F. J. Adams Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1433-1434 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.


	F. J. ADAMS, one of the successful business men and honored 
citizens of White, Brookings county, was born in Cologne, Germany, on 
the 2d of February, 1852, being a son of Joseph and Elizabeth Adams, who 
emigrated to America in 1864, taking up their residence in New York 
city, where he remained two years, the father of the subject being there 
engaged in the bakery business. In 1866 he removed with his family to 
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he was employed in a manufacturing 
establishment until 1871, when he removed to Blue Earth county, 
Minnesota, and took up a tract of government land, near Mankato, being 
one of the pioneers of that section of the state and devoting the 
remainder of his life to agricultural pursuits. His death occurred on 
his home place, in 1900, while his devoted wife passed away in 1896, 
both having been communicants of the Catholic church. 

	The subject of this review was a lad of twelve years at the time 
of the family emigration to America, and his preliminary educational 
discipline had been secured in the excellent schools of the fatherland. 
He thereafter attended school as opportunity afforded, and after coming 
to Minnesota he assisted in the reclamation and cultivation of the 
homestead farm until he had attained the age of seventeen years, when he 
entered upon an apprenticeship at the harnessmaking trade, in Mankato, 
becoming in due time a skilled workman. In 1872 he went to the city of 
St. Paul, where he was engaged in the work of his trade for two years, 
after which he returned to Mankota, where he continued in the work of 
his trade until 1880, when he came to Brookings, South Dakota, where, in 
company with his brother Christ, he opened a harness shop, continuing to 
be associated with the enterprise until 1887, when he disposed of his 
interest to his brother and removed to the village of White, in the same 
county, where he has ever since maintained his home. Here he established 
a harness shop and in the intervening years has built up a good 
business. 

	In politics Mr. Adams has ever given an unqualified allegiance to 
the Republican party, and he has been prominent as a worker in its ranks 
since coming to South Dakota, having been a delegate to various party 
conventions and ever striving to promote the cause. He served for three 
years as a member of the board of county commissioners, was a member of 
the board of aldermen of Brookings for eight years, and has served one 
term on the school board of the village of White. He was reared in the 
faith of the Catholic church, but is not identified with any religious 
body, being liberal and tolerant in his views. Mr. Adams is one of the 
prominent and popular members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in 
the state, and at the time of this writing is an officer in the grand 
lodge of the order, to which same he had previously been a delegate many 
times. He is a member of the encampment of the Odd Fellows and is also 
affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America. While a resident of 
Brookings he was for sixteen years president and manager of the First 
Regimental Band of that city, being an excellent musician. The band 
accompanied the South Dakota editors on their trip to the National Park, 
and also played two weeks at the Columbian Exposition at Chicago. 

	On the 30th of April, 1876, Mr. Adams was united in marriage to 
Miss Lena Kohl, who was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, being a daughter of 
John and Gertrude Kohl, both of whom were born in Germany. To Mr. and 
Mrs. Adams have been born seven children, all of whom are living except 
one: J. F. is the subject of an individual sketch appearing on another 
page of this volume; F. C. died at the age of nineteen years; Gertrude 
is a teacher in the public schools of Brookings county; and Cornelius, 
Walter, Louise and Anthony remain at the parental home.