Sixth Generation

17. James Alpha "Big Jim" WORDEN was born on 29 May 1871 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.^3,12 He appeared in the census in 1900 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.¹² He died on 16 November 1937 at the age of 66 in Regan, Burleigh County, ND.^3,32

Soon after the death of Fred Eckelberg (who James accidently killed when Fred was assaulting his wife, Sophia), James moved to Bismark, North Dakota. He had moved to N.D. after the incident, mostly out of remorse--he had been a good friend and neighbor of Fred and Sophia--and partly because of local sentiment towards him.

He had been a minor prize fighter and folks were kinda afraid of him. In July 1901 there was a Tomah newspaper article about an incident between him and an itinerant that thought he was going to rob James; James apparently beat him significantly. Also, later in life (1930's) there had to have been another situation that we haven't caught up with yet that happened in North Dakota.

James is buried in North Dakota by himself. Not sure yet what happened to his wife or children. But am sure, after visiting with people at the records center in Bismark that there is another major story here to find. Just didn't have time that trip to uncover it or get someone to talk to me.

James Alpha "Big Jim" WORDEN and Marie "Bertha" LIEFKE were married on 31 May 1897 in Monroe County, WI.^3,17 Marie "Bertha" LIEFKE, daughter of Christoph LIEFKE and Henriette Louisa SITZ, was born on 10 April 1874 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^3,12,33,34 She was baptized on 14 May 1874 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.³³ at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. She was confirmed on 25 March 1888 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.³³ at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Bertha appeared in the census in 1900 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.¹² She was Lutheran in 1900 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.³⁵ and was listed on the Memberbership Roster of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church.

James Alpha "Big Jim" WORDEN and Marie "Bertha" LIEFKE had the following children:

39	i.	Ethel Louise WORDEN was born on 31 August 1898 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.^3,12,36 She was baptized on 9 October 1898 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.³⁶ at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. She appeared in the census in 1900 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.¹² Ethel died on 1 January 1902 at the age of 3 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.^3,37 She died of tonsillitis at 3 years and 4 months of age.) She was buried on 4 January 1902 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^3,37 in the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery.
+40	ii.	Harry Robert WORDEN.

James Alpha "Big Jim" WORDEN and Lucy HART were married.³² Lucy HART was born (date unknown).