Kit Carson County, Colorado
Histories

Timothy G. Adams , 8 South 42 West
 


Adams, Timothy Goodwin He was born Dec. 12, 1843 at Ware, Pennsylvania. He was the son of John B. Adams (1816 -1881) and Lydia Angeline Cleveland (Jan. 20, 1821 - 1912). He married Eliza Jerusha Laughlin on Feb. 21, 1867 at Little Cedar, Mitchell County, Iowa. She was the daughter of Lewis and Maria Laughlin. Timothy G. Adams Biographical Information Submitted by Scott Adams Timothy and Eliza J. AdamsPhoto: Timothy Goodwin Adams and Eliza Adams (his wife), Submitted by: Family of Cindy L. (Bohnert) Martinez and Deane Funk Eliza, the first child of Lewis and Maria Laughlin was born March 14, 1849 at De Peyster, New York. She died in her home in Colorado Springs, Colorado, December 22, 1930 at the age of 81 years At the close of the Civil War she went with her parents and younger brothers on the long trip to Iowa where they lived in a log cabin near Little Cedar, Iowa. There she attended school and we find her name listed with a group of other pupils. It was while she lived there that she married Timothy Adams on February 21, 1867. Timothy Goodwin Adams was born December 12, 1843 at Ware, Pennsylvania and died December 26, 1935 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was a mason by trade. In the early days in Colorado he prospected for gold in the mountains. He was an active member of the G. A. R. After he was 87 years old he had to have his right hand amputated but he did not let that handicap him and kept as busy as ever and learned to write real well with his left hand Later, he fell and broke his hip and was confined to a wheel chair for the rest of his life. For a few years after they were married Eliza and Timothy lived near Little Cedar, Iowa. We find that four of their children were born there. They moved to Lucas in Dunn County, near Menomonie, Wisconsin, where three more of the children were born. In 1886 Timothy's sister and family who had lived near Menomonie went to Colorado and liked it so well they encouraged Eliza and Timothy to make the move also. The children thought their grandmother Lidia Angelina Cleveland Adams who went with them, kept a diary but no one has been able to find it. The following account of the trip was written by Harry and Cora Adams Bowser from information given by the older children, Jennie, Arthur and Ernest who were old enough to remember the trip. MR. AND MRS. T. G. ADAMS TRIP FROM WISCONSIN TO COLORADO WITH THEIR SIX CHILDREN AND HIS MOTHER (LIDIA ANGELINE CLEVELAND ADAMS) It was about noon on August 18, 1887 that the Adams family left their four room log home (two rooms downstairs and two rooms upstairs). The house was located ten miles west of Menomonie on the north side of the old Hudson road but the stable and hayshed were on the south side. The children were Nathan, Arthur, Jennie, Elmer, Ernest, and Cora, who not yet a year old. They had two wagons; the lead wagon, a new one drawn by two yoke of oxen, and driven by Arthur. Nathan drove the second wagon with a yoke of oxen given to him by his grandfather Adams. In all, they had eleven head of cattle including two milk cows. They went about seven miles that first afternoon. Several friends and relatives camped with them the first night. These included Mr. and Mrs. Judd Adams (T. G. Adams brother), his sister Mrs. Cordelia S. Smith and two children Willie and Etta. Mrs. Bennett, a sister of Mrs. Judd Adams, her little boy, and a friend Bill Thumb. Mrs. Lidia Adams put a feather bed in the wagon where she slept. On the average they made ten or twelve miles a day. They ferried across the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers west through Blooming Prairie to Austin, Minnesota. where they stopped for about a week. From there Mrs. T. G. Adams took Cora and Ernest by train to Osage, Iowa to visit her family. Her brother Jim, came back with her and stayed for a few days with the family. From there they went on west into the Pipestone county and into Dakota. (It wasn't divided at that time). Eliza had two brothers - Willard and Frank, also an uncle and some cousins living near Egan in Moody County. They must have been there two weeks or more. Merdith, the daughter of Willard was only a few days old at that time. Nathan and Arthur worked at threshing grain and plowing. From there they went to Yankton, where they ferried the Missouri River into Nebraska and on south to Columbus where a very happy experience awaited them. There was a large corn field, so they inquired if they might clean the field and have the stalks for their cattle. To their surprise the owner was grandmother Adams' brother, whom she had not