History of Early Pioneer Families of Hood River, Oregon. Compiled by Mrs. D.M. Coon

WILLIAM L. ADAMS AND FAMILY

     Sebastian Adams, the father of William L. Adams, was born at Salisbury, Vermont. He was the owner of a number of sailing vessels which operated on the great lakes. He fought in the war of 1812 and served in the Indian campaign under General Harrison. He married Eunice of Rutland, Vt. She was a descendent of Ethan Allen, the Revolutionary hero. Their family consisted of three sons and five daughters. William was born in Painesville, Ohio, Feb. 5, 1821. In 1823 Captain Adams moved his family to a farm on the shores of lake Erie and in 1835 moved to Jonesville, Hillsdale Co., Michigan, where he followed lumbering and fishing. He purchased a large tract of timber land at the rate of $1.25 per acre. In 1837 a financial panic swept the country and the value of his holdings depreciated. His need for money was so great that he sold this land at ten cents per acre and was enabled to pay his debts and have $300 left.
     There were no schools near and the children had to go from home to obtain an education. William attended the Milan Academy at Milan, Ohio for a time. When the family moved from Michigan to Illinois, William walked the entire distance 350 miles, to Canton where a college was about to be started. He carried all his possessions in a cotton handkerchief. He started with a five dollar piece and a twenty five cent piece and reached his destination with $4.75. William Adams was the only student to appear and the college was abandoned. He then walked from Canton Ill, to Galesburg where he entered Knox College. His earthly possessions at that time consisted of an extra cotton shirt and an extra pair of socks, a Greek and Latin grammar and a copy of Day's Algebra. He paid his way through college by working in the harvest fields and teaching during his vacation.
     Bethany College in Virginia was under the supervision of Alexander Campbell and William Adams decided to go there. He had $17 left from his earnings, most of which he spent for a new suit and then walked from Galesburg Ill., to Bethany, Va. He arrived at his destination with 25 cents. President Campbell learned of his financial straights and invited him to become a member of his household and his offer was gladly accepted.
     William Adams had a retentive memory and a keen intellect and carried off the highest honors at the college. He was invited to become a member of the American Literary Institute but had not the necessary fee ($2.50). The members learning of his dilemma, suspended the rules, voted him in as a member and elected him to deliver the oration on Commencement Day.
     On August 28, 1844 he was married to Frances Olivia Goodell, a classmate and graduate of Knox College. Her mother's maiden name was Betsy Newell, her father, Deacon Abel Goodell was of Puritan ancestry, industrious and strictly honest. In 1833 her parents moved to Henderson County, Illinois, settling 9 miles front Galesburg where Frances entered Knox College and graduated with honors. She taught her first school when fourteen years of age, "boarding around" with her pupils and making lifelong friends in the settlement. One of her early pupils said of her in after years: "She had the sweetest disposition of any one I ever knew". Both Mr. and Mrs. Adams were fond of literature and read much but he despised fiction and, thereby lost some of the best thoughts of many writers. Both were ready writers; she was modest and retiring, he was bold and assertive and self confident with a keen witty style. He published his writings extensively yet he depended on her to verify his work and assist him. On May 1, 1848 with their two children, Inez and Helen, they started across the plains to Oregon. Their household goods were conveyed in a covered wagon drawn by two oxen, while tied to the wagon behind was a cow named Rose who is entitled to special mention as she furnished food for the babies all the way across, and when one of the oxen died in the Cascade Mountains Rose was put in his place and helped to draw the wagon to the Willamette Valley where she lived ten years longer, ridden and petted by the children. In crossing the plains Mrs. Adams walked more than half the time to save the tired oxen. In coming down Laurel Hill the wagons had to be chained together and Mrs. Adams carried her two babies down by carrying one a short distance and then going back after the other. At one place she left eleven months old Helen where she thought she would be safe and hurried back up the hill for Inez, meeting a band of Indians on their way down. She became terror stricken when she saw the Indians gather in a circle around the baby and hurried to the rescue, to find that the Indians were only guarding her child until her return. With tears in her eyes she thanked thorn and they smiled and rode away, waving their hands.
