The Adams Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

The first record of this branch of the family is of Great-grandfather Adams, who served in the revolutionary war, probably enlisting from New York state. He married and had issue, see below.

(II) Grandfather Adams

Grandfather Adams was a farmer in Ossian, Livingston county, New York, where he spent most of his life and where he died about 1845. He married and had four children:

• Calvin, a millwright, born 1821, died in Russell, Warren county, Pennsylvania; married Marilda Crocker, of Ossian, died in Russell, Pennsylvania. Children:
  • Lydia, lives near Boston, Massachusetts;
  • Amy, lives in Warren, Pennsylvania;
  • Milo, deceased;
  • Eugene, lives in Russell, Pennsylvania;
  • Roy, lives in Russell, Pennsylvania.
• Leonard, of whom further.
• Nelson, died when young at Ossian, Livingston county, New York.
• James, married and lives in Wisconsin.

(III) Leonard Adams

Leonard Adams was born near Syracuse, New York, died in Rushford, New York, September 2, 1908. He was educated in the public schools of his native town and when he became of age settled on a farm in Rushford, Allegany county, New York. At the outbreak of the civil war he enlisted in the Fifth Regiment New York Cavalry and served for two years, when because of ill-health he was compelled to retire from the service. In politics he was always a Republican, and with his wife a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married Amy Crocker (sister of Marilda Crocker of previous mention), born in Ossian, Livingston county, New York, daughter of Samuel Crocker, a minister of the Methodist faith at Ossian, where he died. Children:

• James L., of whom further.
• Edwin L., born in Ossian, Livingston county, New York, in September, 1849, died in New Orleans 1900; served during the civil war in the One Hundred and Fourth Regiment New York Infantry Volunteers.
• Humphrey, born at New Hudson, Allegany county, New York, in 1851, where he died in 1859.
• Alice N., born in New Hudson, Allegany county, New York; married Bumpus, a rural free delivery postman of Warren, Pennsylvania. Children:
  1. Glen,
  2. a daughter.
• Frank, born in Rushford, New York, in 1871; married and he and family live in the west.

(IV) James L. Adams

James L., son of Leonard and Amy (Crocker) Adams, was born at Ossian, Livingston county, New York, October 31, 1847. As a youth he was educated in the public schools at Rushford and completed his education at the academy in the same town. At the outbreak of the civil war he was not old enough to enlist, but waited in feverish impatience for the long years to roll by until he should attain the required age. On September 2, 1864, nearly two months before he was seventeen, he enlisted as a private in Company I, One Hundred and Twentieth New York Infantry Volunteers, serving through the arduous campaign terminating in the battles around Petersburg, and being with General Grant at Lee’s final surrender at Appomattox. He received honorable discharge June 21, 1865, and immediately entered Eastman’s Business College to prepare himself for the business career in which he has been so justly successful. He was graduated in March, 1866, returning to Rushford where he occupied a position as school teacher for a short time. In 1872 he moved to Bradford where for two years he was manager of a cheese factory, then a bookkeeper, and until 1892 was manager of Swift & Company’s beef house. In that year he became a member of the Rock Glycerine Company, dealers in high explosives, who furnished most of the well drillers of that section with the torpedoes used in opening the wells, later entering the firm of the Bradford Torpedo Company. In 1899 he established as an oil producer and has met with unusual, although certainly well deserved, success. He is high in control of several of Bradford’s most vigorous and prosperous industries. Although past the prime of life Mr. Adams still retains his personal interest in all his business affairs and each day finds him at his desk. He is one of Bradford’s most progressive and esteemed citizens and is always on the alert to take advantage of any plan which will result in the benefit of the town. He is a director and second vice-president of the Keystone United Oil & Gas Company, with offices at Kane, Pennsylvania; vice-president of the Kinzua Petroleum Company, whose offices are at Mount Jewett, Pennsylvania, and president of the Tuna Oil & Gas Company. He holds the office of past commander of Bradford Post No. 141, Department of Pennsylvania, Grand Army of the Republic, and for many years has been a delegate to the department encampments. For the past twelve years he has been a delegate from Pennsylvania to the national encampments. His fraternal order is the Knights of Pythias, and his club the Merchants of Bradford.

He married, July 4, 1871, Emma M. Tyler, born in Farmersville, Cattaraugus county, New York, January 17, 1851, where she was educated. After her marriage she became a member of the following Bradford societies: Women’s Relief Corps; Women’s Christian Temperance Union; Political Equality Club, and Protected Home Circle. She was also an energetic and devoted member of the Presbyterian church. She died January 23, 1911, at Bradford, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Jamin, a farmer of Farmersville, New York, and Melona (Taylor) Tyler, who had the following children:

1. Frank, deceased; married and had a family in Wisconsin.
2. Albert, deceased, was an oil worker at Knapps Creek, New York; married and had one child.
3. Emma M., of previous mention.
4. Truman, deceased, a furniture dealer in Kansas; married.
5. Clayton, deceased, a hotelkeeper of Silver Lake, New York; married but had no children.
6. Verna, died in Buffalo, New York; married David Thomas, an employee of the Pullman Car Company; they had three children.
7. Carrie, died in Sandusky, New York; married Fred Blackman, of Sandusky.

Children of James L. and Emma M. (Tyler) Adams:

1. Myrtie M., born in Rushford, New York, April 9, 1872; married Clarence B. Van Schoick, a glassblower at Bradford, Pennsylvania.
2. Carrie L., born in Bradford, Pennsylvania, February 7, 1875; married William T. Lane, a jeweler of Bradford, Pennsylvania, born in Friendship, New York, April 7, 1867.

See: Genealogy of the Allegheny Valley Pennsylvania

Source

Jordan, J. W. 1840-1921. (1913). Genealogical and personal history of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania. New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co.

This genealogy is based upon the source cited above. Only the structure and formatting have been changed for clearer presentation; the genealogical and biographical content