| Roland Kirk Adair was born November 17, 1855, in Saline
district, Cherokee Nation, son of B. Adair, who before the war
was a prominent merchant at Locust Grove. His grandfather,
Washington Adair, was one of the leading men in the Cherokee
Nation. Mr. Roland Adair was educated at the public schools
until 1874, and in the autumn of the same year entered Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, graduating with honors in
1877. Roland Kirk followed the career of a teacher from that
time until 1881, when he married Miss Rachel Landrum, daughter
of D. D. Landrum, of Delaware district, a prominent citizen. He
then began farming five miles north of Chelsea, Cherokee Nation,
and continued agriculture till April, 1891, when he disposed of his
farm and began merchandising at Chelsea. Prior to his removal
there, he was appointed on the board of town commissioners of
Chelsea, which position he held for two years, and in December,
1891, was elected mayor of the town. By his marriage with Miss Landrum, he has five children—Charles B., born February 19, 1883;
Robert McLeod, born July 4, 1884; David William, born
December 6, 1885; Sue T., born January 6, 1886, and Sadie Kirk,
born July 6, 1889. Mrs. Adair is an intelligent, cultured lady, of
a liberal disposition, and very popular among her friends. Mr.
Adair's mother was a Miss McNair, daughter of Nicholas McNair,
a citizen by marriage. Mr. Adair besides his store, owns a farm
of 150 acres, 50 acres of which are in cultivation, 100 head of
cattle and other property. He is a wide-awake, progressive, and
energetic man, and educated far above the majority, and, it may
be added, that he is one of that type of men whose example
invariably stimulates a new country, or a young settlement, to rapid
development in civilization. |
