BIO: Adams, Oldham & Henry Cos

I've attached the Biography of John Rowan Adams of Oldham County.  His
family  moved to area of Jefferson which became Henry County Kentucky. 
His great grandfather William Adams died in Henry in 1818.  

Kentucky:  Biographical Cyclopedia of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Embracing
Biographies of Many of the Prominent Men and Families of the State, 1896

Oldham Co.

John Rowan Adams, Circuit Clerk of Oldham County, son of Allen Adams and Susan
(Vance) Adams, was born in Oldham County, Kentucky, in 1848.  He was educated in the
common schools of the county and in Georgetown College.  Leaving school in 1863, he
taught for several years in Henry and Oldham Counties, and then engaged in farming and
trading, selling his stock in the markets between Louisville and New York.

He was enterprising and successful as a trader; was elected sheriff of Oldham County
in 1870 and re-elected in 1883.  In 1886 he was elected county and circuit clerk, and
discharged these offices so efficiently that he was re-elected in 1890.  He is a Knight
Templar in Masonry and a Knight of Honor, and was master of Lodges Nos. 156 and 47,
F. & A. M., for twelves years.

Allen Adams (father) was born in Jefferson County, Kentucky, and educated in the
common schools of that county.  When Oldham County was formed in 1824 from parts of
Jefferson, Shelby and Henry Counties the Adams farm was transferred to the new county,
and there Mr. Adams engaged in general farming; was first a Whig and afterwards a
Democrat in politics, and was a member of the Presbyterian Church.  He married (first)
Susan Vance, a native of Jefferson County, and she was the mother of four children, who
survived her: Robert F., James A., John R., and Mary Agnes, wife of Dr. Alonzo
Morrison, all of whom are living in Oldham County.

He married (second) Mrs. Thornton, nee Augusta Taliaferro, a native of Oldham
County, and by this marriage there were five children: Mayo, Coleman Co. And Richard
(twins), Thornton and Sue.

Frank [Francis] Adams (grandfather) was a native of Pennsylvania and came to
Jefferson County, Kentucky, where he was a farmer. 

Robert Vance (maternal grandfather) was born in Virginia and came to Jefferson
County and married Nancy Adams.


From: "Virginia K. Tolman" <tolman1@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 22 Jan 1998