Johnson County KS Archives Biographies.....Adair, Benjamin F. 1843 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 8, 2008, 8:33 pm

Author: Ed Blair

 Benjamin F. Adair, a Kansan pioneer, now a leading grocer in Olathe, was born 
near Logansport, Cass county, Indiana, October 18, 1843. He is a son of 
Benjamin and Anna (McMillian) Adair, the former a native of Maryland and the 
latter of Ohio. Benjamin Adair, the father, was born in Baltimore, Md., of 
English descent. He went to Ohio when a young man, where he was married and 
later removed to Indiana. At that time Indiana was almost an unbroken 
wilderness and Indians were plentiful in that section. In 1857 the Adair 
family came to Kansas. They drove the entire distance with three teams of 
horses and a prairie schooner. They settled on a farm three miles from Olathe 
where the father followed farming and stock raising until his death in 1872; 
the mother died in 1880. The father was a stanch Free State man and a 
Republican. They were the parents of eight children, as follows: Thomas, who 
came to Kansas in 1857, located on a claim near Bonita, where he died in 1913; 
Newton spent his life in Cass county, Indiana; Lorena married a Mr. McCoy and 
spent her life in Indiana; Rosanna married a Mr. Brandt and is now deceased; 
Lucinda married a Mr. Cook and after his death came to Kansas, where she died; 
Julia died in Colorado; Susan and Mary died in childhood, and Benjamin F., 
the .subject of this sketch. Benjamin F. Adair attended school in Indiana and 
Kansas. His first school teacher, after coming to Johnson county, was B. P. 
Noteman and the school was held in the old Masonic Hall and he later attended 
school which was held just west of where the Racket store now stands on Park 
Street. He remained in Johnson county on his father's farm until 1873, when he 
went west, locating on Government land near Winfield, Kan. After remaining in 
that part of the State about ten years he returned to Olathe in 1883, and 
engaged in business as junior member of the firm of Adair, Cosgrove & Company. 
Later the firm became E. T. Adair & Company and at the death of E. T. Adair in 
1904, B. F. became the sole owner and has since conducted the grocery store at 
the corner of Mahaffee and East Park streets. Mr. Adair has prospered in his 
business and built up a large retail grocery and produce business. He owns his 
store building, which is a two-story stone and brick building and is the only 
grocery and produce store in the east end of town. Mr. Adair is one of the old 
timers of Johnson county, and during the Civil War served in the Kansas State 
militia. They were in the line of duty when Quantrill raided Lawrence, and 
during the battle of Wesport. Mr. Adair is a Democrat and his fraternal 
affiliations are with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Fraternal 
Order of Eagles and the Knights of Pythias.

Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

HISTORY OF Johnson County Kansas
BY
ED BLAIR

AUTHOR OF
Kansas Zephyrs, Sunflower Sittings and Other Poems and Sketches

IN ONE VOLUME

ILLUSTRATED
STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
1915


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