Francis M. Adams, who is engaged in extensive farming and
stock raising operations on his fine farm of 484 acres, situated in sections
17 and 20, Gillespie township, Macoupin County, was born in this township,
July, 1, 1833, and has spent his whole life in his boyhood home. He is a son
of Giles M. and Elizabeth (Taylor) Adams.
The Adams family ranks
with the old and honorable ones of Virginia and claims Welsh, Irish and
French ancestry. Daniel Adams, the grandfather of Francis M., was born in
Virginia and died in Illinois, at the age of 74 years. Giles M. was one of
his family of eight children.
Giles M. Adams was born in Virginia in
1801, removed with his parents to Kentucky and thence to Tennessee. In 1829
he migrated to Madison County, Illinois, accompanied by his wife and two
children, and two years later settled on what is now our subject's home
farm. He entered a small portion of it at first, as his means were very
limited, but made many additions, and through industry and energy
accumulated a property of 300 acres. He found it necessary to build his own
log house and clear his own land, but he prospered through all the hardships
of those early days and died at the age of 68 years, a man of large capital.
In politics he was a Democrat. For a considerable period he was a justice of
the peace and did much in those early times to peaceably adjust difficulties
and to promote movements intended for the well being of the whole community.
Giles M. Adams married Elizabeth Taylor, who was born in South
Carolina, April 19, 1809, The five children born to them were: William W.,
born September 28, 1826, who lives in Montgomery County, Illinois; Daniel,
born July 27, 1827, deceased; Mrs. Nancy Ann Dillard, born April 14, 1829, a
resident of Gillespie township, Macoupin County; Francis M., of this sketch;
and James, deceased.
On February 2, 1864, our subject was married to
Elizabeth K. Grimes, who was born at Carlinville, Macoupin Count, Illinois,
February 27, 1841, and is a daughter of William and Nancy (Wagner) Grimes.
William Grimes was born January 13, 1811, in Baltimore, Maryland, was
married July 20, 1837, and died February 24, 1897. He was a son of Nicholas
Grimes who was born March 7, 1783, and died April 1, 1848. The mother of
Mrs. Adams was born April 22, 1820, in Madison County, Illinois, and died
May 28, 1856. For some years William Grimes was a blacksmith at Carlinville
and then became a farmer, dying a man of large means accumulated by his own
efforts. Mrs. Adams inherited 1,000 acres of land, and the combined acreage
of Mr. and Mrs. Adams includes 2,160 acres in Macoupin and Christian
counties. Mrs. Adams' grandfather, Peter Wagner, came to Illinois from
Tennessee as early as 1820. Mrs. Adams is the only surviving child of her
parents; her sister, Mrs. Mary A. Beggan, born February 22, 1844, died
September 1, 1899, and her brother, Stephen N., born September 2, 1848, died
February 24, 1896. Mr. and Mrs. Adams have had six children, namely: William
M., born November 24, 1866, deceased February 1, 1870; Mrs. Mary S. Teter,
of Hilyard township, Macoupin County, born June 25, 1868, who has three
children,— Clarence L., William E. and Kenneth L.; James L., born December
14, 1872, deceased December 27, 1874; Stephen N., born October 26, 1875,
deceased September 18, 1878; Oscar N., born November 15, 1877, deceased
March 18, 1878; and Mrs. Nancy Virginia Davis, of Gillespie, Macoupin
County, born January 10, 1880.
For a period of 26 years Mr. Adams
ran a threshing machine and was interested in a sawmill for some 16 years,
in connection with large farming operations.
In politics he is a
Democrat and he has filled a number of the township offices, serving four
years as a justice of the peace, three years as highway commissioner, one
term as township supervisor and has been a member of the School Board for
many years. The local school house is situated on his farm. The family is
one of great prominence in Gillespie township and Mr. Adams, aside from
being one of its largest capitalists, is also one of its best and most
reliable citizens.
Extracted 2018 May 07 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 231-233.
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