seen since they were children. His name was Gilbert Cleveland. They put up there for the winter with George Cleveland, a cousin of T. G. Adams. Timothy did plastering and the boys did whatever they could get to do. Jennie worked for her board in Columbus and went to school. Sometime in June, they started west along the Platt River. About a mile out of Arapahoe, they met By Allen. Timothy knew him first. He was a chaplain and comrade of his in the Civil War, so they camped there for ten day or more and Mr. Allen spent some time visiting with them. They all worked where they could get anything to do. They were still there on the Fourth of July so Nathan and Arthur walked back about two miles to attend the celebration in Arapahoe. There were lots of fish, wild geese and prairie chicken near Columbus. Eliza made a trap to catch the chickens and caught quite a few which they found very good eating. They had a little dog with them named Sober. One day they missed him so Nathan went back to where they had camped the night before and found the dog waiting there for the family to return. In Minnesota where they camped there was a lake and a boat so they did some fishing and caught a very large pickerel. Ernest was barely seven years old but he vividly remembered one fishing experience. He went alone and no one knew that he had gone. He took some bacon from the lunch box and baited a hook and got in a small boat and took off and threw in his line. Pretty soon he had a bite. He could hardly hold on but he had been told that if you loosen your hold the fish would bite the line in two and get away so he hung on for dear life, with the fish taking him farther and farther out on the lake. When his folks heard his screams for help his older brothers Nathan and Arthur took another boat and went to his rescue. They landed the fish, about three feet in length. Ernest's hands and fingers were bleeding from the fish line. He never tried that again, his experience was punishment enough. Ernest also remembers grating potatoes to make starch for his grandmother's white apron and bonnet. During the first few years of their life in Colorado the Adams family lived in the eastern part of the state where Lewis was born in Kit Carson County and Harry at Cheyenne Wells. Later they lived on farms near Calhan and Payton. In 1920 they moved to Colorado Springs where they spent the rest of their lives. Eliza or Lide as she was always called, had what in this day we would call a hard life but she was always cheerful and patient and doing things for other people. She was a wonderful mother to her children. The following is an excerpt from her obituary printed in the local paper. "Mrs. Eliza Adams, 81, wife of Timothy G. Adams, well known G.A.R. veteran, died last night at her home 21 North Twenty-fourth St. following an illness of only a few hours. She was a pioneer resident of the region having resided in El Paso county for the past 36 years, 12 of which were spent in Colorado Springs and the others in the eastern part of the county in the vicinity of Calhan and Payton. Last February Mr. and Mrs. Adams celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary. The married life of this couple was longer than any other couple in the region. Mrs. Adams was a member of the Ladies of the G.A.R. and of the First Methodist Church. Surviving besides the husband are 3 sons, Arthur Adams of Portland, Oregon, Ernest Adams, this city and Harry Adams of Ellicot, Colorado; two daughters Mrs. J. N Hollenbaugh of Cheyenne Wells, Mrs. John Nass, Peyton Colorado; 15 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. Records in the family Bible show that nine children were born to Timothy and Eliza Adams. They were as follows: Nathan Parker Adams, the first child of Eliza and Timothy Adams was born June 29, 1868 at Little Cedar, Iowa. As a lad he worked on the farm with his father. When he was about eighteen he went with the family on the long trip to Colorado and drove one of the ox team. He was killed by lightning while working in the field while they lived at Calhan, Colorado on July 13, 1903. He was never married. Arthur Eugene Adams was born February 22, 1870 at Little Cedar, Iowa and died in Oregon March 28, 1961. He married Olive Morrow Adams, the widow of his brother Elmer on January 30, 1907. They lived on a farm near Calhan, Colorado until they moved to Portland, Oregon. They had one son, Elmer Morrow Adams. Jennie Effie Adams was born near Little Cedar, Iowa, November 16, 1872. She went to Colorado with her parents and lived with them on a farm near Cheyenne Wells, Colorado. She married Jake Hollenbaugh August 8, 1891. They lived near