LYNN ADAMS. Among the progressive and successful agriculturists of Marion County, Arkansas, the name of Lynn Adams is well worthy of mention. He was born in Hopkins County, Kentucky, October 31, 1831, to George and Mariah (Lynn) Adams, the former of whom was also a Kentuckian and a son of James Adams, who came to Marion County at an early day and lived on White River near the mouth of Big North Fork of White River, making his home there until his death, which occurred about 1855. He followed farming and reared a large family of children, of whom George Adams was the eldest. This family are descendants of John Quincy Adams. George Adams was married in Kentucky, in 1835 came to Arkansas and until 1846 resided on a farm on White River, when he located on a farm five miles south of Yellville on which he died in 1854. He was an intelligent man, accumulated some means and for some time held the offices of constable and county treasurer. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Mrs. Adams was a Kentuckian by birth and a daughter of Pitts Lynn. She died in 1883 having become the mother of four sons and six daughters: Lynn, Thena C., Isaac D., Angeline, Hannah, Phcebe, James W., George, Mariah and Mary. The journey from Kentucky to Arkansas was made by wagon, and here the children were reared to a knowledge of farming on their father’s estate, which is now in possession of the subject of this sketch and comprises about 400 acres of exceptionally valuable land, situated about fire miles south of Yellville. Isaac D. was one of the first to volunteer for the Confederate service from Marion County, was with Price on his raid through Missouri, was a participant in many battles and was killed while in the service.
Lynn Adams received but limited educational advantages in his youth, owing to the scarcity of schools at that time and also to the fact that his services were needed on the farm. In 1850 he was married to Miss Susan Swafford, a daughter of John H. and Edie (Prewitt) Swafford, both of whom were natives of the Old North State and came to Marion County, Arkansas, in December, 1849, locating five miles south of Yellville. The father died in 1876 or ‘7 and the mother in 1875, in Texas, both being members of the Missionary Baptist Church. Mr. Swafford held the office of justice of the peace and was one of the early county judges. He was a thrifty farmer, a public-spirited man and reared a family of four sons and seven daughters: Susan, Jonas, Sarah M., Nancy D., Gaston W., Edie I., .John F., Mary E., Thomas C., Easta F and Texa A. Jonas and Gaston were Confederate soldiers.
After residing on a farm in the vicinity of Yellville until 1863, Mr. Adams moved to Missouri and resided in Greene County until the close of the war, when he returned to Arkansas and located on the old Adams homestead, where he has since been successfully engaged in farming and stockraising. In his youth Mr. Adams was very fond of hunting and has killed many bears, deer, wild turkeys, etc., and is still fond of that sport. When he first came to this section the Indians had not yet been moved westward, and he came to understand their ways quite well. He has traveled over the county from one end to the other, and in early times wore moccasins. By his wife, who was born May 20, 1836, he became the father of thirteen children: Sarah A., who died young; Louisa E., who is the widow of Rev. George Wade; Serena J., who died at the age of eighteen years; John Q., who is a farmer and the present county judge of Marion County; Edie P., who is the wife of John Pennington; George D., who is a farmer of this county; Joseph G. is a physician and lives in the Indian Territory; Victoria I. is the wife of T. F. Burton of this county; Adolphus L. died young; Robert L. also died young; Frances E.; Watson P.; and Laura S., wife of J. F. Gilley, of Texas.
Mr. and Mrs. Adams have eighteen grandchildren. They are worthy church members and Mr. Adams has always supported Democratic principles. He took up his home in Yellville in the fall of 1893 and is a member of Yellville Lodge of the A. F. & A. M. The Swaffords were of German descent and William Swafford, the grandfather of Mrs. Adams, was a North Carolinian by birth, but his father came from the old country. The Prewitts came from France and the maternal grandfather of Mrs. Adams was Spencer Prewitt, whose father came to this country and took part in the Revolutionary War.