In the later part of his life Teit worked tirelessly with the native people to preserve their human rights, as discussed by Wendy Wickwire in her work At the Bridge.
Teit was born in Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland[4] but immigrated to Canada and married a Nlaka'pamux woman named Susanna Lucy Antko. It was through his wife that he became knowledgeable of the culture and language of the Nlaka'pamux people. Lucy died of pneumonia in 1899. After his wife's death Teit moved to the small town of Spences Bridge, British Columbia. While living there he married Josephine Morens. Together they had six children: Erik 1905, Inga 1907, Magnus 1909, Rolf 1912, Sigurd 1915, and Thorald 1919. Inga and Erik are buried in the Morens family graveyard with their baby brother. James and Josephine are buried in Merritt B.C.[5]
Teit, James; Boas, Franz (1900). The Thompson Indians of British Columbia(PDF). Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History. The Jesup North Pacific Expedition. Vol.II, Pt. IV. New York, American Museum of Natural History. AMNH Digital Repository.
Teit, James (1906). The Lillooet Indians(PDF). Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History. The Jesup North Pacific Expedition. Vol.II, Pt. V. New York, American Museum of Natural History. AMNH Digital Repository.
Teit, James (1909). The Shuswap(PDF). Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History. The Jesup North Pacific Expedition. Vol.II, Pt. VII. New York, American Museum of Natural History. AMNH Digital Repository.
Teit, James (1912). Mythology of the Thompson Indians(PDF). Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History. The Jesup North Pacific Expedition. Vol.VIII, Pt. II. New York, American Museum of Natural History. AMNH Digital Repository.