James S. Tyler is one of the careful and enterprising merchants of Nez Perces County, having his store at this time at Dublin, where he is the recipient a very gratifying patronage. He is postmaster at that place also and is a man of good standing, capable and genial, and has won the esteem and confidence of the people.
James S. Tyler was born in Johnson County, Missouri, on June 8, 1868, being the son of James K. and Jane (Hocker) Tyler. The family is one of the old and established ones of Kentucky and they have always been prominent and influential people. Edward Tyler, the great grandfather of our subject, kept a tavern on the site of Louisville before a town was thought of and he laid out the first plat there. The grandson of that gentleman is at the present time mayor of that thriving city. Henry S. Tyler, another one of the family, was one of the wealthiest and most popular men in Louisville. The father of our subject was born in 1831 in Jefferson County, Kentucky, his father being born in the same County. His grandfather was the man who came to Kentucky with General Roger Clark and thirteen other families from Virginia and settled, and later he laid out the town of Louisville. The mother of our subject was a native of Missouri, being now deceased, and her ancestors were natives of Kentucky and Virginia for generations back, but pioneers to Missouri in the time of the early settlement of that state. The Tyler genealogy and history have been compiled and the work is in press to be issued in two volumes. This gives the lineage back to 1604. Mr. Tyler spent most of six years aiding in this work. The father of James took up land in Johnson County, Missouri, when a young man and there his son was reared and received his education, the rudiments from the district school; but later being elected County treasurer, the father moved to the County seat. Warrensburg, and then James graduated from the State Normal situated there.
Immediately following his graduation James gave himself to the stud of telegraph and for fifteen years he was station agent on the Northern Pacific, mostly in Montana. Soon after the opening of the reservation he came to Fletcher and opened a general store. In August 1901, he came to his present place and here he has done a fine business since.
On December 22, 1891, Mr. Tyler married Miss Olive, daughter of Philetus and Esteline (Mattoon) Campbell, natives of Missouri. She was born near St. Louis and when fourteen entered the normal at Warrensburg, from which institution she graduated. She was married at St. Louis. Mr. Tyler has three brothers and one sister: Sterling P., in Warrensburg: Larkin, M., in Kansas City: Elmer H., in Oklahoma: Mallie, wife of W. H. Hickman, a prominent merchant in Warrensburg. Mrs. Tyler has the following brothers and sisters: Clarence, in St. Louis: Lucien and Joseph, in Missouri; William, in Idaho; Mattie, wife of Edward Webber, in Missouri; Lima, wife of John H. Wilson, a merchant in Warrensburg; and Kate, wife of Perry Hanna, a merchant in Brookfield, Missouri.
Mr. Tyler is a member of the W. W., Finney Camp No. 492, having filled the chairs. He is a Democrat in political matters but is not so active here, although in Montana he was a regular attendant upon the conventions. To Mr. and Mrs. Tyler there have been born four children, Arlee, Moses, Robert and James.
Back to: Nez Perce Biographies
Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903