Brooks-Thomas County GaArchives Biographies.....Adams, James C. 1850 - living in 1913
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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

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