This was my grandmother's long lost grandfather. She hated the man. My grandmother was a small child when James "ran off", leaving behind his wife and 2 daughters still at home, and a 3rd daughter, married with 2 children. He was quoted in the 28 July 1912 Denver Post as having left his family behind over an argument with his older brother regarding his share of his father's inheritance, but even that was untrue. He left years before the death of his father. He claimed to have allowed his family to believe he was killed in the destruction of the Winchester Hotel during the 18 April 1906 San Francisco earthquake. He claimed he was in Vallejo that day, and signed on as engineer for a steam ship under the assumed alias of James M. Wilson. He reportedly sailed around the world for 2 years, landing back in New York, then crossing the country back to San Francisco. He reportedly moved from San Francisco to Denver about 1907, but the math simply doesn't hold up. He bragged in the newspaper interview that he inherited $40,000 as his equal share of his father's estate, along with 3 brothers and 3 sisters, several of whom were named in the story. He never mentioned his former wife and children.
James married Alice Storks on 27 April 1876 in Louisa county, Iowa. They were still together in the 1900 census, but he was living in California as of the death of his mother in 1905. He married Margaret Mouat on 23 May 1906 in Denver (conflicting with the date of the earthquake, then sailing around the world for 2 years). She survived him. Even in census records, he gave false information regarding his place of birth, claiming Vermont in the 1910, 1920, and 1930 census.
James married Alice Storks on 27 April 1876 in Louisa county, Iowa. They were still together in the 1900 census, but he was living in California as of the death of his mother in 1905. He married Margaret Mouat on 23 May 1906 in Denver (conflicting with the date of the earthquake, then sailing around the world for 2 years). She survived him. Even in census records, he gave false information regarding his place of birth, claiming Vermont in the 1910, 1920, and 1930 census.
This was my grandmother's long lost grandfather. She hated the man. My grandmother was a small child when James "ran off", leaving behind his wife and 2 daughters still at home, and a 3rd daughter, married with 2 children. He was quoted in the 28 July 1912 Denver Post as having left his family behind over an argument with his older brother regarding his share of his father's inheritance, but even that was untrue. He left years before the death of his father. He claimed to have allowed his family to believe he was killed in the destruction of the Winchester Hotel during the 18 April 1906 San Francisco earthquake. He claimed he was in Vallejo that day, and signed on as engineer for a steam ship under the assumed alias of James M. Wilson. He reportedly sailed around the world for 2 years, landing back in New York, then crossing the country back to San Francisco. He reportedly moved from San Francisco to Denver about 1907, but the math simply doesn't hold up. He bragged in the newspaper interview that he inherited $40,000 as his equal share of his father's estate, along with 3 brothers and 3 sisters, several of whom were named in the story. He never mentioned his former wife and children.
James married Alice Storks on 27 April 1876 in Louisa county, Iowa. They were still together in the 1900 census, but he was living in California as of the death of his mother in 1905. He married Margaret Mouat on 23 May 1906 in Denver (conflicting with the date of the earthquake, then sailing around the world for 2 years). She survived him. Even in census records, he gave false information regarding his place of birth, claiming Vermont in the 1910, 1920, and 1930 census.
James married Alice Storks on 27 April 1876 in Louisa county, Iowa. They were still together in the 1900 census, but he was living in California as of the death of his mother in 1905. He married Margaret Mouat on 23 May 1906 in Denver (conflicting with the date of the earthquake, then sailing around the world for 2 years). She survived him. Even in census records, he gave false information regarding his place of birth, claiming Vermont in the 1910, 1920, and 1930 census.
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James M. Bailey 1854-1930
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