Biographical Sketch of John A. Adams, Johnson County, Missouri, Montserrat Township. >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** John A. Adams, one of Johnson county's most honored pioneers and a member of one of the best and most respected of the early families of this state, was born October 16, 1841, at the Adams homestead in John- son county. He is a son of Judge Daniel Adams, one of the leading, influential citizens of Johnson county in the early days, and Susan (McClary) Adams, daughter of Elijah McClary, an esteemed pioneer of Howard county, Missouri. Judge Daniel Adams was born December 18, 1813 in Wilkes county, North Carolina, on his father's plantation, which was located on the south side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. He was a son of John Adams, Sr., a native of North Carolina, who was a member of the renowned Adams family of Virginia, his father being a native of that state. The great-great-grandfather of John A. Adams, of this review, was a veteran of the Revolutionary War, serving with a regiment from Maryland. The soldiers were then paid in shillings instead of dollars as are the soldiers of today. John Adams, Sr., a prosperous planter of the south, was a soldier in 1812-13 in Captain Martin's Company, North Carolina Militia. He moved with his family to Missouri in 1834 and settled on a large tract of land on Bear creek. The remaining years of his life were spent on his farm in this state and his death occurred in June, 1870. To Judge Daniel and Susan Adams were born twelve child- ren: John A., of this review; Anna E., Jane, William P., Christina C., Elijah M., Susan E., Thomas R., Clara E., Robert H., Mary F., and James L. Judge Adams was the owner of a farm in Johnson county, the place comprising 280 acres of valuable land, all well fenced and improved. In 1852, he was elected a justice of the peace of Johnson county, for his township, and he served many years in that office, being re-elected. He was elected judge of the county court in 1866 and served two terms in that office, being re-elected. For several years, Judge Adams was township clerk and the school director for his district. Both he and his wife were earnest and consistent Christians and worthy church mem- bers. Judge and Mrs. Adams were splendid types of noble, brave pioneers, whose lives spent in honest, patient labor are well worth emulating. John A. Adams obtained his education in a "subscription school," for there were no public schools in Missouri until after the Civil War. John Adams, Sr., Daniel Adams, Abraham Adams, and John Jones secured a donation of one hundred dollars from the different settlers of the community, with which a building was erected on the farm belonging to John Adams, Sr. In this rude structure, both school and church services were held until 1870, when the present school house replaced the primitive one, which is still standing. There was a large fireplace on one side of the room and there were puncheon benches for the children, arranged around the other three sides of the room. The old Adams home, which was built in 1840, also still remains on the home place, where a brother and a sister of John A. Adams now reside. When the Civil War broke out, John A. Adams enlisted with Company B, Twenty- seventh Missouri Infantry, in July, 1861, under Colonel Ben Grover. He later, April 1, 1862, enlisted and served three years in Company G, Seventh Missouri Cavalry Regiment. Mr. Adams was in active service three years and seven months. He was mustered out and honorably dis- charged April 20, 1865. His regiemtn ahd been kept in Kansas and Ark- ansas practically all the time. Colonel John F. Phillips was commander. After the war had ended, Mr. Adams returned to the farm and has ever since been engaged in the pursuits of agriculture. He is now owner of 80 acres of land in Montserrat township. He owned at one time a much larger tract of land but has shared with his sons in order to keep them near him. Annually, John A. Adams has a large herd of fine grade cattle. He raises pure-bred Shorthorns and keeps a registered male at the head of the herd. He also raises pure-bread Hampshire hogs. Mr. Adams has long been interested in the subject of tiling. When just a lad, he read an article concerning the use of tile in Illinois and, being a bright and observing youth, he noticed the ill results of poor drainage on his father's farm and he often made the statement that when he became a man and owned a farm, his farm would be tiled. He has kept his word. At the time he owned his first small tract of land, Mr. Adams began to seriously study the different methods of tiling and from his study, observation, and experience, he has developed the present excellent combination method of using sewer and drain tile now found in successful use on his farm. At first, he used old rails and rocks and that was about 1878, when few farmers were paying much attention to drainage. Several years later, he began on Christmas week and for three months laid tile on his place. He had learned that the soil must be kept from washing away or soon he would have no place left, so after laying the tile, he filled the ditch, an innovation in those days. Mr. Adams has now one of the best drained farms in the county. Most of his place is rich bottom land. The scene from the Adams residence is beau- tiful, for from the doorway one can look out over the surrounding country as far as the vision will reach. In 1866, John A. Adams and Miss Mack, daughter of Godfrey Mack, were united in marriage and to them were born the following children: Benjamin F., born February 19, 1868, now of Montserrat township; Margaret A., born December 31, 1869, the wife of F. Wagner, of Eldon, Missouri; Sophronia J., born December 12, 1871, the wife of Daniel Burfend; Archie G., born December 1, 1873, of Absarokee, Montana; Jessie E., born September 8, 1875, the wife of Mr. George, of Montana; Fred S., born October 5, 1877, of Montana; Frances E., born September 18, 1879, the wife of Mr. Thorp. of Havi- land, Kansas; John A., Jr., born November 4, 1881, of Billings, Montana; Effie E., born December 18, 1883, now the wife of Mr. Fitzgerald, of Warrensburg, Missouri; and Elmer E., born April 2, 1888, who lives at home with his parents. Both Mr. and Mrs. Adams are worthy members of the Methodist church, of which Mr. Adams has been an esteemed and valued trustee 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. 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