James Alexander Gage (1812-1891) of Port Gibson was born in Union District, South Carolina. He settled permanently in Port Gibson in 1838 and opened a furniture store. He later held several elective offices, including that of Mayor. Gage and his first wife, the former Roseanna Russell of Virginia and Tennessee, had six children: James Russell, John Rollins, Lucie Enfield, Louis Maxwell, Mary Enfield and Robert Douglas.

Robert Douglas Gage was president and a principal stockholder of the Bank of Port Gibson. Robert D. Gage, Jr., and his son, R. D. Gage, III, also served as presidents of the bank.

The family papers include tax receipts, bank books, fiscal papers, an abstract of title for property in Fort Worth, Texas, and seven volumes, among which are a library fines book, a folk dance book, and several financial records books. Also contained in the collection are five land grants made to Lemuel Pitcher on November 10, 1840, and signed by Martin Van Buren, eighth president of the United States. The major portion of the correspondence deals with the family's financial matters.

The papers are arranged in the following manner:

• Box 1
  • Deeds, tax receipts, bank books, fiscal papers, correspondence (A-B), folders 1-11, 13-15.

• Box 2
  • Correspondence (C-M), folders 16-30.

• Box 3
  • Correspondence (P-Y), abstracts of titles, Fort Worth, Texas property, folders 31-42.

• Box 4
  • Vol. 1. Checkbook, O. B. Crittenden & Co., Cotton Factors.
  • Vol. 2. Fee Book, R. D. Gage, Pecos, Texas, January 7, 1892-February 29, 1896.
  • Vol. 6. Folk dance book.

• Box 5
  • Vol. 7. Cotton book, September 20, 1911-December 29, 1917.

• Folders 12 and 43.

• Box 6
  • Vol. 3. Library fines book, 1921.
  • Vol. 4. Receipt book, November 10, 1950-September 19, 1953.
  • Vol. 5. Ledger, November 1936-September 1951.

Also included is the wrapped volume:

• Vol. 8. Record book, January 1, 1906-November 23, 1906.