GEORGE W. ADAMS. One of the prominent and well-to-do agriculturists and stockraisers of Marion Township, Christian County, Missouri, was born in Letcher County, Kentucky, in 1841, to the union of George and Sarah (Frazier) Adams, both natives of Kentucky, it is thought. This worthy couple married in Letcher County, Kentucky, and made their home there until 1854, when they came, by wagon, to Taney, now Christian County, Missouri, being two months on the road. Locating on a small farm, they at once began making improvements, and as the years passed by became the owners of an excellent farm. For one year, in 1859 and 1860, Mr. Adams resided in Arkansas and then returned to Missouri, where his death occurred December 15, 1869. Mrs. Adams died eight days later. Mr. Adams has been twice married and reared a family by his first wife.
Our subject was second in order of birth of five children born to his father’s second union. The others were named as follows: Jane, wife of Thomas Nicholl, of Colorado; Margaret, wife of D. C. Walker, of Douglas County; Ezekiel resides in this county, and Isaac, also of this county. During his youthful days our subject was trained to the duties of the farm and received his education in the common schools. In the year 1863, he was married to Miss Jane Nance, a native of Lawrence County, and the daughter of Samuel and Susannah (Adams) Nance. Mr. Nance was reared in what is now Christian County and died in Lawrence County before the war. To Mr. and Mrs. Adams were born eleven children as follows: Alfred G., Sarah (who died young), Robert, Newton, George, Melvina (who died when a child), John, Bergin, Margaret, Carrie and Harrison.
In the fall of 1864 Mr. Adams joined Company M, Missouri State Militia, as corporal of the Seventy-third Regiment, and operated in southwest Missouri and Arkansas until the close of the war. He was in almost every skirmish. Previous to entering the service, January 7, 1863, he was captured at his home, but was released soon after being taken to Sparta. After the war he settled near his present residence and improved a good farm, but for the past ten years he has been on his present farm near Garrison Post office, eight miles south of Chadwick.
He has 350 acres of fine land and his house and out-buildings are in first-class condition. By industry and close attention to his own affairs, Mr. Adams has reached his present enviable position, and although he started in life with a horse and cow, he now has a good property. For a number of years he has dealt largely in live stock, cattle, hogs, etc., and has been unusually successful in that pursuit. A stanch Republican in his political views, he voted for Abraham Lincoln in 1864. He has never aspired for political positions, but attends strictly to his farming and stockraising interests and perhaps that accounts in a large measure for his success. He is a Mason, a member of Rome Lodge No. 314, Douglas County, now of Ava, and a member of Corporal Doke Post No. 306, at Garrison. Although not a politician he earnestly supports his party and is public spirited and enterprising. He is acknowledged by all to be one of the leading farmers of his township.