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Bert Dewey James
1898-1980
Block 7, Lot A4
Son of Billie & Ava James was born in Keysville. Story has it that Billie had rushed to fetch the doctor when Ava was about to deliver their first born, but the baby would not wait. Mrs. William Walker was called to assist. By the time Billie & the doctor arrived, the new arrival was doing just fine.
Billie and Ava had decided to name the boy Burton but Mrs. Walker threw a fit. It seems the memory of the infamous Burton-Walker Feud was still alive. So the name of Bert was given to the new addition to the James family instead.
Bert James ranched until age 31, 1929 and then he bought the grocery business from long time store owner Jim Bechtel. It„s said that he, like the previous owner, ran the store giving credit to many of the locals. Many debts were never paid; not a great means to make money but Bert sure made a lot of friends. The store was then called “Bert‟s Store” and later called James Store, as it is often referred to today.
​In 1932, Bert lost his wife and was left to run the store and raise his young 3 year old son, Clint James. About a year later a young Kansan named Helen Ramsey came to the valley to teach at the high school. She had Clint in her classes for 2 years. Helen & Bert married in 1944. Clint always joked that his dad married her to have a built in tutor.
In 1949, during the construction of Lake Isabella, they moved their home to the east side of the river and in 1953 moved the store to what would be the new Kernville. He later turned the business over to his son Clint but remained active in the community in many ways. Bert James died on May 7, 1980.
The Old Kernville Historic Cemetery Tour was researched and created by Kern River Valley Historical Society members Jenny Hanley, and Richard Rowe as part of the 2010 Kern River Valley Historical Society Annual History Days, celebrating the history of the Kern River Valley.
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