Cheyenne Wells for several years until the, died of Jake, then Jennie went to Denver to live with her daughter where she passed away March 1, 1962. She remained alert all this time and helped with the early part of this record of the family. Jennie and Jake had five children: Bessie, William T., Lewis John, Cora Ellen and Jennie Bell. Elmer William Adams was born June 19, 1874 at Little Cedar, Iowa and died January 7, 1905 near Calhan, Colorado. Elmer was about fourteen years of age when the family made the long trip from Wisconsin to Colorado so was probably of a great help to the family. In Colorado he taught school and helped with the farm work. He married Ruth Morrow August 22, 1899. He died of T.B. when he was 32 years of age. Ernest John Adams was born October 19, 1879 at the home near Menomonie, Wisconsin. He died April 8, 1962 from a stroke after recovering from three major operations during the previous year. While he was at home, Ernest helped with the farm work and also taught school. He remembered several of the incidents of the trip to Colorado which are given earlier in the story. Ernest married Bertha Ruth Senneff, May 17, 1911. She was born February 1, 1889. After they were married they lived on a farm near Calhan, Colorado until 1916 when they moved to Colorado Springs where he established his own business of making syrups. He was an active member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. In an earlier report were are told that grandfather Samuel Laughlin went to church on Saturday, but the main office of the church has no record of his membership. However, it was probably a very small church in New York. Ernest and Bertha had three children: Glenna Ruth, Norman Ernest, and George Goodwin. Mattie L. Adams, born January 2, 1882. died September 2, 1884. Cora Marie Adams was born September 10, 1886. She was only about a year old when the family made the long trip to Colorado. She lived on the farm near Calhan, Colorado with her parents. She married John Nass in 1907. After his, died in 1944 she lived in Colorado Springs near her two daughters. On December 12, 1948, she married Harry Bowser. After their marriage they spent the summers living on his farm near Brookville, Ohio, but in the winter they went back to her home in Colorado Springs. Cora Adams Nass Bowser is buried in the Peyton Cemetery at Peyton, Colorado. She was laid to rest in their family plot beside her first husband, John Nass. Cora and John Nass had four children: Harold, Bernice G, Thelma Leota and Vera. Lewis J. Adams was born January 13, 1889 Died March 25, 1891. Harry Newton Adams was born while the family lived in the eastern part of Colorado. While working with his father on the farm, he married Iva Arnold. Some time later they moved to Colorado Springs. They had two boys and two girls: Arlo, Mildred Mae, Delpha, and Kenneth. Note: additional information regarding the families of the children of Timothy and Eliza Adams, are available upon request. Additional information about Eliza Jerusia Laughlin Adams parents and siblings are available upon request. Scott Adams Civil War Record of T. G. Adams Submitted by Scott Adams We publish this week a story of the war record of T. G. Adams of 211 North Twenty-Fourth street, who will be 82 years old in December. He was born in Pennsylvania, coming to Colorado in 1888, settling in the eastern part of the state. He has lived in this county for 25 years and seven years on the West Side. I was enrolled in the Army, the 13th day of August, 1862, in the county of Mitchell, in Mitchell, Iowa. We were moved to Dubuque, Iowa, and were camped there several weeks, with our summer units. Shortly after this we received our uniforms, which were very warm. We then got a ten day furlough and went home. We had to walk from Cedar Falls, as that was the end of the railroad at that time. By pressing a farmer to take us to Osage, we reached there the next day about noon. I arrived home that afternoon. It was a happy meeting, but a sad parting when the time came for me to leave. When we returned to Dubuque we were ordered to Fort Snelling, Minnesota, where we remained for about six weeks. During that time there was a detail made to go west and quiet the Indians. They took the artillery and fired a few shots to give the Indians an idea of what they had. They didn't like the Pale Faces shoot at them, so remained quiet. I was not in that detail. Shortly after the detail returned to Ft. Snelling, we were ordered down the Mississippi River. On our way down the river we stopped at Dubuque, the captain having to take on some freight at that place. We soldiers rode in what was called a barge, a