Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

2934 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSlife he went to Texas, where he followed farming in the vicinity of Ranger,Eastland County, and there still makes his home, hale and hearty at the ageof ninety-three years. His wife has also reached an advanced age, being nowninety years old. During the war between the states, Adam Adams foughtin the army of the Confederacy and rose to the rank of captain in a Georgiavolunteer infantry regiment. Daniel Luke, the maternal grandfather ofWilliam A. Adams, was born in 1824 in Mitchell County, Georgia, and therehas passed his entire life in agricultural pursuits. During the strugglebetween the North and the South he also joined the Confederate army andwon promotion to the rank of captain. He is now in his ninety-second yearand continues to supervise the operations on his extensive farming property.James Ansel Adams was born in 1852 in Mitchell County, Georgia, andwas given good educational advantages. He early decided upon a career inthe ministry, was duly ordained as a minister of the Methodist Church, andafter holding various charges in Southern Georgia, went with his bride toTexas. There he became a rider in the employ of the famous Pony Express,later turned his attention to farming in Eastland County, and in 1887 returnedto Georgia and took up his residence at Fitzgerald, where he resumed his laborsas a minister of the Gospel. Since 1905 he has lived retired. He is one of thewell known and highly esteemed citizens of his locality and has taken a helpful participation in various movements for the public welfare. Eight childrenwere born to James Ansel and Betty Adams, namely, John D.,.who is connected with the Southern Express Company and resides at Jacksonville,Florida; Homer A., who is engaged in the manufacture of candy at Fitzgerald, Georgia; James Thomas, who is a farmer of Berrien County, Georgia,and a rural free delivery mail carrier out of Adel; Dolby P., who is engagedin the lumber and real estate business at Fitzgerald; William Ansel, of thisnotice; Grover Cleveland, who is the wife of John Murdoch, who is connectedwith the McReary Developing Company, with headquarters at Atlanta, Georgia; Charles Gordon, who is superintendent of the Southern Express Company and resides at Lakeland, Florida; and Augustus E., who is a first lieutenant in Company C, First Regiment Infantry, and did service on the Mexicanborder. All the sons of this family are stanch democrats.William A. Adams was fifteen years of age when he accompanied hisparents to Fitzgerald, this being in 1897, some years after this communityreceived its charter as an incorporated town. He received his preliminarytraining in the public schools here, following which he was sent to Zion City,Illinois, there pursuing a college course of two years. Thus, at the age oftwenty-two years,'he had a liberal education and was ready to engage in business. Mr. Adams began his career at Fitzgerald as the proprietor of a smallestablishment where he manufactured and 'sold candies and confections. Theexcellence, purity and wholesomeness of his candies soon attracted an increasedtrade and created a large demand for his product, and he enlarged his establishment and added to his facilities. Soon Adams Candy Kitchen becamewidely known, not only at Fitzgerald, but throughout the surroundingcountryside, and Mr. Adams found himself at the head of a business whichhad become an established and necessary commercial adjunct in the community. He continued to direct its policies until his appointment to the postmastership,when he disposed of his interests to give his entire attention tohis official duties.For a number of years Mr. Adams has taken a deep interest in variousaffairs of civic importance. He was one of the leaders of the Boy Scoutmovement in this locality, became scoutmaster, a position which he held forseveral years, and was immensely popular with the youths who joined thishelpful organization. Mr. Adams was peculiarly fitted for .the duties ofscoutmaster, having gained an intimate knowledge of military tactics whileserving as a member of the Georgia National Guard from 1899 to 1904, and