Way was born in Morchard Bishop, Devon and entered the Wesleyan ministry in 1826 and was elected President of the English Conference in 1847. He had been urged to take charge of the Canadian missions, but demurred, as his widowed mother depended on him. Subsequently Rev. James Thorne, one of the founders of the sect and secretary to the Missionary Society, asked him and Rev. James Rowe to form a mission to Australia. Rev. James Way left for South Australia on the Anna Maria, arriving in Adelaide in August 1850 along with his three younger children, his wife Jane, and her son Edward. Samuel Way, the eldest, remained behind to complete his studies, arriving in Adelaide in March 1853. Rev. Way soon came across Samuel Coombe of Brompton and P. P. Dungey, and visited J. R. Rundle, for whom he had a letter of introduction, and at whose butcher shop the first services were held. Their first chapel, seating 160, was erected on Sixth Street, Bowden by builders George Cole and Simon Clarke, J. W. Cole being the architect, and the first services were held on 30 November 1851. In June 1852 the Sabbath School commenced operation under J. R. Rundle, and within a year had 80 pupils. Around 1855 it was decided to move into larger premises and in 1856 the foundation stone was laid by Rev. Way and the new 400-seat church building opened on 15 February 1857. In 1855 he left for Victoria to open the Victorian Mission, which in 1860 became a separate district under the Rev. James Rowe, who from a base at Burra had established the northern circuit in South Australia. Other churches were established in rapid succession: Yankalilla, Normanville, Finniss Vale, Peachey Belt, Willunga, Findon, and a host of others, were opened around 1855. The city chapel, in Young Street, was opened in August 1858. In 1870 James Way retired from leadership of the church in South Australia, to be replaced by Rev. James Ashton. He retired from official work with the church in May 1876, 50 years from the commencement of his service. He died on 14 August 1884, at "SeaView", Noarlunga, South Australia, the residence of his son Samuel, and his funeral procession was attended by the Anglican and Roman Catholic Bishops as well the Governor and other dignitaries.
Recognition
The Bowden Bible Christian, later Methodist, Church, was renamed Way Memorial Church during the pastorate of C. E. Schafer.
The private school founded by the Bible Christian and Primitive Methodist churches was christened "Way College"; after it had become Methodist Ladies College, W. G. Torr named his Brighton residence "Way Cottage".
Family
James Way married Elizabeth ; he married again, on 6 August 1833 to Jane Willis, who had a son from a previous marriage. Their children included:
Samuel James Way married the widow Katherine Gollan Blue on 11 April 1898. They had no children.
Elizabeth Way married confectioner Frederick Dewe Beach in 1852
Dr. Edward Willis Way, noted surgeon and antagonist of Premier Kingston. He married three times: to Susan Elefer in London in June 1866; to Marion Inman in 1874; and to Sarah Hill in 1880. His children included:
