Mr. James Edward Padgett was born August 25, 1852, in Washington, D.C. and attended the Polytechnic Academy Institute at Newmarket, Virginia. In 1880 he was admitted to the bar in Washington, D.C., and thereafter he practiced law for 43 years until his death on March 17, 1923. During his student years, he became friendly with Professor Joseph Salyards, an instructor at the Academy who, after his death in 1885, wrote him many interesting messages. His wife, Helen, died about February 1914, and was the first to write him from the spirit world. Padgett never practiced his gift of mediumship as a means of earning money. He was dedicated wholly to the reception of the great messages signed Jesus and his many disciples.