Adams, Jefferson


HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS DESCRIPTIVE OF ITS SCENERY,
AND
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF SOME OF ITS PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.

Published by Brink, McDonough & Co., Philadelphia 1879
Page 261

JEFFERSON ADAMS

One among the oldest settlers in Macoupin county, was born in Henry county, Kentucky, November 22d, 1823. He was the son of Horatio and Sytha Adams. His father was also a native of Henry county, Kentucky, and married at the age of twenty-two, and for eight years afterwards followed farming in that state. In 1829 he emigrated with his family to Illinois, and settled in Clay county, where he lived two years; then removed to Greene county, where he remained until 1835; he then came to Macoupin county, and settled in the north-east part of what is now Bird township; at that time there were very few settlers in this locality. He followed the life of a farmer, in which avocation he was very successful; he died at the residence of his son, the subject of our sketch, near Medora, August 26th 1873; his wife preceded him, eight months to a day. He raised a family of ten children, five boys and five girls. Mr. J. Adams being the second, he assisted his father on the farm until near of age, when he married Miss Emmiline Peebles, September 12th, 1854. She was a daughter of Bird Peebles, also an early settler of this county, and a Kentuckian by birth. They have had seven children, all of which are deceased. After Mr. Adams' marriage he began farming, his father giving him some assistance. HE first began in Bird township, in the spring of 1845, where he continued until 1851, when he sold his farm, and invested the money in merchandize, and carried on a store in Carlinville until 1856; his new calling proved unsuccessful, and from 1856 to 160, he was engaged farming. He then took a trip to the Rocky Mountains, and spent nearly a year there; on his return he began farming again in Bird township, where he was engaged until 1865; he then emigrated into the state of Iowa, with the intention of remaining, and making his home in that state, but after five years he returned to his old associates in Macoupin county. His return was in 1870. He went to Chesterfield township, where he rented two years, and afterwards moved into Shipman township. He then moved into South Otter township - this being in 1874 - where he has since remained, and followed farming. He has a neat little farm, a view of which can be seen elsewhere in this work. Mr. Adams has experienced some very narrow escapes during his lifetime. The following incident occurred to him in 1854, when a passenger upon the steamboat "Kate Kearney," plying between St. Louis and Alton. The boiler of the steamer exploded, killing between forty and fifty person. Scarcely any of the boat remained but the hull. Many others of the passengers were severely injured, but Mr. Adams escaped without a scratch. He is a republican in politics; both himself and wife are members of the Methodist church.
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