Taylor COUNTY GA Bios Adams File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Adams traceradams@mindspring.com http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/taylor/bios/adams.txt THE ADAMS FAMILY By John R. Adams, Sr. The earliest information that is known at this time about the Adams Family dates back to Virginia in the late 1700's. Benjamin Adams of Southampton Co., Va. died about 1795. His will was dated October 30, 1794 and probated March 12, 1795. His wife was named Margaret and her maiden name is unknown at this time. The children listed in the will were as follows: daughter Sally Ivey, wife of Adam Ivey; daughter Priscilla Prince, wife of Joseph Prince; daughter Nancy; son Arthur; daughter Betsy, (Elizabeth) wife of Jordan Pate; Charlotte, wife of Herbert Pate; granddaughter Sally Adams; and wife Margaret. Arthur Adams was the next in our Adams Family line. He married Elizabeth Reese, daughter of Randolph and Sarah "Sally" Harris Reese, in Southampton Co., Va. August 27, 1801. They were the parents of Benjamin Adams, born February 16, 1803, in Virginia; Sarah Adams, married Wike Ivey; Charity Adams, married Jesse B. Farr (of Upson County, Ga.); and an unknown daughter who married Simeon Reese. They moved to Columbia Co., Ga. about 1808 and Arthur Adams died there in January, 1822. Benjamin Adams is the next Adams in our family line and his family and his mother Elizabeth Reese Adams moved to Warren Co., Ga. after the death of Arthur Adams. His father's sister, Charlotte Adams Pate, and her husband Herbert Pate were living in Warren Co., Ga. at that time. Benjamin Adams married Emily Ivey in Warren Co., Ga. December 18, 1823. She was the daughter of Dinkins and Lydia Hodgins Ivey. Lydia Hodgin(s) Ivey was a Quaker and the daughter of John and Mary Vernon Hodgin(s) both Quakers and original settlers of Wrightsborough, Ga. John Hodgin(s) land grant was dated February 2, 1769. Benjamin and Emily Ivey Adams moved to Upson County, Georgia about 1838 and settled south of Thomaston. Their land was located west of U. S. 19 south of Thomaston past Tobler Creek. Tobler Creek ran through their land. Benjamin Adams owned Land Lots 160, 161, 169 and 50 acres of lot 192. At one time he owned lot 163 and he sold it to Davis Dawson. All these lots are in the 16th District of Upson Co., Ga. The south west corner of Lot 163 is where my dad, Elder John Bentley Adams, said that Uncle Joseph Lee Adams told him the Benjamin Adams family cemetery is located. Benjamin and Emily Ivey Adams and three of their children are believed to be buried in this cemetery as well as his mother Elizabeth Reese Adams. The children of Benjamin and Emily Ivey Adams were: (1) Arthur Adams born October 9, 1824. He married first Unicey C. Snipes and second to her sister Antoinette Snipes. Jewell Adams Adams' husband Luke Adams was a descendent of this family. (2) Amanda Adams born December 3, 1826. She married Thomas Jefferson Norman and they settled in Bell Co., Texas. (3) Dinkins Adams born January 20, 1828. He married Georgia Ann Amanda Snipes and they settled in Bell Co., Texas. (4) Benjamin Ivey Adams born April 15, 1829. He became a doctor and settled in Alabama. He died October 6, 1885 and is buried at Cleburne Co., Ala. I located him this year and have not researched his family. (5) William David Adams born September 10, 1830. He married Samantha Jane McKindley and they settled in Bell Co., Texas. (6) Elizabeth Adams born January 12, 1832. She married Francis Marion McKenney. She died in Taylor Co., Ga. from complications of childbirth. She was the mother of seven known children including two sets of twins. She died February 21, 1860 after the birth of her second set of twins. Francis M. McKenney moved to Lee Co., Ga. (7) Curtis Albert Adams born August 15, 1833. He married Mary Elizabeth Jane Rivier. Curtis Albert Adams was