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University loses accomplished economic historian

Prof. James suffers unexpected cardiac event

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Economics Prof. John James died last Friday, Nov. 28 of an unexpected cardiac event.

James taught economic history in both the economics department and the history department.

“The Department of Economics is saddened to announce that Professor James died suddenly and unexpectedly Friday morning,” Economics Prof. Sarah Turner, the department chair, said in an email to students. “Professor James was a widely respected scholar and a long-time member of the University community. His presence in the classroom, around Monroe Hall and across Grounds will be missed by faculty and students.”

Economics Prof. William Johnson said he has known James since they were both first-year graduate students at MIT.

“To the University, he’s been our principle economics historian for decades,” Johnson said. “We’ve been here since the 1970s, so lots of memories [were made].”

James was born in Houston on March 8, 1946. He received a bachelor's degree and graduated summa cum laude from Rice University in 1968. He completed a doctorate in economics from MIT in 1974.

James began teaching at the University in 1973. His research focused primarily on the financial system and the banking system in the 19th century, Johnson said.

James served as visiting faculty at a number of institutions, including All Souls College at Oxford University. He was also awarded numerous fellowships and prizes.

Economics Prof. Lee Coppock will take over his course, ECON 4400, a special topics course in economic history focusing on the development of the financial and monetary systems in the United States since the colonial era, for the remainder of the semester.

“He was a unique and gifted scholar,” Coppock said. “He was a unique and gifted person as well.”

Economists place less emphasis on economic history in the study of economics today, Coppock said. As a result, he said courses like James’s likely “won’t be offered again.”

“Nobody else really knew this material like John James,” Coppock said. “I would say [his] course has been special — it won’t be taught again like that.”

James is survived by his wife, Sally Booker-James, and his daughter Caroline James, both of Charlottesville.

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