     The family located near McMinnville and that winter Mr. Adams taught a very successful school, using a room in Dr. McBride's house for a school room. In the spring he went to the gold mines in California. His manner of starting for the mines revealed bravery that bordered on recklessness, he with two others built a small skiff at Oregon City and started to Astoria to catch the ship Jeanette for California. A storm wrecked their frail craft in Cathlamet bay and the passengers swam ashore and made their way to Astoria on foot, reaching there in time to catch their ship for California. He returned in August with sufficient gold dust to pay off all his debts. In 1850 Mr. Adams ran for probate judge of Yamhill county on the Whig ticket and was elected. In 1852 he again went to California going overland and finding good returns at Yreka. In 1855 he purchased the Spectator press from D.J. Schnebly and started the Oregon Argus at Oregon City. W.D. Craig was foreman and Inez and Helen Adams learned to set type and worked in the office two years. Others who worked in the office were Carey W. Johnson, later a prominent lawyer. Henry Hill who was one of the first carriers for the Oregonian and later worked on that paper. He was a stepson of Stephen Coffin. Henry Markham, a brother of Edwin Markham, was printer's devil; he, like his brother Edwin, had an intense love for poetry.
     In 1865 Mr. Adams ran for state senator for Clackamas County and was elected. So vitriolic were his editorials in the Argus that many times his life was threatened. These editorials were directed against the "slavocrats" as he called those who sympathized with slavery. He made the first call for a Republican convention ever made in Oregon. Abraham Lincoln was a subscriber to the Argus and greatly admired his pungent editorials.
     Shortly after President Lincoln's inauguration he appointed Mr. Adams collector of customs at Astoria. In 1861 the family moved to their new residence, remaining there during his term of office. Soon after assuming the duties of his office he discovered that the officers of the California Steamship Co. were smuggling merchandise from Victoria and evading the customs duties, he seized several of their steamships, and soon had $345,000 put up as forfeiture money, deposited in the bank of California. He received a vote of thanks from the Oregon legislature for his efficiency and Secretary McCulloch of Washington sent word that he was the best treasury officer on the Pacific Coast. In 1866 the treasury department sent word for him to take all money on hand to be deposited in San Francisco. He took the money, more than $80,000 in a trunk which was placed in his room on the steamer. As he was eating his breakfast one morning, $20,500 was stolen. A search was made at once but nothing was found. Later the steward was arrested in New York and $11,000 recovered. Twenty years later the officials appointed by Grover Cleveland brought suit against Mr. Adams to recover the amount but the suit was decided against them. In 1867 Mr. Adams resigned and the follow-ing year went back to Washington, D.C. From there he sailed to South America, visiting Peru, Bolivia and other countries. He spent nearly two years traveling along the Atlantic seaboard, delivering lectures on Oregon. He left Portland with $4,600, traveled for two and a half years, lecturing extensively, and reached Yamhill County with $2.50 in his pocket.
     In 1873 he went to Philadelphia to study medicine, received his degree, practiced a short time in the east and then opened an office in Portland. He bought land in Hood River and built a sanitarium. Three sons and five daughters had been born to them. Inez had become Mrs. W.W. Parker of Astoria. Helen was known as Mrs. J.W. Johnson of Portland. Their oldest son, Wm. Adams was in business for himself in Portland, and had married Olive Paget. Arthur, the youngest son, died while the family lived in Astoria.
     When the sanitarium was completed Dr. Adams erected a neat cottage, and to this home Mrs. Adams and her children came, and an effort was made to establish a real home in their new environments. Four children were still at home with their educations incomplete and after a year's time spent in Hood River they returned to Portland and then to Eugene for educational advantages. Professor Johnson was then president of the State University of Oregon and the young people chose that school very naturally. Mrs. Adams went with them and remained with them until their school days were over.
