James was involved in a number of estates. He took the inventory of the estates of: Henry Linden with William Peck and John Nash on Feb. 1660/1, Benjamin Ling with Nicholas Auger on June 6, 1673, Robert Pigg with Francis Browne on Jan. 23, 1660/1, John Wakeman with Roger Alling on Oct. 21, 1661, Edward Watson and his wife with Francis Browne, Thomas Nash on July 1, 1658 with John Wakeman, Robert Talmadge on Oct. 3, 1662 with Roger Alling. He was also bequeathed a portion of the books of Benjamin Ling, merchant, who referred to “my much respected friend, Mr. James Bishop” He was named to be an overseer of the will of Christopher Tod with Major John Nash on Mar. 25, 1686.
In Sept. 24, 1675, James was appointed to a committee to consider fortifications for New Haven during King Philip’s War, there was concern over the potential cost. At the same meeting the town voted, “considering the present commotions and danger,” to require “all the inhabitants to bring their arms and ammunition to the meetings upon the Sabbath and other public days, upon the penalty of one shilling, except for good reason to be given to the contrary.” The fortifications were built in 1676 under the supervision of John Cooper.
On Sept. 11, 1676, James and John Nash were asked by the town to research the persons who owed the town money and send the results to Hartford. In December 1680, James was appointed, along with John Cooper, Abraham Dickerman, and others, to a standing committee to oversee any dispute over boundaries in the third division of land in New Haven. He received two lots of 89 ¼ and 53 ¼ acres in this division. James served as the Lt. Governor of Connecticut in 1683. He is listed as a Proprietor of New Haven in 1685. He died on June 24, 1691* in New Haven.
James and Mary had seven children, all but John were born in Branford, CT and he was born in New Haven:
1. Hannah, born on May 29, 1651*, died June 12, 1710*. She married John Morris (1645-1711) on Aug. 12, 1669*. They had eight children, all born in New Haven: Philip (1670-1694), Mary (1670), Hannah (1671), Mary (1673-1743), Elizabeth (1675-), Thomas (1679), Abigail (1683-1729), Desire (1687-1757).
2. Grace, born on Jan. 17, 1652*, died in 1653.
3. Sarah, born on July 28, 1655*, died Mar. 21, 1732 in Newton, MA. She married Henry Seager (1646-1724) from Newton on April 19, 1671* in Newton. They had nine children, all born in Newton: Job (1674-1739), Sarah (1676-), Ebenezer (1679-1706), Elizabeth (1682-1715), Henry (1686-1724), Mary (1690-), Job (1691-1739), Mercy (1692-), Margaret (1692-), Thankful (1695-).
4. Elizabeth, born on July 3, 1657*, died 1732/33, married Eleazer Giles on Sept. 12, 1677* in Salem. MA.
5. Abigail, born on Oct. 30, 1659*, died Oct. 24, 1710 in Branford, CT. She first married John Talmadge (1654-1690) on Nov. 18, 1686* in New Haven and they had two children, both born in New Haven: Anne (1687-1688), Capt. James (1689-). Next she married William Maltby (1645-1710) from Retford, Nottinghamshire, England.
6. John (Abigail’s line – see above), born on May 17, 1662*, died 1710. Married Abigail Willett from Hartford in 1690. They had eleven children: Nathaniel (1691), Abigail (1692-1709), John (1693-1773*), Nathaniel (1695-1743), Willett (1697-1749), James (1699-1780), Thomas (1701), Jeremiah (1703-after 1754), Sarah (1703-1761), Dinah (1708-1751), Ebenezer (1710-1778).
7. Ruth, born on April. 22, 1664*, died June 1, 1739. She married Nathaniel Yale (1652-1730) from New Haven on Oct. 11, 1692*. He was the brother of Mary Yale who married Joseph Ives. They had four children, all born in New Haven: David (1693-1757), James (1695-1700), Anne (1697-1744), Nathaniel (1702-1746). Nathaniel served in King Philip’s War and was granted 7 ¼ acres in 17680 third division of land in New Haven for his military service.
James and Elizabeth had four children, all born in New Haven:
1. Samuel, born Dec. 25, 1666*, died March 12, 1747*. He married Hannah Yale Talmadge (1662-1743) on Nov. 14, 1695* in New Haven. She was a Yale and widow of Talmadge. They had five, maybe seven children, all born in New Haven: Hannah (1696-1719), Samuel (1698-1779), Ann (1700-1739), Job (1702-1781), Elizabeth (1704-1734), Dinah (?) (1706-), Yale (?) (1708-). Samuel was a Deacon and Town Clerk. Hannah was the widow of Enos Talmadge and the sister of Mary Yale who married Joseph Ives. In 1721 Samuel, along with Issac Dickerman and several others were appointed to a committee to lease the nearby Blue Hills to several New Yorkers who wanted to start a copper mine but the mining was not successful (Hartley, 1959).
2. Mary, born Mar. 14, 1667* and died 1668.
3. James (see Mary’s line following), born July 27, 1671*, died July 1, 1736. He married Abigail Bennett (1671-1761) in New Haven on Dec. 11, 1695* and buried in the Old Grave Yard in North Haven. They had seven children, all born in New Haven: Elizabeth (1696-1773), Mary (1698-1783), James (1700-1788), Rebecca (1703-1795), Abigail (1707-1798), Ruth (1709-1742), Joy (1711-1796).
4. Rebecca, born Dec. 10, 1673*, died April 5, 1734*. He married Samuel Thompson (born May 12, 1669) on Nov. 14, 1695* in Goshen, CT. They had eight children: Samuel (1696-1768), James (1698-1737), Amos (1701-1795), Gideon (1704-1759), Rebecca (1707-1739), Judah (1711-1712), Judah (1713-1765), Enos (1717-1806).