Excerpted from the 1875 Muskingum County Atlas

In the history of the United States no name occupies a more conspicuous or time honored place either in the legislative hall, agricultural field, the pulpit or forum of justice than the good old primitive name of Adams. Our subject a worthy represenative of that numerous family, was born in Muskingum County, Ohio on the 11 day of May, 1822 and is one of eleven children - four sons and seven daughters, the offspring of George Adams, whose birthplace was Loudon County, Virginia, the date of his birth was February 12, 1788. In the year 1807, he emigrated to Ohio, shortly after returning to Virginia. In 1814 he was married to Miss Christina Werts, and two years afterwards again emigrated to Ohio, this time settling in the township of Washington, Muskingum County, where he remained until 1827 when he moved with the family into the township of Salem, in the same County, where he remained until his death, living to the advanced age of eighty-six years. For the last few years of his life he lived among his children, many of whom are still living in Salem and its vicinity. He died on the 23d day of March, 1874 at the house of Dr Decker, his son-in-law, in Adamsville. His descendants numbered at his death one hundred and nine; eleven children, nine living; sixty eight grandchildren; fifty-three living; and thirty great grandchildren. William W Adams, whose portrait and that of his excellent wife adorn this page is a fine specimen of the sturdy American farmer; intelligent, unostentations and courteous, he greets you with an outstreched hand, hardened by honorable toil and with the fearless, smiling countenance which is the prerogative of the sovereign citizen. He was bred a farmer, which vocation he has successfully pursued all his life; he now owns about four hundred acres of fine farming lands, well adapted for stock and grain raising. At the age of thirty years he was united in marriage to Miss Louisa Bainter, the daughter of a neighboring farmer; this union after a peaceful happy life of fourteen years by the death of this loved and cherished companion after an illnes of three months. At the death of his wife Mr Adams was left desolate with a family of six small children, the youngest a babe of six months. Their names are respectively as follows: Allen O, George F, Susan M, Myra E, Lida R and Cora L of whom all are living at home with their father except Cora who died at four years of age. On the 18th day of March, 1868, he was united in marriage with Mrs Sarah A Whitcraft a very fine looking worthy widow lady of the same township. This lady is the daughter of Mr Millard D Carver who was one of the early settlers of Ohio, he has been deceased many years, leaving but two children. Mrs Adams is the sole survivor of her family, her father, mother, sister and her first husband all are numbered with the dead. Her married relations with Mr Adams seems to be one of the most happy, kind cemented by mutual love and interest. She never had any children of her own, but nobly supplies the place of mother to the children of her husband, who appreciate, love and honor her as their best friend. In politics Mr Adams has always been a Democrat of the old time sort and in religous sentiment a Protestant of the Lutheran school. Plain and unpretending in his personal appearance, liberal in his views, generous and charitable to the poor, affable and polite to all, he is universally esteemed and respected by his neighbors and acquaintances, honored and loved by his friends and relatives and with hardy constitution and healthy habits on life, he bids fair to live to a ripe old age, in the full enjoyement of all that makes this life happy and with bright anticipation of that which is yet to come.