James Weir was born at Greenville, Ky., June 21, 1821; graduated at Centre College, Danville, 1840, and at the Transylvania law school, Lexington; entered upon a successful practice of the law, at Owensboro, where he still lives (1873); has never engaged in politics, and never ran for office. About 1849-50, he wrote three novels (“Lonz Powers, or the Regulators,” “Simon Kenton,” and “Winter Lodge,”) which, abounding in beautiful and thrilling passages, attracted considerable attention in their day; they were published in Philadelphia, and the scenes located in the early West. In 1869, at its organization, Mr. Weir was elected president of the Owensboro and Russellville railroad which – (in March, 1873) was running regular trains to Stroud City, Muhlenburg co., 36 miles; had the grading nearly completed to the Tennessee state line, at Adairville, Logan co., 86 miles ; and was confident of extension, in 1874, to Nashville, Tenn., 120 miles – forming part of a great through route from that city to St. Louis, Chicago, and Cincinnati.

Source: Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky. Lewis Collins, revised and enlarged by Richard H. Collins, Collins & Co., Covington, Ky, 1874.