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 to 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.
