HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY                              65

    Samuel C. Adams, father of Joseph T., was born in 1801 on a Ken-
tucky plantation about four miles from Harrodsburg, Mercer county.
But thirteen years old when he came with the family to Indiana, he helped
to clear and improve the parental homestead in Parke county, living a
home until after attaining his majority. He subsequently married, bought
land lying about seven miles north of Rockville and began the improve
ment of a homestead. During the panic of 1837 he lost everything and
returned empty-handed to Adams township, Parke county. Subsequently
buying a tract of wild land in that locality, he was exceedingly fortunate in
improving it, and in course of time paid all of his debts. Coming to Clay
county ih 1852, be purchased a tract of land in Sugar Ridge township
and lived there until his death, February 29,. 1868, During his busy life
lie witnessed many of the important changes that took place in the Lace
of the country, seeing it transformed from a dense wilderness to a land
of riches filled with thriving cities, populous villages and magnificent
farms, all telling of wealth and prosperity. When he nioved from Vin-
cennes to Parke county in 1816, a boy fifteen years old, there were but
three buildings in Terre Haute, and those were small log cabins located
on the bank of the river. He married Nancy McGinnis, who was born
in Loudoun county, Virginia, a daughter of James and Temperance
(Irving) McGinnis, who came from Virginia, their native state, to Indi-
ana in 1820, becoming pioneers of Parke county. Eight children were
born of their union, namely: Elizabeth J.; James W.; Andrew W., who
died at the age of seven years; John W.; Margaret A.; Martha B.; Mary
B.; and Joseph T.
    Receiving some educational advantages when young, Joseph T.
Adams began teaching school when eighteen years old, and continued in
that vocation until after the breaking out of the Civil war. In October,
1861, he enlisted in Company G, Forty-third Indiana Volunteer Infantry,
went south with his comrades, and during the entire period of his enlist-
ment was in active service. He took part in many important engage-
ments, among the more notable being those at Island No. 10, New Madrid,
siege of Fort Pillow and capture of Memphis, Saint Charles, Helena, Lit-
tle Rock, Little Missouri, and Jenkins Ferry. At the expiration of his
term of enlistment, Mr. Adams was honorably discharged, and on being
mustered out returned home. Resuming his profession, he taught school
for a number of years, being very successful in his educational work and
in the meantime making his home in Sugar Ridge township. Locating in
Perry towriship in 1895, Mr. Adams bought the farm where he now
resides. It is pleasantly located in section one, and contains two hun-
dred and five acres of rich and fertile land, with a good set of farm build-
ings, and in its management he is meeting with most satisfactory pecuni-
ary results.
    Mr. Adams married, in 1868, Nancy A. Williams. She was born in
Perry township, a daughter of John and Sarah (Neal) Williams. In
August, 1872, after four short years of happy married life, she died,
leaving two children, Samuel C. and Mary E. Mary E. married Emanuel
Miller, of Brazil, of whom a brief sketch appears elsewhere in this vol-
time. Samuel C. conducts the home farm, managing it with skill and
ability, He was born August 23, 1869, and was brought up and edu-
cated in Sugar Ridge township. On September 1, 1895, he married Nel-
lie B. Gantz, who was born in Ashboro, Indiana, a daughter of Dr. Rich-
ard and Elizabeth (Knoll) Gantz, Five children have been born of their