flat boat open all around, except for about three feet, which made some protection in case of a storm. Under this cover we stored our war outfit. While the boat was stopped we went up town, and after we had been there sometime, the bell rang so we had to double back quick. While we were up town the captain of the boat took on a lot of spuds and packed them in the barge, so everything we had was covered with sacks of spuds. We made inquiry about our guns, but no one seemed to know anything about them. By this time we were getting desperate and commenced throwing the sacks of spuds into the river. Two working together put the sacks on the deck around the barge and pushed them overboard. Major Howard of our regiment tried to stop us, and we came so very near pushing him into the river that he took passage on some other boat. Our captain then came out and told us, if we would be quiet, the captain of the boat would have them moved out. We told him that would do, but they must get busy right away, and they did. The deck hands went on the run, both going and coming, and soon had them out, after which we found our guns and all of our equipment and experienced no further trouble. On our way to Memphis we had plenty of potatoes and butter in the center of the barge, so we had potatoes fried in butter. We reached Memphis, and we were there in winter quarters about two months. Being there at Christmas time, Jim Butler and myself celebrated. We had one quart of eggnog, which was fine. We enjoyed ourselves very much. We made one forage trip, called the "Meridian", in which we got many geese and chickens. It was so wet and muddy at that time that our shoe heels stuck in the mud, but that didn't stop us from going to where we had started for. Turning quite a lot of railroad over, we piled the ties up and put the rails across the top, after which we set fire to the ties. When the rails got hot the ends dropped down and so rendered them useless. This completed, we started on our return trip to Memphis. It rained hard every day, so took several days to make the trip. My company, "K", did most of the foraging. Company "G" wouldn't let their men forage, and they felt so bad about it they cried. We had more than we could use, so let them have some of our plunder. This done we had our guns to clean, our clothes to wash, and then clean our camp, called "fatigue duty", which was done while we were resting. The teamster had to do the same. One had his harness spread out to dry when the wagon master came along and ask him why he didn't turn over, meaning to get one from the commissary, but answered by saying, "I intend to when this gets dry." While on picket duty on the Pigeon Roast Road a man came to the picket post with a dead mule, loaded with gun caps, hauled by the mule. The boys had to investigate by prodding the dead mule with their bayonets, and found that it contained gun caps, and other ammunition. When they were relieved he was taken to headquarters and turned over to the colonel of the regiment. We left Memphis, Tennessee in the spring of 1863, for Little Rock, Arkansas. The rebel cavalry was there, waiting for the Yankees. On arriving, our men laid a pontoon bridge across the river on which our cavalry crossed. Following this there was a cavalry battle which lasted about three hours. By this time a good force of our army was across, which caused the rebels to retreat, with our cavalry after them. No lives were lost. My regiment was left to guard some artillery and wagons, so didn't cross the river. The scene of the fight, although dangerous, was just like a picture. We stayed at Little Rock, Arkansas about two months and from there went to Holly Springs, Mississippi but didn't stay there long. We were there on the Fourth of July, 1863, Vicksburg surrendering on that day. From Holly Springs we went across the country through hills and hollows to Vicksburg. The roads were muddy from frequent rains, so we had a hard time getting through, and as our supplies were exhausted we became very hungry. Fortunately we came to a horse-power feed mill, where we remained about two days and ground corn from which we made corn pone of meal, water, and salt. We parched corn and ate it from the cob, which was rather rich, but we survived, and finally reached Black River, East Vicksburg, where we got plenty to eat. We saw General Grants headquarters, his trenches, telegraph system and other equipment. I don't remember how long we stayed there, but I was stationed on a big hill called Fort Hill, on which there were many lead bullets laying around. We had been there sometime when ordered to join the fleet and go up Red River. (to be