     Dr. Adams employed help in his work at Hood River, he built up a fine farm and had some patients at his sanitarium but it was not a money making proposition. He secured a divorce from his wife and on October 29, 1881 married Miss Susan Mosier, daughter of Jonah H. Mosier. Dr. Adams was at that time in his sixty first year and his wife thirty four years younger. She made the Dr.'s life easier for him, lived a quiet unobtrusive life herself, but never complained. She raised a son and daughter. Percy grew to manhood, married and died while still young. Lenora married Banks Mortimer and they live on the home place at Hood River.
     Soon after the children had finished their education, Mrs. Francis Adams failed in health and died on June 23, 1886 at the home of Gaines Adams, her youngest son. Her work was done.
     Gaines Adams made his home near Lake Chelan where he died leaving a wife and six children. Julia Adams married Dr. Wm. J. McDaniel of Portland. Amy Adams is a stenographer and makes her home with Mrs. McDaniel. Claribel married J.A. Eakin; she died in the fall of 1928 at Astoria.
      Dr. William L. Adams died in Hood River in [April 26, 1906](1909). Mrs. Susan Adams married John L. Henderson of Tillamook, she spent one year in Tillamook and returned to Hood River broken in health and thoroughly discouraged in mind. After several months of intense suffering, she passed away.
     William L. Adams lived 88 years, passing more than 61 years in Oregon where he was a leading and aggressive figure much of the time, Independent and outspoken at all times, he made many enemies but never tried to make new friends, although he was a kind and generous neighbor to those who showed a desire to be friendly.
     Besides the degree of M.D. he received the degree of Master of Arts from the Christian College at Monmouth, Oregon and the degree of L.L.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.
     In 1888 he published a book entitled "The History of Medicine and Surgery", in which he scathingly arraigned the methods practiced by many doctors.
     In the school taught in Dr. McBride's house in 1848, by Wm. L. Adams, a number of the pupils distinguished themselves in later years. George L. Wood served eight years as Oregon's governor and as territorial governor of Utah. Several sons of Dr. McBride distinguished themselves as jurists and statesmen.
     Sebastian C. Adams, youngest brother of Wm. L. Adams, arrived in Yamhill Co. in the fall of 1850. He assisted in platting the town of McMinnville and in 1356 erected a school building and conducted a school for two years; he then turned it over to the Baptist denomination and it was known as McMinnville College, later it became Linville College. He was well versed in history and was author of "Adams Historical Map". He married Martha McBride and for many years they lived in Salem where he was pastor of the Christian church. In his later years he was an occasional visitor with his brother at "Paradise Farm" in Hood River. Another brother, Oliver Adams, with his mother and two sisters came to McMinnville in 1852. One of the sisters, Eunice, married a son of Dr. McBride.
     Mrs. Inez Adams Parker, in speaking of her mothers says: "In the country, when far from any church, she always dressed us with unusual care on Sundays, and after the dinner work was done, she would gather us about her for an hour's reading and instruction from the Bible. All of us who were old enough read a verse in turn and mother talked with us about it's meaning. We loved that hour, because it was the one hour in the week that mother was not busy and could give herself entirely to us. Often in summer we spent it under the trees, beside a lovely mountain stream which flowed near our home, Glen Avoca, father had named it. She never "preached" to us. She was not strict, indeed, grandmother thought her dangerously lax in her religious training and though we might be slow in doing her bidding, we never did anything she told us not to do; and her teaching and example made lovers of God and righteousness of us all." "Her influence for good reached beyond us to the hired man and even to the wild Indians who were all around us."
     Mrs. Dr. Owens Adair in her reminiscences says of Helene who became the wife of Professor J.W. Johnson: "Her first two sons are able ministers of the Gospel. Herbert, the eldest, being pastor of the Warren Avenue Baptist church of Boston and Virgil pastor of the First Baptist Church in Claremont, New Hampshire."
     The descendants of the Adams family are numerous and their work is being carried on in ever widening circles reflecting credit upon the teaching of their ancestors.

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