Brooks-Thomas County GaArchives Biographies.....Adams, James C. 1850 - living in 1913 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 20, 2004, 10:16 am Author: William Harden p. 835-836 JAMES C. ADAMS. A man of good business judgment and tact, James C. Adams, of Boston, Georgia, has been actively associated with the advancement of the agricultural and mercantile interests of Thomas county, and is widely known as head of the prosperous firm of James C. Adams & Sons, druggists. A native of Brooks county, he was born December 21, 1850, in the Tallokas district, a son of Lasa Adams, and a grandson of Dennis Adams, a pioneer settler of Brooks county. Migrating in pioneer days from North Carolina to Florida, Dennis Adams located near the present site of Wakena, Gadsden county, becoming one of the original settlers of that locality. His brother-in-law, a Mr. Carr, located on a tract of land two miles away. Indians were then very troublesome in that locality, and one night when Mr. Carr and his wife were away from home raided his place, and brutally massacred their two children. A slave made his escape to the Adams farm, and told Mr. Adams the tale, and Mr. Adams sent to Thomasville, Georgia, for aid. The following night the red skins paid a visit to the Adams cabin. The family were well prepared, and after several of the Indians had been killed the remainder retreated. Thinking it best to leave that region, Mr. Dennis Adams came to Georgia, locating1 in the Tallokas district, Brooks county, where he bought two lots of land, on which he resided until his death, three years later. By his two wives he had ten children, as follows: Joshua, Lasa, Dennis, Caswell, Cason, Sally, Rachel, Irene, Louisa, and Jane. His second wife, whose maiden name was Sally Williams, survived him about twenty years. She was a woman of much force of character, and in addition to keeping her family together, educated them, and trained them to habits of industry and thrift, enabling each one to gain success in after years. Lasa Adams was young when the family came from Florida to Georgia to escape the malignant attacks of the Indians, although many red skins were then living in this vicinity, the dense forests being their happy hunting ground. The few daring white people of the county built a strong log fort to which the women and children were sent when ever trouble with the savages was brewing, and he immediately joined the company formed for protection against their raids, and took part, in 1836, in the battle of Brushy creek, when the Indians made their last stand in Georgia. When ready to begin the struggle of life on his own account, Lasa Adams bought land in what is now the Tallokas district, Brooks county, and engaged in farming. There being no railways in the state all transportation was by teams, and after his land became productive he used to take his cotton to Newport, Florida, going in company with several of his neighbors, some of whom perhaps lived miles away from him, each man taking provisions with him, and camping and cooking by the wayside. In 1852, Lasa Adams sold his Brooks county land, moved to Florida, locating in Madison county, where he purchased a squatter's claim to a tract of government land situated about sixteen miles northeast of Monticello, and about the same distance northwest of Madison. A few acres had been cleared, and a log cabin had been erected. He continued the improvements, and there carried on general farming for some time. In 1864 he enlisted in the Florida Reserves, and continued in the Confederate service until the close of the war, when he again assumed charge of his farm. Selling out in 1870, he was for four years a resident of Jefferson county, Florida. Coming from there to Thomas county, Georgia, he bought land three miles south of Boston, and was there employed in tilling the soil for many years. Shortly before his death, which occurred in 1894, he returned to Brooks county, Georgia, and there spent his last days, passing away at the venerable age of eighty-three years. The maiden name of the wife of Lasa Adams was Orpha Lee Holloway. She was born in Brooks county, Georgia, a daughter of William Holloway, one of the very first settlers of what is now Brooks county, he having been born and bred in Bulloch county. She died leaving four children, namely: Rhoda, who married William Hulet, of Brooks county; Jane, wife of J. M. Yates, of Brooks county; James C.; and Cason F., of whom a brief account may be found on another page of this volume. Reared and educated in Florida, James C. Adams began life for himself on a farm in the Boston district, Thomas county, Georgia, his father giving him one hundred acres of land, forty of which had been improved, and on which a fair set of frame buildings had been erected. Industrious and enterprising, he succeeded in his undertakings, and as his means increased he invested in other tracts, and is now owner of five hundred and forty acres of good land in the Boston district. From his farm, which is devoted to general farming and stock growing, Mr. Adams receives a good annual income. In 1898, Mr. Adams removed to Boston in order that his sons might have better educational advantages, and here from 1900 until 1904 he carried on a thriving trade as a general merchant. Embarking in the latter year in the drug business in Boston, he has continued as druggist ever since, his sons being now associated with him, the firm name being James C. Adams & Sons. In 1875, Mr. Adams was united in marriage with Mary Holman, who was born in Jefferson county, Florida, a daughter of Adam and Elizabeth (Smith) Holman. Two children of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Adams are living, namely: Reddin W., who married Lillie Livingston; and De Roy. They lost by death four, who passed away in childhood. Mr. and Mrs. Adams are members of the Primitive Baptist church, to which Mr. Adams' parents also belonged. Additional Comments: From: A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA BY WILLIAM HARDEN VOLUME II ILLUSTRATED THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY CHICAGO AND NEW YORK 1913 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/brooks/bios/gbs347adams.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 6.5 Kb