continued) My Civil War Life (Continued from last week) Taking a boat we went down the Mississippi to the mouth of the Red River. The water was deep, but owing to the narrowness of the stream, with trees on both sides hanging over the river, we could hardly get along in places, but finally reached Fort De Russie, where we had a fight with the rebels. We captured the fort, some guns and ammunition. We took what guns we wanted, spiking the others. They had some large guns that cut down trees sixteen inches through. General A. J. Smith in command of our division loaned to General Blank for the trip. The hillside along the street that went to the city of Vicksburg was full of caves made by hand for women and children to live in where they could be safe from stray bullets. This was the latter part of April, and the first part of May, 1864. The weather was very warm, the roads dry and dusty, with thick hedge on both sides, which held the dust so that we couldn't see the third man in front of us when we were marching along, but we continued to follow the rebels. Water was very scarce, being so far from the river that we couldn't get it there. After a hard days march the only water that we found was a pool in the road about four rods across, which the rains had filled. In the center of this was a dead mule, pretty well decayed. As we were not able to get any better water, the officers placed a guard around this to keep the men from washing their hands and feet in it. It was a little thick, but helped tide us over until we could get good water. Next morning we continued our chase after the rebels. They gave us a military salute by throwing shells at us, which bounded along just outside the road. Fortunately no one was hurt. The next day we reached Alexandria, Louisiana, which was near the river, so we had plenty of clean water. General Bank had his siege guns which were about 10 feet in length, in position and ready for action. We stayed there only a few days, but while there General Bank was interested in foraging sugar and cotton, which he shipped to New Orleans. When we left there for Shreveport, General Bank put his heavy artillery and commissary wagons in advance, with a light advance guard. It looked as though he did it for a purpose (perhaps not), anyway, the rebels took advantage of this and had a large force ready for us when we reached Pleasant Hill. We had a hot engagement about 3:00 P.M. until dark. This was in May, 1864. I had made a bucket of coffee which was ready to take off the fire when we were ordered to fall in double-quick. I left my coffee and did not return to it. Four battalions of rebel cavalry brought on the attack. We let them get pretty close before we opened fire. Only one man was seen to try to get back, he stopped by a large stump. Every horse was with rider. The infantry advanced. We had four lines of battle, my regiment being in the front line. As the rebels approached us we exchanged a few shots, then our line fell back of the other three lines, and reformed. In making our fall back I got tangled in some grape vines and lost my hat. The rebels flanked both right and left, so that we had to go straight back, and they got so close I could hear them say "halt", "you yankee", but we did not stop The next line of battle stopped them. There was a continual roar of musketry and cannon until dark. General Bank thought he had had plenty and ordered a retreat at 3:00 A.M. but Smith said he was not going to retreat until he had taken care of his dead and wounded. We started on our retreat about 10:00 A.M. the next day. When the rebels learned that Bank had retreated they disguised themselves in our uniforms and followed us back to Yellow Bayou, where we had another battle in which I was wounded and Robert Childs was shot through the head and instantly killed. This retreat caused General Steels army, which was coming from Little Rock, Arkansas to be cut to pieces, suffering a heavy loss. After being wounded, I was carried back and placed by a large cottonwood tree, from which I could look four canon in the face, which were throwing grapeshot past me. During the battle a shell struck an ammunition wagon. The fuse blew out, so there was no explosion, but a man in the wagon was burned all over. When the rebels fell back I was put in the ambulance and taken to the hospital boat and taken to St. Louis, where we were placed in Jefferson Barracks. At this place I saw the man that was burned on the ammunition wagon. Every vein in his body could bee seen. We were nineteen days under fire. We had good care and were comfortable at Jefferson Barracks. From here I was transferred to Keokuk, Iowa, where I