KSGenWeb Digital Library Biographical Sketch of Henry S. Adams Brown County, Kansas

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The following transcription is from a 750 page book titled "Genealogical and Biographical Record of North-Eastern Kansas, dated 1900.  These have been diligently transcribed and generously contributed by Penny R. Harrell, please give her a very big Thank You for her hard work!

Henry S. Adams is one of our well known, intelligent and enterprising citizens of Mission township, Brown county, who during the civil war loyally aided in defense of the Union, and since that time, through days of peace, he has been most earnest in his advocacy of all measures that he believes calculated to promote the welfare of the county, state and nation.

He was born in Parke county, Indiana, May 2, 1836, and is a son of Daniel Adams, whose birth occurred in Pulaski county, Kentucky on the 14th of February, 1809, and was raised in Rockcastle county, Kentucky.  The Adams family is of English lineage and was founded in America in early colonial days by ancestors who settled at or near Jamestown, Virginia.  The members of the family were Whigs and loyal patriots who suffered much at the hands of the Tories during the time of the Revolution.

The grandfather, William Adams, was a native of Tennessee. Daniel Adams, the father of our subject, was reared in Rockcastle county, Kentucky, where he remained until he had attained his majority, at which time he removed to Parke county, Indiana, to work on the National pike which was being built from Washington, D. C., to St. Louis, Missouri.

He was married, in July, 1835, in Parke county to Miss Mary Beauchamp, whose birth occurred in or near Richmond, Wayne county, Indiana, September 8, 1817.  She was a daughter of Henry Beauchamp, who was born on the eastern Maryland shore, September 6, 1776.

His ancestors came originally from France and first settled on the east shore of Maryland, and later moved to Guilford, North Carolina.  Henry Beauchamp married Miss Catherine McLain, who was born in Cumberland county, September 16, 1784, and died October 24, 1866, at Andrews, Indiana.

Her parents were Scotch.  The father of our subject was born February 14, 1809, and died at Kappa, Howard county, Indiana, on July 19, 1898.  He had made farming his life work; in politics was a Democrat and in religious belief was a Baptist.  His wife passed away April 2, 1847, leaving a family of four children, the eldest being Henry S., of this review.  The second is Phoebe, wife of G. W. Davis, of Baker, Kansas; J. H., is a resident of Powhattan, Kansas, where he has served as postmaster and during the civil war he was among the boys in blue; and John Q., was also one of the honored veterans of the Civil War who served with the Fourth Indiana Cavalry and died several years ago, in Huntington county, Indiana, leaving a widow and two children.

After the death of the mother of this family the father married Indiana Hart, and they became the parents of five children, two sons and three daughters, namely: Mrs. Elizabeth House, deceased; Thomas, who is living in Polk county, Iowa; Mrs. Harry Vernon, of Cass county, Indiana; Mrs. Orinda Griffith, of Kappa, Howard county, Indiana; and Wesley, deceased.

Henry S. Adams, of this review, spent his early life in Parke, Huntington and Cass counties, of Indiana, and soon became familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist.  He worked in the fields through the summer months and in the winter season pursued his education in the public schools.

In 1855 he removed to Clarke county, Iowa, and in 1857 went to Leavenworth, Kansas, where he secured a situation as driver of a government team in the service of Levi Wilson and Col. Joe Johnston.  This was engaged in making transfers for the government and belonged to the government supply train.  Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston and Colonel Canby were with the train.

Our subject drove a six mule team across the plains on the way to Salt Lake.  They spent the winter at Fort Bridger and experienced considerable difficulty in making the journey.  Their rations were rather scant consisting of ten ounces of flour and rice and no salt.  A tough old oxen would furnish beef, but the meat did not prove very nutritious, owing to the age of the animal.  On the return trip the government team brought back the baggage.  The men purchased ponies and thus rode back to Leavenworth, Kansas.

On the 1st of September, 1858, Mr. Adams was discharged from the government employ and returned to Indiana.  During the Civil War, however, he responded to the call for troops, enlisting on the 24th of October, 1861, as a member of Company E, Forty-seventh Indiana Infantry, under command of Captain Wintrode.  He served for three years and participated in the battle of Champion Hills, where he was wounded in May, 1863, a minie ball striking his right eye and destroying it.  He was also taken prisoner, but was paroled by General Joe Johnston.  After remaining in a St. Louis hospital for a time he was sent to a parole camp at Indianapolis, Indiana, where he had charge of a ward for several months.  After a long and faithful service of three years and six weeks he was honorably discharged with the rank of corporal.

