James O. Frederick was the second son of John T. and Esther Frederick. He was born on 27 Noverber, 1920, in Harrisville, Michigan. His early childhood was spent either on the family farm near Glennie, Michigan, or in Chicago where he graduated from the Elgin Academy in 1937. Following that he attended the University of Michigan, where he graduated in 1941.

He initially began working for the Ford Motor Company where he helped in the building of the Willow Run airplane factory near Detroit. He became an inspector on the B-24 bomber that was produced at the plant. In 1943 he entered the Army Air Corps where he graduated from pilot training. Following assignments at various training bases where he learned to pilot the B-24, he was eventually assigned to Muroc Airfield in California, which later became part of March AFB. He spent the rest of the war in the Pacific theater where he flew mostly training and ferry sorties. Immediately following the end of the war he was posted in Japan, where he stayed until early 1947.

Following his return from Japan he returned to school at Columbia University. He spent about a year there until he returned to the family farm in Glennie to assist in running it. Here he stayed until his passing in 2002.

In January of 1951, he and Jeanne Phyllis Fulkerson were married in Lansing, Michigan. They settled on the family farm where they raised four children - Kristen, Susan, Martha, and Michael. Jeanne resigned her position as the chief of pediatric dietetics at the University of Michigan hospital to become a full-time mother. James began his teaching career in Glennie teaching at the elementary school. He later would become a full-time teacher at Alcona High School where he stayed until his retirement in 1982. He held various positions throughout his career, including acting superintendent and principal. However, his first love was teaching, where he stayed for most of his career. During this very busy time he also found time to obtain his Masters Degree from Michigan State University in 1960.

Aside from teaching, he also was active in local affairs. He spent many years on the Alcona County Road Commission, eventually retiring in 1995 following 30 years of service. He and Jeanne also opened a summer camp near Sprinkler Lake in 1966 to help kids work in the natural sciences. Although they later sold the camp, the camp is still operating under the auspices of the U.S. Forestry Service.

James O. Frederick passed away on February 11, 2002 at his home near Glennie. He was preceded by the death of Jeanne one week earlier on February 4th. Jim and Jeanne were married 51 years, all of it spent at their farm. Both are buried at Springport Cemetary in Harrisville, Michigan.