killed July 9, 1864 in The War Between The States. His wife and children settled in Thomaston. (8) Drucilla Margaret Adams born May 3, 1836. She died November 15, 1844 and is believed to be buried in the Benjamin Adams Family Cemetery. (9) Mary Ann Adams born February 10, 1839. She married James M. Taylor and they probably settled in Alabama. (10) Emily Adams born March 15, 1841. She died October 28, 1847 and is believed to be buried in the Benjamin Adams Family Cemetery. (11) Joseph Randall Adams born January 25, 1843. He married Mary Elizabeth Caldwell and their family is the subject of this cookbook. (12) Lillian Miranda Adams born March 8, 1845. She married Doctor Joseph C. Chatham and they are believed to have settled in Alabama. (13) Elline Annet Manervia Adams born March 14, 1847. She married Andrew D. McComb and they are buried in Buena Vista, Ga. Andrew McComb married Martha F. "Mattie" Adams, daughter of Joseph Randall and Mary Elizabeth Caldwell Adams, as his second wife. (14) Eveline J. Adams born abt. 1849. She died September 23, 1851 and is probably buried in the Benjamin Adams Family Cemetery. (15) Davis P. Adams born abt. 1854. He lived with his sister, Mary Ann Adams Taylor after the death of his parents. (16) Eldora Adams born abt 1855. She was listed in the house of her brother-in-law Francis Marion McKenney in Terrell Co., Ga. in 1870. Benjamin and Emily Ivey Adams attended Good Hope Primitive Baptist Church in Upson County, Ga. They both died in March of 1863 and the inventory of their estate gives us a picture of how they lived. They owned 14 slaves at the time of their death and they were valued at $32,623.00 and 656 acres of land valued at $10,075.00. Some of the items sold at the sale of their estate: 25 Sheep, 124 hogs, 20 cows, 1 bull, 3 mules, 1 horse, 1 colt, 2 buggies, 1 saddle, 1 side-saddle, 9 bee gums, sewing machine, spinning wheel, blacksmith tools, set of china, 5 beds (with 16 children they had to sleep more than one to the bed), 200 lbs. of bacon, 168 lbs. lard, 549 bushels of corn, 52 bushels of wheat, 13 bushels of barley, 27 lbs. of wool, 8 bales of cotton, 2 ovens, one large oven, 18 chairs and 1 table. Joseph Randall Adams was away at War when his parents died in March of 1863. He was in the Battle of Stones River, Tennessee on December 31, 1862 through January 2, 1863. By February 9, 1863 Joseph and Co. B, 2nd. Georgia Sharpshooters were in Chattanooga, Tenn. His service record does not state whether he went home when his parents died. Joseph Adams was wounded September 20, 1863 in the battle of Chickamauga, Tenn. He probably went home at that time because there is no record of him going to a hospital. Joseph Randall Adams married Mary Elizabeth Caldwell on November 5, 1863. He was at home on November 24, 1863 and he purchased 10 hogs for $1813.00. He purchased a Negro girl named Susan for $2860.00 at the estate sale of his fathers property on December 1, 1863. We researched for years for Joseph Randall Adams and Mary Elizabeth Caldwell Adams' marriage record. This year Ruth Hays Cooper gave me some items from Aunt Lola Adams Waters' family and a copy of their marriage certificate was among the items. The certificate is very large and in very bad condition. The following information: Mr. J. R. Adams of Upson County, Georgia and Miss M. E. Caldwell of Taylor County, Georgia were by me united in marriage according to the ordinance of God and the laws of the State of Georgia at John Caldwell's house on the 5th of November AD 1863. Signed Elder Samuel Bentley. Witnesses P. C. Caldwell and Max (?) Smith. (P. C. Caldwell was Pleasant Creed Caldwell brother of Mary Elizabeth Caldwell) There were pictures of Joseph and Mary Adams in the top corners. (Pictures taken in later life) ======================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for FREE access. ==============