stayed all winter. In February, 1865, I was taken sick with smallpox, while I was cooking in the guard house, and was removed to the pest house just outside of the city. I was there about two months and was very sick, part of the time being blank to me, as I did not realize anything. Did not have my hands in water for six weeks, and was a solid scab all over. When I began to get better my hair all came out and my finger and toe nails all came off. After about eight weeks, I thought that I was able to go down town, but the steward said I could not go, and he refused to let me have any clothing to wear, but I looked around, took what I could find and started. It was on a Sunday. I was pretty weak, the wind blew quite hard and came very near blowing me off the sidewalk, but I made it to the guard house, The other cooks that I had been working with did not know me and I did not wonder at it, as I was very thin with no hair on my head, neither finger or toe nails, but when they found out who I was they were all glad to see me. On Sunday we had what we called a three-story pie, which was made with three crusts, giving me a piece about four inches square, but I did not eat all of it. When I got back to the pest house I learned that I had been transferred to the convalescent house. There was not much said to me only that I went without permission, so I got by very well. The steward said he would put me to nursing, but I told him I came here to be nursed, not to nurse others, so that passed over. In about two weeks I was discharged from the small-pox quarters. I then went back to the old guard house, where I stayed a short time. I got a furlough and went home for a ten-day visit. I was away a little longer than ten days, so received a notice from the officers to report by a certain date or I would be considered a deserter. I lost no time in getting back and reporting at headquarters. The officers talked to me a short time and all was right. I then stayed there until the close of the war when we were all sent to Davenport, Iowa, to be mustered out of the service. After getting my discharge I went to Dubuque, took the train to Cedar Falls, from there to Osage by stage and from there ten miles north to home, reaching there in May, 1865. --T. G. Adams 1850 Census, Venango, Erie County, Pennsylvania: John B. Adams (age 35, farmer, born NY), Angeline Adams (age 29, born NY), Eliza Adams (age 8, born PA), Timothy Adams (age 6, born PA), Susan Adams (age 4, born PA) and Mary Adams (age 1, born PA). 1860 Census: Venango, Erie County, Pennsylvania: John B. Adams (age 45, farmer, born NY), Angeline Adams (age 39, born NY), Eliza D. Adams (age 18, school teacher, born PA), Timothy Adams (age 16, laborer, born PA), Fidelia Adams (age 14, born PA), and Ashley Adams (age 10, born PA). 1870 Census, Liberty, Mitchell County, Iowa, Timothy Adams (age 25, farmer, born NY), Eliza Adams (age 22, born Penn.), Nathan Adams (age 2, born NY), and unnamed Adams (age 5/12, male, born Iowa). 1880 Census, Lucas, Dunn County, Wisconsin: Timothy G. Adams (age 35, farmer, born Penn.), Wife Eliza J. Adams (age 30, born NY), son Nathan P. Adams (age 11, born Iowa), son Arthur E. Adams (age 10, born Iowa), daughter Jennie E. Adams (age 9, born Iowa), son Elmer Adams (age 6, born Iowa), son baby Adams (age 8/12, born Oct, in Wisconsin), and brother in law Orman Laughlin (age 28, born NY). 1910 Census: Precinct 18, El Paso, Colorado: Timothy G. Adams (age 66, married 1 time for 38 years, born Pennsylvania), wife Eliza Adams (age 58, married 1 time for 38 years, 6 children born, 5 still living, born New York), son Ernest J. Adams (age 30, born Wisconsin), son Harry Adams (age 17, born Colorado), and niece Vivian Laughlin (age 13, born Iowa). 1920 Census, Precinct 50, El Paso, Colorado: T. G. Adams (age 76, born Pennsylvania), wife Eliza J. Adams (age 71, born New York), son Harry N. Adams (age 28, born Colorado), daughter-in-law Iva R. Adams (age 23, born Nebraska) and grandson Arlo Nathan Adams (age 11/12, born Colorado). 1930 Census: Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado: Timothy G. Adams (age 86, married, age 24 at marriage, born Pennsylvania), wife Eliza J. Adams (age 81, age 18 at marriage, born New York). Eliza J. (Laughlin) Adams died in her home in Colorado Springs, Colorado, December 22, 1930. She is buried in Peyton Cemetery, Plot 016-003, Peyton, El Paso County, Colorado. (note on Find a Grave it says "Sexton Records list, died as Dec. 27, 1930). Timothy G. Adams died December 26, 1935, He is buried in Peyton Cemetery, Plot 016-003, Peyton, El Paso County, Colorado.

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