May 1925 - June 1928 Week-end Clerk in Mr. TL Dowdle's Grocery Store
2631 N 20 Avenue, Birmingham, AL
July 1928 - Dec 1929 Ordinary Seaman, Waterman Steamship Co, Mobile, AL
Jan 1932 - June 1933 Seaman (Ordinary and Able), Waterman Steamship Co.
July 1932 Awarded Southern Shore Swastika, Award No. 1
"By unanimous vote of the officers present at the last meeting in July, Jas. McCain, 1st Mate, was awarded the Southern Shore Swastika. The first one ever given. It is awarded for outstanding leadership ability, advancement and all-round Scout conduct.
From the very beginning Mr. McCain has shown leadership ability. It was through his efforts that troop 69 and the Southern Shore were organized. He was a charter member of both. He entered scouting as patrol leader of the Flying Eagle patrol in 1927, and was active in troop affairs.
In 1929 he entered the merchant marine at Mobile and made five trips to Europe. He was present at the International Jamboree in England that year, bringing back many clipping and pictures of this event. He learned much on these trips and has been an able instructor for the ship.
Upon registration of the Southern Shore he became 2nd Mate and later was promoted to 1st Mate.
He has been active in the Sea Scout activities of the Council, having held the office of yeoman and Skipper of the Sea Scout Leaders Training Ship. He is a good swimmer, having placed in the Southern Shore swimming meet the last three years."
July 1934 - Sept 1934 Cook Boy Scout Camp, Boy Scout Council,
Birmingham, Al
Jan 1935 - Jan 1936 First Aid Attendant, US CCC Camp
Jan 1936 - July 1936 Clerk, Thomason Drug Store, Guntersville, Alabama
July 1936 - June 1937 Fireman & Oiler Merchant Marine, Waterman Steamship
From 1928 - 1937 her made 56 trips to Europe
Nov 1937 - Nov 1940 Jr. Clerk, US Dept of Agriculture, Guntersville, Alabama
Dec 1940 - Aug 1943 Sr. Clerk, Farm Security Adm
Owned a clothing store called Town and Country, they sent a picture of one of their window displays to "Display World", the magazine of the display industry and it was published. The window featured swimsuits from California, a large wallboard anchor, two imitation palm trees, Shells, seaweed and coral from their trip to Myrtle Beach, SC and sand from Ross-Graden Lumber Co. The window (which showed less than $25 worth of merchandise) had in it about $300 worth of display properties.
Aug 1943 - Dec 1946 Supervisor, Office of Price Administration, B'ham District,
State Brd Sup of 18 N AL Counties
May 30, 1946 Opening Night for "Old Doc" James and Opal and James' niece Jeannene
Drake were in this comedy.
Aug 1947 - Nov 1955 County Adm. Officer Ag Dept last 2 years in Greene Co
April 1949 Fire caused the lost of their garage and heavy damage to their home.
Nov 1955 - 1975 Manager Sherwin-Williams Paint Store, Guntersville, AL
1927 - 1993 Active in Boy Scouting as a member, Scoutmaster of old troop 78,
Committees, 1935 Eagle Scout, attended International Scout Jamboree in
London in 1929, National Council meeting Memphis, 1931.
1942 - 1993 Member of Guntersville Civitan Club
1953, 1971, 1974 Sec Al Dist. North Civitans
1967 - Club President
1972 received Honor Key from the North Alabama Civitan District
1947 - 1993 Guntersville Public Library
1947 organized the library in June 1947, Chairman 1947-1967,
Treasurer 1967-1993
1957-1964 Guntersville Sqd. Civil Air Patrol, charter member,
Squadron Commander 1958/64
1960 Nominated Guntersville Man of the Year
1967 President Marshall County Rural Community Development Council, treasurer for
next 7 years
July 1968 Honored at dedication of new library for his 19 years service as Chairman
1970 Was President of United Givers Fund, Campaign Chr in 1969, 1972, 1977
Char of the board of trustees of the new North Alabama Cooperative Library system
1978 Distinguished Service Award from the Alabama Library Association
"Initiated in 1947 citizen support for rural libraries (school and public). He has been,
a trustee since 1938 and has worked for library development at the state, local and
national level; has been an active member of the Alabama Library Association
holding various offices and served on committees in various capacities. He
represented Alabama in the American Library Trustees Association in 1959."
1979 Virginia Hooper Barton published a book "Scripsit" in which she listed published authors
of Marshall County. James was listed for his "Handbook for LIbrary Trustees", Bowken Co,
New York, 1955 and "A Trustees Manual For Ala. Libraries", Lib. Assn. of Ala., 1970 with H. Katz
1991 Inducted into the Alabama Library Hall of Fame for unpaid library supporters and
workers
Funeral at Guntersville First Methodist, he requested that the congregation sing "Victory in Jesus".
