The father of the subject of this sketch was in the battle of Tippecanoe under Gen. Harrison. J. D. Adams was reared to agricultural pursuits, and remained on the farm until twenty-one years of age, when he engaged in the mercantile business (1836) in Cole County, in what is now Walker Township, Moniteau County, for two years. On the 10th of October, in 1838, he was married in Cooper County to Miss Amanda M. Tucker, a native of Washington County, Mo., and the daughter of Benjamin and Jane (Givens) Tucker, natives of Kentucky, and early settlers of Washington County, Mo. They remained in that county until 1834, and then moved to Cooper County, and there the father died in 1837. The mother died in 1865. After his marriage Mr. Adams moved to his present farm, which consists of 200 acres of partly bottom land; also purchased a mill on Moniteau Creek, and followed farming and milling for about eighteen years. During this period he drove horses and mules annually to the State of Louisiana for the market. In 1850 he was elected judge of the county court, and served eight years. In 1852 he sent 100 head of cattle to the State of California. Mr. Adams assisted in organizing the county of Moniteau, and claims the honor of naming that county, and presided over the first railroad meeting held in the same. He has taken quite an active part in politics, and votes with the Democratic party. He left the farm in 1855, went to California, the county seat of Moniteau County, and carried on the dry goods business from 1855 to 1859, after which he engaged in the drug business from 1859 to 1865. After this he embarked in the grain and commission business, erected the first elevator, ran it, and in connection carried on his drug business. He also at one time owned one-half interest in the City Livery Stable, erected a hotel, which was called the Adams House, and was connected with different interests for twenty-seven years. He was the originator of the California National Bank in 1874, was elected the first president, and served one term. It was through the influence of Mr. Adams that the first flouring-mill at California was started, and he was also instrumental in organizing the County Fair, being the first president of the same. He was engaged in the lumber business during the war. He founded, edited and published the Moniteau County Democrat, in 1870 and 1871, now known as the California Democrat. This was after the war, when the Democrats were mostly disfranchised, and needed a mouth-piece to assist in putting them on foot again. He, in connection with Col. W. G. Howard, furnished the means to erect the first college in the city of California.
Mr. Adams lost his excellent wife March 18, 1880. She was fifty-eight years of age, and a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. After her death he returned to the farm, and engaged in farming and stock-raising. They were the parents of nine children, eight now living: Mrs. Susan Isabella Thompson, resides in Saline County, Mo., and is the mother of five children; Mrs. Margaret Atkins, resides in New York City, and is the mother of one son; Mrs. Mary E. Robison, residing in Washington Territory, is the mother of two sons; J. Taylor, who resides in California; Mrs. Emma Cooper, who resides in California, Mo., has six children; John Q., married to Miss Nellie Alexander, and resides on the old homestead, and has one daughter, Laura; Charles W., resides in Saline County; Alice, resides in California, Mo., and Lelia, died in 1871. Mr. Adams has seen many changes in the country, and has aided materially in all laudable enterprises for its good. He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and his family belong to different churches.
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This family biography is one of 187 biographies included in The History of Moniteau County, Missouri published in 1889.
from contributor Deb
The father of the subject of this sketch was in the battle of Tippecanoe under Gen. Harrison. J. D. Adams was reared to agricultural pursuits, and remained on the farm until twenty-one years of age, when he engaged in the mercantile business (1836) in Cole County, in what is now Walker Township, Moniteau County, for two years. On the 10th of October, in 1838, he was married in Cooper County to Miss Amanda M. Tucker, a native of Washington County, Mo., and the daughter of Benjamin and Jane (Givens) Tucker, natives of Kentucky, and early settlers of Washington County, Mo. They remained in that county until 1834, and then moved to Cooper County, and there the father died in 1837. The mother died in 1865. After his marriage Mr. Adams moved to his present farm, which consists of 200 acres of partly bottom land; also purchased a mill on Moniteau Creek, and followed farming and milling for about eighteen years. During this period he drove horses and mules annually to the State of Louisiana for the market. In 1850 he was elected judge of the county court, and served eight years. In 1852 he sent 100 head of cattle to the State of California. Mr. Adams assisted in organizing the county of Moniteau, and claims the honor of naming that county, and presided over the first railroad meeting held in the same. He has taken quite an active part in politics, and votes with the Democratic party. He left the farm in 1855, went to California, the county seat of Moniteau County, and carried on the dry goods business from 1855 to 1859, after which he engaged in the drug business from 1859 to 1865. After this he embarked in the grain and commission business, erected the first elevator, ran it, and in connection carried on his drug business. He also at one time owned one-half interest in the City Livery Stable, erected a hotel, which was called the Adams House, and was connected with different interests for twenty-seven years. He was the originator of the California National Bank in 1874, was elected the first president, and served one term. It was through the influence of Mr. Adams that the first flouring-mill at California was started, and he was also instrumental in organizing the County Fair, being the first president of the same. He was engaged in the lumber business during the war. He founded, edited and published the Moniteau County Democrat, in 1870 and 1871, now known as the California Democrat. This was after the war, when the Democrats were mostly disfranchised, and needed a mouth-piece to assist in putting them on foot again. He, in connection with Col. W. G. Howard, furnished the means to erect the first college in the city of California.
Mr. Adams lost his excellent wife March 18, 1880. She was fifty-eight years of age, and a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. After her death he returned to the farm, and engaged in farming and stock-raising. They were the parents of nine children, eight now living: Mrs. Susan Isabella Thompson, resides in Saline County, Mo., and is the mother of five children; Mrs. Margaret Atkins, resides in New York City, and is the mother of one son; Mrs. Mary E. Robison, residing in Washington Territory, is the mother of two sons; J. Taylor, who resides in California; Mrs. Emma Cooper, who resides in California, Mo., has six children; John Q., married to Miss Nellie Alexander, and resides on the old homestead, and has one daughter, Laura; Charles W., resides in Saline County; Alice, resides in California, Mo., and Lelia, died in 1871. Mr. Adams has seen many changes in the country, and has aided materially in all laudable enterprises for its good. He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and his family belong to different churches.
* * * *
This family biography is one of 187 biographies included in The History of Moniteau County, Missouri published in 1889.
from contributor Deb
Family Members
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