Hood River-Yamhill County OR Archives Biographies.....Adams, M. D., W. L. February 5, 1821 - April 26, 1906
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Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com February 1, 2011, 4:10 pm

Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 835 - 837
Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

     W. L. ADAMS, M. D.  Casting in his lot with the pioneer settlers of the 
Hood River valley, Dr. W. L. Adams not only achieved success and prominence in 
his profession but also figured conspicuously in other walks of life and was 
long a leader of public thought and action in Oregon. Wit and learning were 
blended in his attributes. He saw clearly, revolved in deep thought that which 
he saw, and spoke his conclusions without fear or hesitancy. His nature was 
one to which only that which is uplifting made appeal and his cooperation was 
always given to those projects which promote intellectual, social and moral 
progress. The following account of his brilliant career was written by Fred 
Lockley and published in the Oregon Daily Journal of December 3, 1926:

     "Dr. Adams was born in Painesville, Ohio, February 5, 1821. He was a 
graduate of Bethany College in Virginia and was a convert of Alexander 
Campbell. In 1848 he crossed the plains to Oregon and during the late '40s and 
the early '50s he taught school in Yamhill county, later becoming a probate 
judge. He purchased the Oregon Spectator at Oregon City in 1858; that is, he 
purchased its physical aspects, including the press, type, etc., and founded 
the Argus. This paper was one of the dominating influences in the political 
life of Oregon and was largely instrumental in the formation of the republican 
party in this state.

     "Dr. Adams was one of the most versatile men who ever came to Oregon. He 
was a Greek and Hebrew student of unusual ability and an editor who wielded a 
trenchant and vigorous pen. As a minister he was known far and wide for his 
eloquence and in later years he practiced medicine and conducted a sanitarium. 
In old libraries you will occasionally run across a booklet 
entitled 'Breakspeare,' which consists of thirty-two double column pages, 
illustrated with crude woodcuts. It is a melodrama in five acts. Dr. Adams, 
the author, satirizes Judge Pratt, Judge Deady, A. L. Lovejoy, William King, 
J. Quinn Thornton, Asahel Bush and also Avery, Waymire, Parker, Wilson, 
Waterman and Backenstos. Though he made his victims writhe, this melodrama was 
read with great appreciation by the public. Dr. Adams was also the author 
of 'The History of Medicine and Surgery From the Earliest Times,' which was 
published in Portland in 1888 and which is a very ably written book. His 
daughter showed me a dozen or more diplomas which he had received from various 
medical colleges and other institutions. Later we looked over the old family 
Bible together, and I read there, in the handwriting of Dr. Adams, the history 
of the Adams family. Mrs. Mortimer also showed me her father's commissions as 
collector of customs, signed by his personal friend, Abraham Lincoln. To look 
over Dr. Adams' old scrapbooks and old correspondence is like seeing the great 
figures of Oregon's past march in procession before one.

     "What a history of Oregon, Dr. Adams could have written if he had cared 
to do so. What a history of Oregon journalism he could have written, for he 
knew all of the early-day editors and writers intimately. W. D. Craig, one of 
Oregon's ablest writers and for many years owner and editor of the Salem 
Statesman, was a former partner of Dr. Adams. I picked up one of Dr. Adams' 
old account books and, opening the pages idly, I ran across the following 
letter, which gives an interesting sidelight on Oregon journalism of sixty 
years ago. The letter is from D. W. Craig and is dated at Salem, Wednesday 
morning, November 4, 1863. It is addressed to Dr. Adams and reads as follows:

     "'I take a little time to drop you a line this morning, thinking the 
stage has not yet arrived. Dr. Warren is getting somewhat better, though he is 
still very low. His spirits are much better. Gale has not returned yet and, 
from what I hear, will not be back for two or three days. His absence and that 
of Ed, who was sick and went home, left me with none but George to issue the 
paper. Hiring help was too extensive for me, so I concluded to issue a 
supplement merely, containing the remainder of the laws, and am now about 
closing up work in the Argus office. Last week I spent a good deal of time on 
the Statesman. Its appearance, I think, is altered a little for the better, 
and more change will be apparent as time passes. We were very much hurried 
last week. Of the character of the new journal you can judge for yourself on 
reading it. The present arrangement is only temporary. What course will be 
permanently adopted I can't just now tell. The original corporators are 
Huntington, Ben Simpson, Mallory, Terry, Crandall and Craig. Since then stock 
has been subscribed as follows, the capital stock being ten thousand dollars, 
shares five hundred dollars each: Judge Williams one share; Terry one share; 
J. B. Condon, the Indian agent, one share; Elijah Williams one share; 
Huntington two shares; Waite two shares; Mallory one share; Craig three 
shares; Gale three shares, and one more, which I think was taken by Huntington 
or Simpson. You can form some idea of how the thing will be conducted, from 
the above. I think the paper will run measurably on the right track, though it 
may not take as high grounds as the Argus did. My hopes now are that it will 
eventually work into the right hands, which will bring it up to the proper 
standard. But I must close. Soon I will write you again in relation to the 
matter. We will be down next summer. Yours truly, D. W. Craig.'

