James Lovell Ethredge was born in Missouri, probably Schell City, in September 1885. He would only have been a toddler when his parents, along with other Ethredge extended family members made the move to Oregon in 1887. By June 1897, however, his family was back in Missouri. Just prior to 1900, his father moved the family west again, this time to the state of Washington.

1900 census, Mountain Precinct, Columbia, WA: Ethredge, Rance, head, born Sept. 1858, age 41, married for 21 years, rents, Occupation- farmer/Looking for new location, born in MO, f-NC, m-NC; wife- Rosetta, born Aug. 1858, age 41, married 21 years, 5 children born, 5 children living, born in IL, f-TN, m-IL; dau- Ettie M., born Apr. 1881, age 19, single, born in MO, f-MO, m-IL; son- John H., born May 1883, age 17, at school, born in MO, f-MO, m-IL; son- James L., born Sept. 1885, age 14, at school, born in MO, f-MO, m-IL; dau- Myrtle N., born Mar. 1889, age 11, at school, born in OR, f-MO, m-IL; son- Harley E., born June 1897, age 3, born in MO, f-MO, m-IL

1910 census, Newland Precinct, Adams, WA: Ethredge, Ransom, head, age 51, married 1x for 30 years, farmer/general farm, born in MO, f-IN, m-SC; wife- Rosetta, age 51, married 1x for 30 years, 5 children born, 5 children living, born in IL, f-TN, m-TN; son- James, age 24, single, farm laborer/ home farm, born in MO, f-MO, m-IL; son- Harley, age 12, born in MO, f-MO, m-IL; Hired man- Jungblom, Arthur, age 21, farm laborer/farm, born in MN, f-Sweden, m-Sweden; Hired man- Wilson, William, age 22, farm laborer/farm, born in TN, f-TN, m-TN; Hired man- Keeling, William, age 36, farm laborer/general farm, born in MO, f-unknown, m-TN

In December 1913, James married Kate Bussey. Kate was from Taberville, MO, the same area where James' family resided prior to their move to Washington. Kate's mother had died a few weeks after she was born and she resided with her father until his death when she was only six years old. Her paternal grandparents then raised her the next years, but her grandfather died in 1908, and her grandmother in 1911, while she was stilll a young teen. It would appear that she then left Missouri and went to Washingotn to live with her mother's sister, Sarah Jane Ethredge, wife of Green Berry Ethredge, who was James' uncle. That is how James and Kate met.

In September 1918, James was living in Moscow, Latah Co., ID when he was registered for the WWI Draft.

1920 census, Palouse Precinct, Whitman, WA: Ethridge, James, head, age 33, owns home w/mortgage, farmer/farming, born in MO, f-MO, m-MO; wife- Katie, age 25, born in MO, f-PA, m-MO/ son- Loyd, age 4 4/12, born in WA, f-MO, m-MO; dau- Helen, age 2 4/12, born in WA, f-MO, m-MO; dau- Hallie, age 1 2/12, born in WA, f-MO, m-MO

1930 census, Espanola Twp., Spokane, WA: Ethredge, James L., age 44, rents home, married at age 28, laborer/odd jobs, born in MO, f-MO, m-MO; wife- Kate, age 35, married at age 19, born in MO, f-PA, m-MO; son- Lloyd R., age 14, born in WA, f-MO, m-MO; dau- Helen E., age 12, born in WA, f-MO, m-MO; dau- Hallie M., age 11, born in WA, f-MO, m-MO

James died tragically in October 1936. The story is as follows...

Article from the Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA, Friday morning, Oct. 9, 1936, page 7:

BOAT BUILDER'S INJURIES GRAVE
James L. Ethredge, 51, gardener was hit Wednesday night by the whirling blades of an airplane propeller, attached to a hydroplane under construction in a barn at his home, N5821 Regal. At the Sacred Heart hospital Thursday, his condition was reported "very serious".
Mr. Ethredge suffered a fractured skull and multiple cuts when he walked into the path of the propeller, his son, Lloyd, and another young man told police. The boys were tuning the motor of the pontoon craft, preparatory to a trial run on a lake, when Mr. Ethredge returned from work, apparently looked in to see how the boat, which he helped build, was progressing. The hardwood propeller blade was broken.
Detectives who investigated said there was no question the "occurrence was an accident."


Followup article, also from the Spokesman-Review, Saturday morning, Oct. 10, 1936, page 6:

INJURIES FROM BOAT PROPELLER ARE FATAL
Injuries suffered by James Ethridge, 51, when he walked into an airplane propeller whirling at the end of a motor being "tuned" up by his son in the barn of their home, N4821 Regal, resulted in his death yesterday at Sacred Heart hospital.
The son and a companion had built the motor and were testing it when the father entered their shop. He received head injuries when he walked into the whirling blade.
He is survived by his widow, Katie, and one son at the home. The body is at Hazen-Jaeger's.


Funeral notice from the Spokesman-Review, Sunday, Oct. 11, 1936, page 6:

ETHRIDGE, James---His home was at N4821 Regal. Husband of Katie at the home. Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral Mon., Oct. 12th at 2:30 p.m. from the ALWIN CHAPEL at the HAZEN & JAEGER FUNERAL HOME. N1306 Monroe St.


Second funeral announcement in the Spokesman-Review, Monday, Oct. 12, 1936, page 9:

ETHERIDGE, James---His home was at N4821 Regal. Husband of Katie, father of Lloyd, Hallie and Helen, all of Spokane; son of Mr. and Mrs. Ransum Ethridge of Palouse, Wash.; brother of Mrs. J. H. Dorgan and Mrs. C. E. Davis, both of Potlatch, Idaho; John H. of Calgary, Alberta; Harley E. of Moscow, Idaho. Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral Mon., Oct. 12th, at 2:30 p.m. from the ALWIN CHAPEL, at the HAZEN & JAEGER FUNERAL HOME, N1306 Monroe st., Rev. Kutz officiating. Interment Riverside park.