EKIN, James Adams, soldier, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 31 August 1819. He was a shipbuilder prior to 1861, but at the beginning of the civil war entered the 12th Pennsylvania infantry as 1st lieutenant and regimental quartermaster, and at the expiration of three months was made captain and assistant quartermaster in the volunteer army, being stationed in Pittsburgh as acting assistant commissary of subsistence. In October 1861, he was made assistant quartermaster and stationed in Indianapolis until December 1863, when he was admitted to the regular army with similar rank, to date from March 1863, and assigned to duty as quartermaster of the cavalry bureau in Washington till February 1864.

He was then promoted to lieutenant colonel and made chief quartermaster of the cavalry corps of the Army of the Potomac, remaining as such until August when he was advanced to colonel and given charge of the 1st division of the quartermaster general's office in Washington, where he continued till 1870, holding various appointments in that office. Subsequently he was chief quartermaster of the 5th military district and the department of Texas, then chief quartermaster of the department of the South, and in similar capacity in Jeffersonville, Ind. and finally disbursing agent of the quartermaster's department in Louisville, Kentucky, being assistant quartermaster general of the army from February 1882. He received the brevet of brigadier general in the volunteer army, and those of major to brigadier general in the regular army, for his services during the war. In August 1883, he was retired, and has since resided in Louisville.