James Nesbit Adams was born in Rayne Twp. Indiana Co. PA, the youngest of 5 children of Samuel and Nancy Nesbit Adams. His siblings were: Jane, William, Elizabeth, and Samuel C. He served in the Civil War and his name appears as J.N. Adams on the Pennsylvania state monument at Gettysburg. Following the war he married Rebecca Bothell in Indiana Co. PA and soon after they moved with their extended family to Rock Island Co. Illinois. They had 5 sons and 1 daughter: Edwin Campbell, George Sherron, James Cozad, Milton Parks, Lorenzo Row, and Susan Charlotte. When their youngest child Susan was 20 months old, his wife Rebecca died of inflammation of the bowels (later thought to be appendicitis). She is buried in Chippiannock Cemetery in Rock Island County, Illinois. He married Emma Davis Abbott 17 months later, who had a 5 yr. old son Fredrick Abbott. James and Emma then had a son Arthur and daughter Hattie. Family history says that Emma was a good stepmother to James Adams' children with Rebecca. Shortly after marriage they moved to Saline Co. Kansas where they appear in the 1880 census. While in Kansas, their young son Arthur died when his foot caught in the stirrup while riding his pony on the prairie and was dragged to death. Arthur was born May 1884 and died 16 Aug 1894. James Adams was granted a land grant in 1891 in Boone Co. Arkansas where he homesteaded land. He appeared in the 1900 census in Washington Co. Arkansas, but they left Arkansas shortly after and moved to Garfield Co. Colorado in search of climate that would improve his health. But he died there 4 years later. His health was likely adversely affected by his service in the Civil War, and he spent his life not only working hard to support his family but also in search of a place where his health would improve. Less than 5 months after his death, his daughter Hattie died of typhoid fever and is buried next to her father. His distraught wife Emma married Norval W. Kelly 8 years later in 1912, but he died after 3 years. Pension records show Emma then received a widow's pension through James Adams' Civil War service until her death in 1924. She is said to be buried in Red Willow County, Nebraska where her sister, Hattie Davis McClung, lived. Emma C. Davis Abbott Adams Kelly was born 22 March 1849 in Milan, Rock Island County, Illinois and died 30 July 1928 in Indianola, Red Willow County, Nebraska.