James Township is bounded on the north by Pleasant, east by Valley, south by Belknap and west by York townships. The west half is drained by Big Silver and its tributaries, and the east half by the West Botna and its tributaries. The soil is of the best and a crop has never failed since the settlement. It is named in honor of Stephen JAMES, a brother of Judge W. C. JAMES, both of whom are now deceased. It is destitute of natural groves of timber, but the early settlers went to work to remedy this defect by planting artificial groves, which have made such growth that the whole face of the country has been changed.

The first road in the township was the old BALLARD road, which ran northeasterly from Council Bluffs, past the eight mile grove and through Newton and to the southern part of Audubon County, where Dr. BALLARD had large tracts of land. Although it has no town of its own, it is in close touch with Hancock, Oakland, Minden or Avoca. There has been, since its early settlement, a large German element in its population, and the first church was that of the German Methodist, who as early as 1873 had a flourishing organization, including a large Sunday school, and at that day had erected a parsonage at a cost of $3,500. Since then another church has been established.

The nearest railroad is the Carson branch of the Rock Island at either Hancock or Oakland, while it is not a long haul to Avoca, Minden or Neola. The following is a list of the present township officers: Trustees, H. O. BAIN, Henry NICOLAI, and G. S. CUTCHALL; Clerk, C. C. SMITH; justices of the peace, S. W. ROUNDS and Otto ZOELLER; constable Charles BUTTERBAUGH; assessor, Titus FEHR.

The school board is composed of the following named citizens: President, S. D. BLAKELY; secretary, M. F. BROWN; treasurer A. G. SIMON. According to the state census of 1905, there were two hundred sixty persons of school age, of which one hundred thirty four were males and one hundred and twenty five females. The salaries of teachers: $40 for first and $35 for second grade.

Another prominent citizen is Henry BRANDES, for years President of the Board of Supervisors.