James S. Line was born around 1812 in Pennsylvania. She married a woman named Elizabeth, and they had at least nine children: Josephine, born in May 1841; William, born around 1843; Thomas, born around 1844; Charles, born around 1847; James, born around 1849; Martha, born around 1852; Edward, born around 1854; Mary, born around 1858; and Elmer, born around 1862. They lived in Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, and Line worked as a clerk. By 1860, he owned $2,000 of real estate and $500 of personal property. He died of “congestion of [the] Brain” in February 1870.