Percy Harold James (1889 - 1965)

Born 11 Nov 1889 in Opelousas, St. Landry, Louisiana, United States

Husband of Hathyel (Williams) James — married 6 Aug 1913 in Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States

Died 2 Nov 1965 at age 75 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Oklahoma, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: US Black Heritage Project WikiTree [send private message]

Percy James is a part of US Black history. Join: US Black Heritage Project Discuss: black_heritage

Biography

Percy James is Notable.

Percy James and his wife Hattie founded and operated Jay-Kola; one of the few African-American bottling companies in the Southwest. Jay-Kola produced carbonated drinks in cola and a variety of other flavors.^[1]

Percy was born in 1889 in Opelousas, Louisiana. ^[2] He was the son of Isaac James and Alida Mae Hollier.

In 1920 he was living with wife Hattyel, 3 children, and his grandmother Hattie Williams in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where he was working as a porter.^[3] By 1930 Percy had established his soda bottling business which he named Jay-Kola; he and Hattyel still had 3 children at home in Oklahoma City.^[4]

Percy distributed his drinks throughout Oklahoma. He also ventured into other businesses, including opening the Jewel Theater in Oklahoma City and later opened Jewel Theaters in other towns. In the 1940s the company sponsored an Oklahoma City Negro baseball team, the Jay-Kola Giants.^[1]

Percy and Hattyel divorced around 1941.^[5] In 1945 Percy married Avilla Woods in Arkansas.^[6] In 1950 Percy was living with his wife Avillla and their daughter in Oklahoma City.^[7]

He passed away in 1965 in OKlahoma City. ^[8] He was buried in Trice Hill Cemetery in Oklahoma City.^[9]

Research Notes

Have not found source for parents yet; parents named in biography are taken from an unsourced Ancestry tree.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Jay-Kola in The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture]
2. ↑ Military: "U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918"
   Registration State: Oklahoma; Registration County: Oklahoma
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6482 #8753947 (accessed 15 March 2023)
   Name: Pircy H James [Percy H James]; Race: African (Black); Marital Status: Married; Birth Date: 11 Nov 1889; Birth Place: Louisiana, USA; Residence Date: 1917-1918; Street Address: 925 E 9th; Residence Place: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Oklahoma, USA; Draft Board: 2; Physical Build: Medium; Height: Medium; Hair Color: Black; Eye Color: Brown.
3. ↑ 1920 Census: "1920 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1920; Census Place: Oklahoma City Ward 2, Oklahoma, Oklahoma; Roll: T625_1474; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 133
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6061 #61894308 (accessed 15 March 2023)
   O H James (30), married, Porter, head of household in Oklahoma City Ward 2, Oklahoma, Oklahoma. Born in Louisiana.
4. ↑ 1930 Census: "1930 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1930; Census Place: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Oklahoma; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 0067; FHL microfilm: 2341653
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6224 #94603519 (accessed 15 March 2023)
   Percy H James (40), married, Proprietor, head of household at 925 N.E. 9th St., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Oklahoma, USA. Born in Louisiana.
5. ↑ Divorce: "Web: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, U.S., Divorce Index, 1923-1942"
   Divorces from Oklahoma County. Oklahoma Historical Society. http://www.okhistory.org/research/divorce: accessed 27 April 2012; URL: http://www.okhistory.org/research/divorce
   Ancestry Record 9234 #403394 (accessed 15 March 2023)
   P H James divorce from Hathyel L. James on 13 Oct 1941 in Oklahoma, Oklahoma, USA.
6. ↑ Marriage: "Arkansas, U.S., County Marriages Index, 1837-1957"
   FHL Film Number: 1977830
   Ancestry Record 2548 #371722 (accessed 15 March 2023)
   P H James (52) marriage to Avilla Woods (36) on 17 Dec 1945.
7. ↑ 1950 Census: "1950 United States Federal Census"
   United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Oklahoma; Roll: 2210; Sheet Number: 74; Enumeration District: 78-127
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 62308 #56227196 (accessed 15 March 2023)
   Percy H James (59), married, Bottling Sops, head of household in Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Oklahoma, USA. Born in Louisiana.
8. ↑ Death: "U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014"
   Social Security Administration; Washington D.C., USA; Social Security Death Index, Master File
   Ancestry Record 3693 #30379934 (accessed 15 March 2023)
   Percy James death Nov 1965 (born 11 Nov 1889).
9. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
   Find A Grave: Memorial #128219055 (accessed 15 March 2023)
   Memorial page for Percy Harold James Sr. (11 Nov 1889-2 Nov 1965), citing Trice Hill Cemetery, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, USA; Maintained by Janet LaMotte, MHR (contributor 46988542).

See also:

• https://www.vintagesodacollector.com/blog/african-american-soda-moguls