page_title: Joshua James (lifesaver)
section_title: Career
hierarchical_section_title: Joshua James (lifesaver) / Career
caption_attribution_description: English: Capt. Joshua James (1826-1902) (dark uniform) and his crew of the United States Life-Saving Service, in Point Allerton, Massachusetts.
context_page_description: Joshua James was an American sea captain and a U.S. Life–Saving Station keeper. He was a famous and celebrated commander of civilian life–saving crews in the 19th century, credited with saving over 500 lives from the age of about 15 when he first associated himself with the Massachusetts Humane Society until his death at the age of 75 while on duty with the United States Life–Saving Service. During his lifetime he was honored with the highest medals of the Humane Society and the United States. His father, mother, brothers, wife, and son were also lifesavers in their own right.
  James was a recipient of the Gold Lifesaving Medal, awarded by the United States Government, along with four medals, a Certificate, and numerous monetary awards from the Massachusetts Humane Society.
context_section_description: Joshua's lifesaving activities began on December 17, 1841, when he was just 15 years old. Five years after the death of his mother and sister, Joshua James leaped aboard a surfboat manned by volunteers from the local chapter of the Massachusetts Humane Society at Hull heading toward the ship Mohawk which was being "hammered shapeless" off Allerton Beach at Harding's Ledge. He would continue to save lives for the next six decades as a member of the Massachusetts Humane Society and later the U.S. Life–Saving Service .
  By 1886 he was involved in so many rescues that the Humane Society struck a special silver medal for "Brave and faithful service of more than 40 years." The report said, "During this time he assisted in saving over 100 lives." However, many records of his early rescues were lost when the archives of the Massachusetts Humane Society were destroyed in the Great Boston Fire of 1872.
caption: James at the Point Allerton Life–Saving Station. The station and the gear are today maintained in functioning condition by the Hull Life–Saving Museum.[3]
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