| Notes |
- William Adams was born in County Antrim, near Ballymoney, Ireland, in 1809. He came to America in 1836, worked in Philadelphia, Pa. for six years, at $6.00 per month, and saved enough money to return to Ireland. In 1842, he married Mary Getty. He brought her and his father and mother, James and Martha Adams, to America, settling in Grandcote Prairie, now known as Swanwick, Illinois. Teh father and mother lived only three years, after settling in Grandcote Prairie, dying three days apart. They are buried in the Oakdale cemetery.
In 1845, William Adams moved to a farm southeast of Oakdale. He bought the 240 acre farm from Alexander and Lucy Hodge for $900. Nine children were born to William and Mary Getty Adams. Two died in infancy. Their names were William and David Hunter. The seven remaining children were Martha Ann, who married James Piper; James Moore, who married Rachel McEwen; John, who married Rosie Allen; Mary Jane, who married William McClurkin; Wlliam Getty, who married Elizabeth Robison; Hannah never married; and Margaret Elizabeth, who married William Lawson.
The two brothers, James and John, mentioned above, traveled to Nebraska with their families in covered wagons. On one wagon was a large hay rack filled with pieces of furniture and necessities. The other wagons were filled with lumber bought at the last town passed through, to be used in constructing their homes and church. They lived in dugouts until their homes were built. Services were held in their homes until the church was completed. The first sermon was preached in the John Adams house in 1880. Other families moved in from Iowa and other states to the area, making quite a group in the new church.
William Adams died January 4, 1892. There was a blizzard on the day of his funeral, with drifting snow. it was so severe that ice had to be picked off the horses' eyelids, so that they could see the road. The body was taken to the Oakdale cemetery in a big sleigh. After the death of William Adams, William Getty, the seventh child, bought the home farm aforementioned, and married Elizabeth Robinson of Coulterville, Illinois May 26, 1892. To this union were born Roscoe, Edna, Oren, Mary and Paul. Roscoe married Florence Klene of Oakdale. They had one child Opal Irene. Edna married Elwyn carson of Oakdale. They had three children, Eileen, Preston, and Joann. The Carson family history is found elsewhere in this book. Oren married Elizabeth Herche, having no children. Mary married Edward Bernreuter of Nashville, Illinois. They have an adopted daughter Carol who married Peter Lutz of Anna, Illinois. One daughter named Marguerite was born to this union. Peter died in 1969. Mary and Edward have a son (not adopted) Neill Valdes, who is an orthopedic surgeon in Carbondale, Illinois. He married Diann Richardson of St. Louis, Missouri, and they have three children. Their names are Becky, Wesley and Wendy. Paul, the youngest child of William Getty and Elizabeth Robinson, died at the age of 13, in 1925, having been injured by a horse while putting up hay in the barn of a farmer near Oakdale, Illinois.
William Getty Adams moved to the village of Oakdale in 1917, having lived for 60 years on the home farm, where he was born. The oldest son Roscoe took over the farm. William Getty died in 1926. He had been elder in the Reformed Presbyterian church for 37 years and was buried in the Oakdale cemetery.
By Mary Adams Bernreuter
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1809 - 1892 (83 years)
