. They had 3 children, Frank Linsly, John Arthur, and William, who was the youngest. After Daniel's death, the three sons received the interest from $100,000 invested for each of them by their American Trustees (Daniel Willis James and Henry James) until William reached the age of 25. At this point they became entitled to the principles sums and investments of their father's estate.
William, educated at Harrow, suffered ill-health as a teenager and as a consequence spent several winters in the warm climate of Egypt with his elder brother, Frank, who had graduated from Downing College. The brothers become interested in exploration and in 1877, they undertook a desert crossing from the Nile to the borders of Abyssinia. The following year they travelled to India and accompanied troops through the Khyber Pass. In 1880–81 they explored areas of Sudan in preparation for a more extensive expedition and hunting trip the following year. During 1882–83 season, William accompanied his brother to Mexico, crossing overland to the Pacific side of the country. The brothers became members of the Royal Geographical Society (Frank was elected Fellow in 1881). William learnt map making techniques and during the 1884–85 season, he accompanied his brother on an expedition through Somalia, mapping areas hitherto unknown to Europeans. These were used to illustrate books published by Frank as were glass plate photographs taken by William.
In 1886, William and Frank used the steam yacht RYS Lancashire Witch, to cruise the Mediterranean. Later that year the brothers, with George Rous, 3rd Earl of Stradbroke, and Viscount Dungarvan, sailed to India and the Persian Gulf. In 1888, the brothers took the Lancashire Witch to the West Indies with Aldred Lumley, 10th Earl of Scarbrough and the Hon. W. Ponsonby. Later that same year they were off to Spitsbergen with Arctic explorer Sir Henry Gore-Booth, 5th Baronet.
In January 1890, Frank set sail on board the Lancashire Witch for Africa, this time without William, who had recently married. On 21 April, whilst on a hunting trip, Frank was killed by a wounded elephant. His body was recovered with difficulty and returned to England to be buried at Kensal Green Cemetery, London; later his remains were transferred to the family plot at West Dean, West Sussex.
The death of Frank came as a terrible blow to his brothers, but particularly to William, an experienced big game hunter, who had been his companion on almost all of his previous expeditions. As a memorial, he and Arthur funded the building of a hospital for mariners in the town of East Cowes, Isle of Wight, named the Frank James Hospital.
In 1889, William married the 21-year-old Evelyn Elizabeth Forbes at St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge. She was the eldest daughter of Helen Moncreiffe and Sir Charles Forbes, 4th Baronet of Newe, whose estate, Castle Newe, was in the vicinity of Balmoral, the Scottish residence of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The families were acquainted, and Edward, Prince of Wales, and Princess Alexandra were fond of Evelyn Forbes, presenting her with a diamond and sapphire brooch when she married. The reception after the wedding was hosted by Georgina Ward, Countess of Dudley, who was Evelyn's aunt.
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William Dodge James
William Dodge James, CVO DL (December 7, 1854 – March 22, 1912) was the son of a wealthy American merchant, who was raised and educated in England. He married Evelyn Elizabeth Forbes, daughter of the 4th Baronet of Newe, who became a celebrated society hostess of the period. James was a big game hunter and Edward, Prince of Wales, was one of the frequent visitors to their West Dean country estate in West Sussex.
William's father, Daniel, was the son of a Connecticut farmer who when young had walked barefoot to New York to save wear on his shoes. He married the daughter of merchant Anson Greene Phelps and ran the British end of his organisation, exporting metal to America and importing cotton in return. He remained in Liverpool for the rest of his life, becoming a highly respected merchant in Anglo-American trade. His American partners diversified into lumber, property, and rail roads. When Daniel died in 1876 he was a shareholder in his brother Henry's lumber business in Baltimore, and he held an 18% share of the Phelps, Dodge & Co., business, considered to be the largest mercantile house in the world dealing in metals. His eldest son from his first marriage, Daniel Willis James, also held 18%.
Following the death of his first wife in 1847, Daniel James remarried to American, Sofia Hall Hitchcock. They had 3 children, Frank Linsly, John Arthur, and William, who was the youngest. After Daniel's death, the three sons received the interest from $100,000 invested for each of them by their American Trustees (Daniel Willis James and Henry James) until William reached the age of 25. At this point they became entitled to the principles sums and investments of their father's estate.
William, educated at Harrow, suffered ill-health as a teenager and as a consequence spent several winters in the warm climate of Egypt with his elder brother, Frank, who had graduated from Downing College. The brothers become interested in exploration and in 1877, they undertook a desert crossing from the Nile to the borders of Abyssinia. The following year they travelled to India and accompanied troops through the Khyber Pass. In 1880–81 they explored areas of Sudan in preparation for a more extensive expedition and hunting trip the following year. During 1882–83 season, William accompanied his brother to Mexico, crossing overland to the Pacific side of the country. The brothers became members of the Royal Geographical Society (Frank was elected Fellow in 1881). William learnt map making techniques and during the 1884–85 season, he accompanied his brother on an expedition through Somalia, mapping areas hitherto unknown to Europeans. These were used to illustrate books published by Frank as were glass plate photographs taken by William.
In 1886, William and Frank used the steam yacht RYS Lancashire Witch, to cruise the Mediterranean. Later that year the brothers, with George Rous, 3rd Earl of Stradbroke, and Viscount Dungarvan, sailed to India and the Persian Gulf. In 1888, the brothers took the Lancashire Witch to the West Indies with Aldred Lumley, 10th Earl of Scarbrough and the Hon. W. Ponsonby. Later that same year they were off to Spitsbergen with Arctic explorer Sir Henry Gore-Booth, 5th Baronet.
In January 1890, Frank set sail on board the Lancashire Witch for Africa, this time without William, who had recently married. On 21 April, whilst on a hunting trip, Frank was killed by a wounded elephant. His body was recovered with difficulty and returned to England to be buried at Kensal Green Cemetery, London; later his remains were transferred to the family plot at West Dean, West Sussex.
The death of Frank came as a terrible blow to his brothers, but particularly to William, an experienced big game hunter, who had been his companion on almost all of his previous expeditions. As a memorial, he and Arthur funded the building of a hospital for mariners in the town of East Cowes, Isle of Wight, named the Frank James Hospital.
In 1889, William married the 21-year-old Evelyn Elizabeth Forbes at St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge. She was the eldest daughter of Helen Moncreiffe and Sir Charles Forbes, 4th Baronet of Newe, whose estate, Castle Newe, was in the vicinity of Balmoral, the Scottish residence of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The families were acquainted, and Edward, Prince of Wales, and Princess Alexandra were fond of Evelyn Forbes, presenting her with a diamond and sapphire brooch when she married. The reception after the wedding was hosted by Georgina Ward, Countess of Dudley, who was Evelyn's aunt.