HISTORY OF KENTUCKY, by Lewis Collins, and J.A. & U.P. James, 
published 1847.  Reprinted by Henry Clay Press, Lexington, Ky., 1968, 
pp. 165-166 [Mercer county].

General JOHN ADAIR, in honor of whom this county received its name, was 
born in South Carolina, in the year 1757.  His character was formed in 
the trying times and admidst the thrilling incidents of the Revolution.  
At an early age, he entered the army as a volunteer, was made prisoner 
by the British, and as usual, treated with savage cruelty, having been 
thrown into prison and subjected to every species of insult and hardship 
that the ingenuity of his captors could devise.
     In 1786 he emigrated to Kentucky, and settled in Mercer county.  
In the border war which raged with so much fury on the north-western 
frontier, General (then Major) Adair was an active and efficient 
officer, and frequently engaged with the Indians.  One incident of this 
nature merits a relation.  On the sixth of Novembr 1792, Major Adair, at 
the head of a detachment of mounted volunteers, from Kentucky, while 
encamped in the immediate vicinity of Ft. St. Clair, twenty-six miles 
south of Greenville, near where Eaton, the county seat of Preble county, 
Ohio, now stands, was suddenly and violently attacked by a large party 
of Indians, who rushed on the encampment with great fury.  A bloody 
conflict ensued, during which Major Adair ordered Lieutenant Madison, 
with a small party to gain the right flank of the enemy, if possible, 
and at the same time gave an order for Lieutenant Hall to attack their 
left, but learning that that [sic] officer had been slain, the Major 
with about twenty-five of his men made the attack in person, with a view 
of sustaining Lieutenant Madison.
     The pressure of this movement caused the enemy to retire.  They 
were driven about six hundred yards, through and beyond the American 
camp, where they made a stand, and again fought desperately.  At this 
juncture about sixty of the Indians made an effort to turn the right 
flank of the whites.  Major Adair forseeing the consequencies of this 
maneuvre [sic], found it necessary to order a retreat. That movement was 
effected with regularity, and as was expected, the Indians pursued 
them to their camp, where a halt was made, and another severe battle was 
fought, in which the Indians suffered severely, and were driven from the 
ground.  In this affair six of the whites were killed, five wounded, and 
four missing.  Among the wounded were Lieutenant (afterwards Govenor) 
George Madison, and Colonel Richard Taylor, the father of the present 
Major General Zachary Taylor, the hero of Palo Alto, Monterey, Buena 
Vista, &c.
     The Indians on this occasion, were commanded by the celebrated 
Little Turtle. Some years afterwards, in 1805-06, when General Adair was 
Register of the land office in Frankfort, Captain William Wells, Indian 
agent, passed through that place, on his way to Washington city, 
attended by some Indians, among whom was the chief, Little Turtle.  
General Adair called on his old antagonist, and in the course of the 
conversation, the incident above related, being alluded to, Gen. Adair 
attributed is defeat to his having been taken by surprise. The little 
[sic] Turtle immediately remarked with great pleasantness, "a good 
general is never taken by surprise."
     In 1807, Major Adair's popularity underwent a temporary 
obscuration from his supposed connection with the treasonable enterprise 
of Burr.  His conduct and opinions became the subject of much 
speculation, and the public got to regard him with an eye of some 
suspicion.  But is now generally believed that General Adair's course in 
that affair was predicated upon an opinion that Colonel Burr's plans 
were approved by the government, which at that time contemplated a war 
with Spain.  General Adair's opinions and associations at that day, 
placed him with the federal party, among whom he stood deservedly high.
     In the campaign of 1813 he accompanied Governor Shelby into 
Canada, as an aid, and was present in that capacity at the battle of the 
Thames.  His conduct during this campaign was such as to draw from his 
superior officers an expression of their approbation, and his name was 
honorably mentioned in the report to the war department.  Governor 
Shelby afterwards conferred upon him the appointment of adjutant general 
of the Kentucky troops, with the brevet rank of brigadier general, in 
which character he commanded the Kentuckians in the glorious battle of 
New Orleans.  The acrimonious controversy between him and General 
Jackson, growing out of the imputations cast by the latter on the 
conduct of the Kentucky troops on that eventful day, is fresh in the 
recollection of all.
      In 1820, he was elected governor of Kentucky, in opposition to 
Judge Logan, Governor Desha, and Colonel Butler.  He was often a member 
of the State legislature, and on several occasions was speaker of that 
body.  In 1805 he was elected to the senate of the United States, from 
Kentucky, for the term of one year.  In 1831 he was elected to congress, 
and served in the house of representatives from 1831 to 1833, inclusive.
     General Adair, in all the situations, military and civil, to which 
he was elevated by his countrymen, discharged his duties in such a 
manner as to command the respect and confidence of his fellow citizens.  
He was a brave soldier, an active, viligant and efficient officer - a 
politician of sound principles and enlarged views, and an ardent 
patriot.  Among the early pioneers of Kentucky, he deseverdly occupies a 
prominent place and a high rank.  He died on the 19th of May, 1840, at 
the advanced age of 83 years.

Adair Madison Hall Taylor Burr Shelby Jackson Logan Desha Butler
=
Adair-KY SC Preble-OH Spain Washington-DC LA

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/mercer/adair.j.txt