Adams Family... Sort of???
Greetings, All.
I discovered this page while surfing the net. I have NO knowlege of geneology (I can't even give you accurate details of my family more than one generation back. This information has never been a priority).
Browsing the messages I got my memory jogged a bit back to an incident in my childhood re. the Presidential Adams. I'd like to get the comments any of the regulars here might have.
In the 60's we went to visit my father's side of the family in Ohio (Zanesville, Barnet's Ridge area), along with my grandfather.
One of the numerous folks I encountered for the first time was (I assume) grandpa's brother, Ed Adams, a grizzled old farmer in a hollow WAY off in the boondocks. Ed was an impressive old guy; I was a pretty tough teenager at the time (born and raised on the south side of Chicago), but I'd think twice about starting anything with THIS old man! <
Anyway...as everyone settled in to visit, Ed passed around some of his latest batch of home made corn squeezings (have you ever tasted liquid fire?), and the talk turned to family history.
The one thing that sticks in my mind is a reference to the Adams Presidents.
Supposedly, one of them had an indentured servant (the old timers were VERY clear that he wasn't a slave! Even in the 1960s they were quite touchy about that idea) by the name of Elijah. Allegedly, after the death of his boss Elijah went his own way and thereafter appropriated the surname Adams as his own.
I'm just wondering if this rings a bell with anyone out there, or if it's just a lot of BS.
Also...hoping the names sound familiar to someone out there...on the 2 or 3 visits to the Zanesville area over the years Dad and I always stayed with his "Uncle Ward" (Ward & Evie Holbert). I don't know if they were really relatives or just family friends. Dad was quite affectionate to them and he obviously had a great deal of respect for them.
I'd be glad to hear from anyone out there that this information clicks with.
Thanks,
Tom Adams
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin