James McNamara was an Irish immigrant born in Limerick Ireland about 1822. He married Anne Hassett in Fedamore/Manister Church, Fanningstown, Limerick County, Ireland January 1846 and 2 daughters were born there. Sometime in 1849 or early 1850 Jam es and his extended family immigrated to America ending up in Wisconsin where other relatives of the McNamara, Hassett, Quaid, and Shine families had settled. Two more children were born in Wisconson, one of which died in infancy. In the early 185 0s, many of the families moved to Chicago where a very large Irish immigrant community thrived. Three more children were born in Chicago. James was listed as a laborer which usually meant day jobs. He had relatives working on the railroad but fo r whatever reason never worked there himself.
In 1864, he decided to enlist in the Union Army which was offering an enlistment bonus of $ 50.00. He ended up drinking away most of the bonus and was declared AWOL. He was finally returned to duty and sent to join the 58th Infantry in Nashville . He was not there long before he caught pneumonia and went into the hospital. He died on Jan 1, 1865 and is buried in the National Cemetery in Nashville.