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James Oxtoby was born in Yorkshire, England in 1865, the youngest son of 12 children of John and Emily Oxtoby. His parents and siblings lived and died in England, but in 1884, when he was 19, James came to America and the home of his Uncle Richard Oxtoby and four cousins, who had a farm on English Prairie.
James worked as a farmhand on neighboring farms but at the age of 21, after saving every penny possible, he started breeding horses to sell to farmers. He was one of the first to introduce draft horses into this area and he continued in this business until 1894, when he married Ruth Overton Harness. Ruth was born in England in 1875 and immigrated here, also.
After their marriage, James and Ruth lived for four years on a farm in Stacyville, Iowa. This was where their only child, Arthur John, was born in 1896. When they returned, they rented a farm, and then moved to Sec. 19 of Burton Township on what they called "Sunshine Farm", according to the 1917 Prairie Farmer's Reliable Directory. Remnants of the farm can still be seen today, but the farmhouse is gone.
As James got older he was affectionately known as "Uncle Jim". He had always been a lover of fine stock horses, cattle and hogs and his judgement was respected by all. In 1922 he and Arthur showed only eight hogs at the McHenry County Fair but won six first place and four second place prizes and $72.50. In 1932, he retired from active farming and was hired to carry the mail from the train depot on Hatchery Road to the Spring Grove post office at Bertha Esh's house every day.
James died on June 1, 1938 when he was 72 at his farmhouse. After his death, Ruth worked as a live-in housekeeper for William Overton in Solon Mills, who was probably an uncle. She moved to Hartland Township (probably to the old folks home) and died there in 1953 at the age of 77. She and James are buried in Richmond Cemetery.
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