Adams - Harvey
HARVEY ADAMS
Source: Portrait & Biographical Record of Montgomery, Fountain & Parke Counties, Indiana. Indianapolis; Chapman Brothers, 1893
Harvey Adams. The vast agricultural resources of the United States enable thousands of men to gain a maintenance and secure a competence by tilling the soil. Parke County is not without her share of these enterprising workers, and among those in Adams Township who own and occupy excellent estates is the gentleman above named, who is numbered among the successful men of the county. His property is well improved, and the owner not only raises the cereals for which this state is so well adapted, but also devotes considerable attention to the various domestic animals, breeding them in considerable numbers.
The father of our subject, Philip Adams, was born in Virginia, where he was reared to manhood. His father came from England to America arriving in Ohio, prior to the War of 1812, in which he took an active part. He settled in Ross County, near Chillicothe, and engaged in farming and raising of stock. He there married a Miss Bird, and to them were born three children. A sad occurrence happened in the death of his wife, and some time after he married Mary L. Chestnut, a daughter of Daniel Chestnut, who was of Irish descent. Mrs. Adams was born and reared in Ross County, Ohio, and by her union was Mr. Adams became the mother of four children, our subject being the firstborn. Those living are our subject, and David, who is a physician in Edinburgh, Indiana. The deceased are James, who died in Gentry County, Missouri, and Marion, who was a lawyer. In 1830 Philip Adams moved to Indiana and located within seven miles of Terre Haute, where he pursued farming four years, at the end of which time he moved to the place where he now lives. This farm consists of eighty acres, fifteen acres of which were cleared at the time of purchase. From time to time he added to his possessions, until at his death he owned two hundred and forty acres of land in this vicinity. In politics he was a Whig. He died June 14, 1845, his wife following him to the life beyond eighteen years later.
Our subject was born in Ross County, Ohio, July 6, 1825, and was about six years old when his father moved from Ohio to this county. He was educated in the old log schoolhouse, where he pursued his studies with energy, and he added to the knowledge gained therefrom by attendance for two winters in the Rockville school When a lad he used to walk three miles to and from school each day, thus demonstrating his determination of being a man of a noble character, and although not ambitious, as the world knows ambition, yet he was untiring in his devotion to his school work. Like a good son he remained with his father, assisting him in performing the duties of farm life to the best of his ability, and after the deceased of that parent still continued on the farm until his marriage, which occurred August 22, 1849. The lady of his choice was Miss Eliza A. Carothers, a daughter of John Carothers, who was formerly a farmer of Vermilion County, Illinois. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Adams located on the farm where they now live happily together. A family of eight children blessed their union. They are: John W., who is living near Montezuma; Mary A., who was the wife of Josephus Ott, but died February 28, 1891; Joseph, who is a dealer in machinery in Indianapolis; Emma, the wife of S. C. Trueblood, who is engaged in the poultry business at Indianapolis; Albert M., of Rockville; Lucy O., who married Albert Overman, a prominent clothier of Rockville; Lewis E., a farmer in this neighborhood; and Anna L., who died at the age of fifteen years.
Our subject has in his possession twenty-three hundred acres of land in Parke County, all of which is in Washington, Adams and Jackson Townships. He rents a greater part of this land, and is himself chiefly engaged in general farming and stock-raising. On his farm he has erected a beautiful home and commodious barn, and he is the third largest landowner in Parke County, one of the oldest settlers now living in Adams Township, and one of the most well to do citizens therein. The major part of his property he has accumulated by his indomitable will, as his father was enabled to give him only $300 when he started in his life pursuit. He has amassed a fortune, and has always been a cheerful giver, an earnest worker for his fellows, and now enjoys the reward of his good works by securing the confidence of his fellow-citizens. In his political relations our subject is a true-blue Republican, and takes an active part in all local affairs, although never an aspirant for office. -- typed by kbz
File Created 15 July 2010