James Struthers came to Leeds County in Upper Canada about 1800 along with other members of the Struthers family.

After the outbreak of hostilities in 1812 he was placed in command of the gunboat Spit Fire patrolling the St. Lawrence River between Prescott and Kingston. He participated in the abortive attack on and eventual capture of Ogdensburg in February 1813.

Later that year he was captured and spent nine months imprisoned in Greenbush, NY, before escaping to Lower Canada. He finished his service in the war as a river pilot between Montreal and Kingston.
Upon his return home he married and took up farming.

He died in September 1860 in his eightieth year.