James was a member of the 21st Regiment of Royal Scots Fusiliers arriving in the Colony in 1833 from Van Diemens Land. He was stationed at Mandurah and he is said to have been present at the 'Battle of Pinjarra'. He is also believed to have travelled with surveyor H Ommaney. On his discharge on 31 July 1840 he took up land at Australind. He married Comfort Stanton (born 1824) on 19 March 1843. Comfort arrived on the ship 'Diadem' 1842. They had eight children. It is unclear when he died but possibly 1857 at Guildford.