Mr. Adams then returned to his old home in Indiana.  On the 11th of March, 1860, prior to the war, he was married to Miss Mary L. Small, a lady of good family, who has been to him a faithful companion and helpmate on life's journey for forty years.  She was born at Jonesborough, Grant county, Indiana, December 13, 1842.  Her father was Jonas B. Small, born near Newport, Randolph county, Indiana, February 18, 1822, died near Antioch (now Andrews), Huntington county, Indiana, March 22, 1863. Her mother, Matilda (Beauchamp) Small, was born near Dublin, Wayne county, Indiana, October 17, 1824, and died near Andrews, Indiana, January 17, 1880.  She was a daughter of Russ Beauchamp, who resided in North Carolina and was of Quaker faith.  Mrs. Adams' maternal grandmother was Hannah (Lamb) Beauchamp, daughter of Josiah and Namon (Underhill) Lamb, of Newcastle, Indiana. The paternal grandfather was Joshua Small, born in Pasquotank county, North Carolina, March 3, 1797, and died at Jonesborough, Grant county, Indiana, April 23, 1861.  He married Jane Bowen, who was born in Randolph county, Indiana, September 22, 1803 and died in Dallas county, Iowa, November 29, 1858.  The great-grandfather of Mrs. Adams was Joseph Small, born in Pasquotank county, North Carolina, April 26, 1767 and died in Highland county, Ohio, on August 28, 1814.  He married Clarkey Parisho, who lived to an advanced age and died in Grant county, Indiana.  The great-great-grandfather was Obediah Small, of Welsh descent, who married Lydia Bundy.  They lived in Pasquotank county, North Carolina, where all his children were born.

Nothing further of his life is known by his descendants.  The father of Mrs. Adams died at the age of forty-one years, leaving seven children, namely: Mrs. Mary Adams; Mrs. Hannah Rayl, deceased; Rev. Curtis B., a minister of the gospel of the United Brethren church and a veteran of the Civil War, who served with the One Hundred and Thirtieth Indiana Infantry, and is now living at Farmland, Indiana; William P., of Andrews, Indiana; Mrs. Melissa Sheidler, of Smith county, Kansas; and Luther, of Denver, Colorado.  The mother of this family died at the age of fifty-five years, surviving her husband for some time.

During his business career James Small followed merchandising and milling.  In politics he was a Republican and in religious faith in early life was a Quaker, but later joined the United Brethren church.

In 1865, Mr. Adams, of this review, removed with his family to Dallas county, Iowa, taking up his abode near Adell, where he remained for four years, when he came to Kansas, establishing his home in Doniphan county.  Later he journeyed southward in a "prairie schooner" to Texas, but retraced his steps as far as the Indian territory, and there spent one year in the Creek Nation reservation.  In 1871 he returned to Doniphan county, Kansas, where he remained for two years when he went to Jewell county, this state, and secured a claim, upon which he made his home for three years.

He at one time went on a prospecting tour through Arkansas and Missouri, after which he returned to Doniphan county and the following year came to his present farm in Mission township, Brown county. Here he has one hundred and eighty-six acres of good land, the place being transformed into rich and fertile fields.  He has also a good residence, substantial barn, verdant pastures, an orchard and a grove.  Everything about the place is neat and thrifty in appearance and indicates the careful supervision of a progressive and practical agriculturist.

This home is pleasantly situated about two miles from Powhattan, and in addition to this property Mr. Adams owns one hundred and sixty acres of land in Sherman county, Kansas.  He and his wife have a family of five children who are still living, namely: Olive May, wife of J. B. McConnell, of Wheeling, West Virginia; Daniel, who married Amanda McCrery of Mission township, Brown county, Kansas; Anna, wife of Nelson Walters of Mission township; Alvin L., who married Miss Grace Bogue, of same township; and J. H., who married Miss Susie Van Vleit, who is living on the home farm.  They also lost two children: Martin L., who was born in June, 1861 and died August 13, 1885; and Mary Matilda, who was the wife of William Beauchamp, and died in Mission township, in 1895.

In his political views Mr. Adams is a Republican who keeps well informed on the issues of the day and gives an earnest and effective support to the party.  He has served as township treasurer and was postmaster at Emitt when there was an office there.  His life is actuated by honorable principles and by fidelity to every duty. He is an intelligent, well read, affable and genial farmer, recognized as one of the popular citizens of his township and county.

Last update: Friday, July 18, 2003 20:22:13

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