He married Mary Ellen "Mollie" Simpson on 10 Dec 1876.

He was a Mason and served as a Private in Company G, 4th Alabama Cavalry of the Confederate States of America. He was captured at Selma, Alabama and paroled 15 April 1865 at Montgomery, Alabama.

He served as pastor in many of the early Baptist churches in Lawrence and Morgan Counties including Athens, Bethel, Falkville, Harmony, Liberty, Madison, Mission Grove, Pleasant Hill, Salem, Shoal Creek, Somerville and others across the river. He served as Delegate #83 from Hartselle to the Southern Baptist Convention at Birmingham in July 1886.

In addition to being one of the most active Baptist preachers in the area, he was an inventor. James Irton Stockton enjoyed leaning back in his chair and invented a device that, when attached to a standard chair, would allow its occupant to tilt the chair back at any desired angle with perfect safety. He applied for a patent on Aug 2, 1887 and his idea was awared patent number 375,840 on Jan 3, 1888.

Father of:
May Kate Stockton
John Gunn Stockton
Carrie Sue Stockton
Celesta "Lessie" Lou Stockton Bryant
Lavenia Ellen Stockton Woodruff
Jimmie Isabell Stockton Simpson
Judson M Stockton
Bonnie Ophelia Stockton Ryan
Roberta Alice Stockton
Frank Renfro Stockton
Alice Stockton Lawton


Obituary from:
The Decatur Daily, October 14, 1929

REV. STOCKTON TO BE BURIED TODAY - Beloved Minister Is Called To Reward; Aged 82 Years

Funeral services will be conducted by Rev. James Allen Smith, pastor of the Central Baptist Church, at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon at the Moulton Heights Baptist Church for Rev. J. I. Stockton, widely beloved Baptist minister, who died Sunday morning at five o'clock at the residence of his son, J. M. Stockton, on Thirteenth Avenue and Second Street West.

The funeral cortege will leave the residence at two o'clock and interment will follow in the family burial grounds at Curtis Wells on the Moulton pike, Brown directing.

Rev. Stockton, who would have celebrated his 82nd birthday anniversary Saturday, is survived by one son, J. M. Stockton; five daughters, Mrs. Lassie Bryant, of Decatur; Mrs. Thomas Woodruff, of Decatur; Mrs. E. C. Simpson, of Barksdale, N. C.; Mrs. B. L. Ryan, of Somerville; Mrs. Sam Lawton, of Greenville, S. C.

Rev. Stockton lived practically all of his life in Morgan County, being engaged in the ministry for many years, during which time he preached to thousands of North Alabama citizens to whom news of his death will come as a profound shock.