Biographical Sketch of George Adams, Johnson County, Missouri, Montserrat Township. >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** George Adams, one of the best, most industrious and enterprising of Montserrat township's agriculturists, was born July 26, 1866 on the farm which is now his home. He is a son of Thomas and Sarah Ann Adams, honored pioneers of Johnson county, who were the parents of the follow- ing children: Mrs. George Roberts, Knob Noster, Missouri; Martha, de- ceased; Mrs. Tom Clare, Jefferson township; Mrs. Timothy George, of Montana; Mrs. J. W. Dawson; John, a biographical sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume; James, Warrensburg; Mrs. James Ivy, Columbus, Kansas; George, of this review; Sallie, wife of John Dillingham; Julia, wife of Walter Hay, Washington, Missouri; and Thomas B., Miami, Okla- homa. Thomas Adams was a Union veteran, having served throughout the Civil War. He became a well to do and successful farmer and stockman after the war, owning four hundred acres of land at the time of his death, January 4, 1888. In August, 1910, Mrs. Adams was united in death with her husband. Mr. and Mrs. Adams were highly respected and esteemed in Johnson county, where they were among the county's best families. At the time of this writing George Adams is the owner of more than five hundred acres of land in Johnson county. He began with a very small tract of land, which he inherited from his father's estate and by hard labor and cautious saving has acquired his present splendid country home. Mr. Adams has none to thank but himself for his fine stock farm, for the money which purchased it was made buying and sell- ing sheep and mules. He had at the beginning of his business career much ill fortune and a very gloomy outlook, but in time the tide turned and he began to prosper. Mr. Adams first had success in handling mules. He now is devoting much time to sheep raising, and for the past ten years has been keeping annually one hundred head of Oxfords and for fifteen years has never had any but a pure-bred male at the head of the herd. He sells the lambs and keeps the best to increase the herd and for wool growing. Mr. Adams is partial to the Oxford breed. Scientists in agriculture have pronounced the Oxford the largest of the medium wooled sheep, the best adapted to feed on west pastures, and especially useful to produce mutton lambs to be marketed in early summer, at four and five months of age. He believes the Oxford produces the most as well as the best wool. Mr. Adams also keeps Chester White hogs, which too, are purebred. Mr. Adams has usually four brooed sows and one male and from them obtains two litters of pigs each year, which means that he has ready for market forty to fifty hogs annually. He does not attempt to keep a certain number of mules at any one time, but is con- stantly buying and selling them. Fifteen years past he began raising purebred Shorthorn cattle and at the present time has forty cows and heifers, seventeen yearlings, and twenty-seven head of young calves. At the head of the herd is a purebred male. With the exception of about fifteen acres, all the Adams farm is now under cultivation or in meadow. The residence was built by his father, but additions have since been made to the original log structure. The view from the Adams home is a fine one, taking in the entire farm. Very few farmers in Missouri have as fine barn as is found on the George Adams farm. This barn was built many years ago of black walnut. Thomas Adams construct- ed it from lumber obtained from a mammoth black walnut tree, which grew upon the place and had been blown down. This tree was six feet in diameter and sixty feet to the nearest limb and from it sixteen foot lumber was sawed and used in the building of the barn, which is now standing and is in excellent repair. On New Year's Day, 1889, George Adams and Anne Haller were united in marriage. The parents of Mrs. Adams were natives of Germany, from which country they had emigrated and several years prior to the marriage of their daughter had settled in Johnson county. To George and Anne (Haller) Adams were born six children: Edith, wife of Mr. Skidmore, residing on a farm near the home of her parents; Nellie, wife of Mr. Cronhardt, residing near Knob Nos- ter, Missouri; Lydia, Sarah Anne, Henry H. and George Gaylord, at home. Mr. Adams has always been interested in good roads and the people of his community owe him much for his strenuous efforts in securing the fine highways in their neighborhood. Oak Hill road, which runs for a mile and a half along the Adams farm, was largely built by George Adams. Assistance was not available from the other citizens of the township and, undauntedly, Mr. Adams worked practically alone in its construction. Much praise and credit are due an enterprising citizen, such as he, who can find time from the countless duties devolving upon him in the management of his own private affairs to build without help a highway, which will benefit not only himself but also his neighbors. Mr. and Mrs. Adams are earnest supporters of the Baptist church, of which Mr. Adams has been a worthy elder for many years. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. 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