Born in what is now Leflore County, Miss. on March 8, 1841, died October 20th, 1904, at Atoka, Indian Territory, where he is buried. He came of a Huguenot family who settled in North Carolina in the early part of the Seventeenth Century. Abraham Standley (James Stirman's great-grandfather) was living in Williamson County, in Middle Tennessee in 1790, married, having four children: viz: Mary, James, Benjamin and David. .

James Standley, Sr., after his marriage to the widow Patton, nee Lucy Brashears, settled on a place in the Yazoo River bottom in Mississippi, where he lived consecutively in three counties without moving, Yazoo, Holmes and Carroll and in about 1870 his place was placed in Leflore County, on the organization of that county, where it still remains. His wife, Lucy Standley, nee Lucy Brashears, having died in 1825, James Standley, Sr., then in 1829 married Eva Cochenauer. By this second wife he became the father of seven children, viz: Ephraim Foster, Jane, Abram, Benj. Franklin, Geo. Washington, Amanda Cochenauer, and Cornelia Carraway. James Standley, Sr., died in Carroll (now Lefiore) County, Mississippi, November 12th, 1862.

Previous to leaving Mississippi, Capt. J. S. Standley, Sr., having completed the study of law, which he had begun before the Civil War, was licensed to practice in all of the Courts of the State. Later he was licensed to practice in the Choctaw Court, the U. S. Court at Ft. Smith, Ark., the United States Court in the Indian Territory and the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. In 1874 he secured the establishment of his and his family's citizenship in the Choctaw Nation and after 1876 participated with some prominence in the public affairs of said Nation, representing it almost continuously in Washington City, pressing the "Leased District" claims. In 1882 he met Mrs. Lizzie C. Harrison, nee Edwards, of Leesburg, Va. in Washington City, and on November 29th, 1882, they were married in Leesburg by the Rev. R. T. Davis.

James Standley, Jr., born in the State of Mississippi April 17, 1819, was educated in the Choctaw Academy in Scott County, Ky. On June 11th, 1840, he was married to Margaret Irvin Tadlock. From this marriage there were born six children, viz: James Stirman Standley, born March 8, 1841; John Tadlock Standley, born October 26, 1843; Leona Standley, born January 24, 1846; William Pitt Standley, born June 6, 1849, Eva Standley, born November 25, 1852; and Olga Standley, born November 29, 1856, all born in Carroll (now Lefiore) County, Mississippi on the old homestead four miles west of Black Hawk. James Standley, Jr., who later married a widow by the name of Jones, formerly a widow of Henderson Pate, whose maiden name was Margaret Conner, died in the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, near South Canadian, on October 10th, 1872, at the home of Mr. A. J. McDuff, he, then being on a prospective visit in company with a son, Wm. P. Standley. James Stirman Standley, Jr., died in Atoka March 31, 1896. The remains of these four children and his wife are buried in the cemetery in Atoka. In 1866 he and his wife became members of the Christian Church.

The old Standley homestead near Black Hawk was located on the road leading from Black Hawk to Marion, now called Sidon.

The primary education of James Stirman Standley was had in the common schools near his home. He later attended the Kentucky Military Institute, near Frankford, Ky., where he graduated June 13th, 1860, taking first honors of his class. He commenced to read law in October of the same year in the office of Col. Daniel R. Russell, in Carrolton, Miss.

In 1861, a military company was organized in Carrolton called the "Carrolton Rifles," James Stirman Standley being elected first Lieutenant. The company left Carrolton for military service in behalf of the Confederate States of America on April 29th, 1861. The "Carrolton Rifles" became Company K of the 11th Mississippi Regiment, which was organized at Cornith, Miss., and ordered to Lynchburg, Va., hence to Harper's Ferry, stopping en route a few days at Winchester.

After the evacuation of Harper's Ferry by the Confederate forces, they retired to Winchester where Brigades were formed. General Barnard E. Bee was assigned to the command of the 3rd Brigade, of which the 11th Mississippi Regiment was a part, Lieutenant James Stirman Standley being detailed as acting Assistant Adjutant General on General Bee's Staff. The Command crossed the Blue Ridge in July to reinforce General Beuregard on Bull Run near Manassas Junction and participated in the first battle of Mannassas, fought on Sunday, July 21st, 1861.

General Bee having been mortally wounded, Brig. General Wm. H. C. Whiting being assigned to the command of the 3rd Brigade as General Bee's successor, he retained Lieutenant Standley on his staff in the same capacity as Acting Assistant Adjutant General.

After various movements of the command to Bristow Station, and on the Occoquan river, the Brigade went into winter quarters there, thence to Fredericksburg in the last of March, 1862, and thence to Yorktown to relieve General Magruder. About this time General Whiting was detached from the Brigade, being sent to Wilmington, North Carolina, Lieutenant James Stirman Standley returned to his Company.

On the retreat from Yorktown, which was evacuated about May 20th, 1862, Brig. General Pender being assigned to the command of the 3rd Brigade, invited Lieutenant James Stirman Standley to take his former position on the staff.

Soon after the command arrived in front of Richmond, an attack was ordered against the Federal forces, and on May 31st, 1862, the battle of Seven Pines was fought in which Lieutenant James Stirman Standley was wounded in the right arm. Being permanently disabled his resignation and withdrawal from the military service of the Confederate States of America during the next year was necessitated. In the meantime he having reached the Captaincy of his company by promotion, he resigned therefrom in July 1863, on account of said disability occasioned by wound received in active service.

While on leave of absence at his home in Mississippi, on account of the gun shot wound in his right arm, he met Miss Alice Robinson Posey, formerly of Port Gibson, Claiborne County, Mississippi, temporarily in Carrol and Tallahatchie Counties, of the same State, and courted her and they were married at the home of her cousin, Jere Robinson in Tallahatchie County, Miss., by the Rev. Stephen Johnson, on June 10th, 1863. To this union ten children were born, viz: Blanche, born April 5th, 1864, died June 10th, 1864; Norma, born July 15, 1865, now Mrs. B. S. Smizer; Lillian, born January 13, 1868, died February 23, 1874; Mary Jane, born February 4, 1870, died July 3, 1886; Kate, born July 10, 1871, died Sept. 19, 1873; James Stirman, Jr., born July 3, 1873, died March 31, 1896; Eva, born January 10th, 1875, now Mrs. J. G. Ralls; Clauda Money, born September 23, 1877, now Mrs. Catlin; Leona Spann, born August 28, 1879, now Mrs. F. D. Fulton; and Annie Posey, born August 28, 1879, and died September 5, 1884.

The first six of these children were born in Carroll (now Leflore) County, Miss., and the four latter being in the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, on a farm near South Canadian.

In September 1874, James Stirman Standley, Sr., removed from the State of Mississippi with his family, consisting then of his wife and three children living, viz: Norma, Mary Jane, and James S., Jr., to the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, settling on a farm near South Canadian.

The three children, Blanche, Lillian and Kate, who died in Mississippi are buried on the James Standley, Sr., old home place and Lillian and Kate in the cemetery at Winona, Montgomery County, Miss.

In January 1881 James Stirman Standley, Sr., moved from the farm near South Canadian to Atoka.

His wife, Alice Robinson Standley died at Atoka April 4th, 1881 and Annie Posey Standley died in Atoka, September 5th, 1884. Mary Jane, was drowned July 3, 1886 in Boggy Creek, near Atoka.