Our Family

The James Mills and Julia E. Roberts Borders Family

 

James Mills Borders was one of several children born to Albert and Ellen Dixon Borders in rural Cleveland County, North Carolina, December 28, 1884. Julia E. Roberts, daughter of Rev. Andrew and Fannie Roberts of Cleveland County, was born June 14, 1891. She and James Mills Borders were married at an early age and to this union were born six sons (Napoleon, Laycolion, Andrew, Odus James, Mills Alvin and Maurice) and seven daughters (Mary Lee, Geneva, Willette, Corene, Oreatha, Shirley and Gwendolyn). All were born and reared in the Washington Community of Cleveland County on a 48-acre farm owned by their parents.

 

The Borders family worked long and hard on their farm planting and harvesting cotton, wheat, oats, barley, rye, potatoes, sugar cane, peanuts and a variety of garden vegetables. Pear, apple, cherry, peach, plum, fig and walnut trees grew in abundance on the farm, as well as scuppernongs, grapes, damsons, muscadines, blackberries and strawberries.

 

Mules were the chief work animals, but several milk cows, calves, bulls, goats, horses, hogs, pigs, guineas, ducks, turkeys, chickens, cats and dogs could be found on the farm. Rabbits, squirrels, opossums and friends visited often.

 

James Mills Borders received only a few years of formal education, but he grew into a self-taught master of numerous skills – a “Jack-of-all-Trades.” In addition to being a prosperous farmer, he was one of the best rock masons in and around Cleveland County, a talent possessed by only a few. His carpentry work could be seen throughout the area. For a short period of time, he worked on construction sites in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He, along with relatives and a couple of friends, built his family home – a nine-room, two-story rock house with a basement. All the rocks used in the building were found on the family farm. He and his brother, Philetus, helped construct the first four-room school built in the community. They also helped in the construction of the church.

 

During the cold winter months when snow, sleet and rain prevented outside work, James Milles Borders spent hours and hours indoors making beautiful axe handles which he sold. He used cane strips to repair chair bottoms (seats) for neighbors. Cabinets, tables and chairs were made with little effort and time. They always included fancy designs which he made up as he worked. He enjoyed repairing and making new soles for shoes – even made steel ones for the mules.

 

Julia Borders was also multi-talented though she, too, received little formal education. She canned or dried mostly everything that grew in the family garden. In addition to farming and running the household, she sewed, quilted, embroidered, crocheted and made her own soap, candles and straw brooms. Sometimes she found time to do washing and ironing for the “white folks” who lived several miles away. She would walk to their homes to get their clothes, carry the heavy loads to her house to launder, then walk back to deliver them. She dearly loved flowers and some of every kind you could name were found in her yard. Her sister, Lallage, who lived in Texas, often sent her seeds and bulbs of plants that grew in the Texas area. She was always happy to receive them.

 

James Mills and Julia Borders never owned a car. Their means of transportation was the mule and wagon or walking. Even the children walked a mile and a half to and from school every day for their entire school life because the bus did not run near their house.

Saturday was the one day of the week when the family would “go to town,” usually Cherryville or Shelby, nearly ten miles away. Sometimes the youngest children at that particular time were allowed to go along – in the wagon, of course. This was a great time, but usually lasted all day since the mules were only able to travel at a certain pace.

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Hog-killing time, corn shuckings, wheat thrashings and quilting bees were special events for the family and community. Neighbors and relatives worked all day and night together until a project was completed, then a big feast prepared by the women would be enjoyed by all.

 

James Mills Borders owned a molasses mill. Using the sugar cane grown on the farm, he made some of the sweetest and thickest molasses in the community which he often shared with neighbors. He kept honeybees and at the proper time collected the honey. The children enjoyed eating the honey from the comb, then chewing the wax for a few minutes, pretending it was chewing gum.

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Washington Baptist Church was always the center of the community and the Borders family attended every Sunday unless weather was too severe for travel. A large creek separated the church, school and most neighbors from the family which made association difficult at times. 

 

All except one of the children of James Mills and Julia Borders grew into adulthood. The first-born, Napoleon, died at the age of 18 from typhoid fever which he contracted while working on a project in the mountain area of North Carolina with several cousins. Two of the cousins also died. 

 

Some of the professions of the descendants of James Mills and Julia Borders are: Teachers, Nurses, School Psychologist, School Counselors, Police Captain, Military Personnel, Dairy Foreman, Beauticians, Government Employees, Mechanical Engineer, Railroad Sextant, Day Care Owner, Information Technology Architect, Emergency Medical Technician, Sales Representatives, Chef, Certified Public Accountant, Karate Instructor, Business Analyst, Dietician, Security Guard, Painters, Roofer/Finisher, Truck Drivers, Fitness Instructors, Personal Trainers, HR Professionals, Real Estate Agents, Yoga Instructors.

 

As of this writing, only two of the children of James Mills and Julia are still living: Shirley Borders of Charlotte, NC and Gwendolyn Robinson of Grayson, GA.  There are numerous grands, great-grands and great-great grands to carry on the Borders legacy.