Biographies: W. C. Adams, 1977, Winn Parish, LA. Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: October 19, 1977 Winn Parish Enterprise News-American History Of An Oak Tree And Life Of Its Owner Recounted In recounting the history of an oak tree and his own life, W. C. Adams, old- timer of Sikes, also relates the history of the early days of the Sikes area. The story is told in his own words below: "On October 29, 1896 Joseph B. Adams homesteaded this land. The oak tree in the background was small, so they ran over it with a team of oxen when building their home. The tree has been mired with fire. Joseph Adams cleared the land with the help of the ox team but used mules to farm. He build a four room house part of which was made of logs. There was a fireplace in two rooms made of clay and straw. "On March 4, 1920, J. B. Adams or Uncle Joe as most people knew him, sold to H. F. Adams. Uncle Henry as most people knew him never did live on the place. "I, W. C. Adams, was born one mile east of here. My family lived there until I was fourteen. Then my parents and family moved to Sikes. We lived on what is know as the Hardy White place until January 1, 1918 and moved to the Shady Grove Community. I married Lillie Pace in September 1919. We had two daughters. On December 12, 1921, I moved on the place owned by H. F. Adams. October 27, 1923 I bought the land from my father. A year later our daughter was born. "I cleared about 50 acres of land with an ax and continued to farm as the family had in the past. We struggled through the depression of the early 30s. In those days all our means of transportation was by wagon or horseback. "Once or twice a year we would go by wagon to Sikes for our supply of food. It was only six miles but would take a day to make the trip. If we needed a doctor he would come by horseback to see the patient. "There were sharecroppers over the years. One I recall very well. T. A. Boles worked part of the land. There was always time for fun and folly. Alex as we called him broke an ox to plow just for the fun of it. He plowed the ox some but also used a mule. That was the first year the government bought cotton acreage to be plowed up. They bought five acres of Boles' cotton. "I bought my first car in 1924. It was an old Model T. That same year another daughter was born. "We sent our children to a country school one mile away. Brister as it was called taught grades one through seven. There were two rooms. An old cistern was used for the water supply. The school was disbanded in 1938. Since then one of the rooms has been torn away. Each year there is a homecoming for all who have gone to school there and meet old friends. "There was no means of transportation to and from school. The children all had to walk rain or shine, sleet or snow. Sometimes when the weather was bad some of the parents would come in wagons to pick up the children on their route. "June of 1944 tragedy struck. I lost my wife of twenty-five years. Three years later I married Dorothy Lucas. We have two daughters. I have six daughters, one step-son, 13 grandchildren, and six great grandchildren.