     "In Galesburg, Knox county, Illinois, Dr. Adams was married August 25, 
1844, to Miss Frances Olivia Goodell. She was a daughter of Able Goodell and 
was born in Harmony, Somerset county, Maine, October 5, 1821. Their first 
child, Inez Eugenia Adams, was born in Mons Felicitatis, Henderson county, 
Illinois, October 15, 1845. Helen Elizabeth was born at Galesburg, January 5, 
1848. William Harmon was born in Yamhill county, Oregon, March 12, 1851, and 
on October 13, 1875, was married in Portland to Olive S. Pagett. Julia Frances 
Adams was born in Yamhill county August 16, 1853. Gaines Melancthon was born 
June 26, 1856, at Oregon City. Arthur Craig was born October 24, 1859, in 
Yamhill county and his twin sister was named Annie Cecelia. Claribelle M., the 
youngest in a family of eight children, was born May 30, 1862, in Astoria, 
Oregon. After the death of his first wife Dr. Adams married Miss Mary Susan 
Mosier, a daughter of Jonah Mosier, in whose honor the town of Mosier, Oregon, 
was named. The daughter was born January 22, 1855, at The Dalles and was 
married October 22, 1881, at Walla Walla, Washington, the ceremony being 
performed by Judge J. D. Laymon. On April 26, 1906, Dr. Adams was called to 
his final rest and his second wife passed away December 11, 1922. They were 
the parents of two children: Percival Lysander, who was born May 26, 1884, and 
was graduated from the Oregon Agricultural College and the Massachusetts 
Institute of Technology; and Lenore Evelyn."

     The daughter was born April 12, 1891, and attended the public schools of 
Hood River, continuing her studies in Portland Academy. She was married August 
12, 1916, to Edwin Banks Mortimer, a son of Charles and Doletha (Banks) 
Mortimer, natives respectively of Wisconsin and of Pennsylvania. The death of 
Charles Mortimer occurred in 1892 and his widow now lives in Austin, Texas. 
They had two children, the elder of whom is Mrs. Lulu Carter and resides in 
Richmond, Virginia.

     Edwin Banks Mortimer was born November 18, 1890, in Wisconsin and 
completed his high school education in Minnesota. In 1910 he came to Oregon 
and spent a few years on the farm of his grandparents near Hood River. After 
his marriage he went to Montana and was engaged in the automobile business at 
Butte for a year. At the end of that time he returned to Oregon and enlisted 
at Portland in 1917. He joined the aviation corps and was stationed in Texas, 
there remaining until the close of the war, when he was honorably discharged. 
In 1918 he returned to Portland, resuming his activities as a dealer in 
automobiles, and was thus engaged for about two years. Since 1920 he has 
maintained an insurance office in Hood River, representing a number of old and 
reliable firms, and has established a large business, which is systematically 
and efficiently conducted. Mrs. Mortimer is capably managing the old Adams 
ranch, appropriately named Paradise Farm. The land is highly improved and a 
large portion of the estate is devoted to the production of fine fruit. For 
many years the residence on this property was one of the show places of the 
Hood River valley. The mansion contains more than twenty rooms and is 
surrounded by many acres of ground, beautifully landscaped. Mr. and Mrs. 
Mortimer are the parents of a son, Billy Adams, who was born May 4, 1917, and 
is a public school pupil. Mr. Mortimer belongs to Hood River Lodge, of the 
Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, and is a past commander of Hood River 
Post, No. 22, of the American Legion. Mr. and Mrs. Mortimer manifest a keen 
interest in community affairs and possess those qualities which inspire strong 
and enduring regard.

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