Philander Adams was born in Danbury or Middlebury, Connecticut. He is the son of Timothy Adams, Jr. and Hannah Wilcockson. His father died when he was about 15, and he chose as his guardian, his uncle, Hosea Wilcox (Wilcockson). His widowed mother never remarried and died in 1835. Philander later moved to Whiting, Vermont. When Philander was 21, he married Jerusha Washburn (daughter of Daniel Washburn and Jerusha Foster. At the time of their marriage, both Philander and Jerusha were residents of Whiting, Vermont. Four of their seven known children were born in Vermont: Hosea, b. 1799; Mary (Polly), b. 1801; Nelson b. between 1805-1809; and Jerusha, b. c. 1810

Philander's guardian, Hosea Wilcox, had moved his large family to Tallmadge, Ohio, (Middlebury) around 1811. Philander was visiting the area, liked what he saw, and decided to move his young family to what was considered the western frontier. He joined the Ohio Militia as a Private during the War of 1812 and was attached to George Darrow's Odd Battalion. The family came to Tallmadge and purchased the lot next to Hosea. (Hosea owned Tract 13, lot 4 and Philander owned Tract 13, lot 3).

Three more sons were born: Timothy, Sylvester, and Philander, Jr.

The family were members of the Congregational Church, and Philander belonged to the Masonic Lodge #34 in Middlebury. Jerusha was a member of the women's group that was formed for "moral and literary improvement." Philander was a farmer and became a contractor and speculator in produce of the country.

Jerusha died of consumption in 1820 and is buried at Old Tallmadge Cemetery. A couple of years later Philander sold his land in Tallmadge and moved with his children to 40 acres in Randolph, Ohio. In 1824 his eldest daughter Mary (nicknamed Polly) married Oliver Dewey, Jr. and moved to Cuyahoga Falls. Daughter Jerusha married a few years later. Philander died at his daughter Mary's home on the 9th of August 1837.