Robert Milligan Adams (1846 - 1931)

ADAMS, MILLIGAN, HANER, SCOTT, ASHBY, HART, NEFF, HAINES

Posted By: Barry Mateer (email)
Date: 11/6/2024 at 10:37:03

March 19, 1931
Osceola Sentinel
Osceola, Iowa

Another pioneer has passed away. Robert M. Adams came to Clarke county when ten years of age. Here he grew to manhood and spent his declining years in the midst of many friends. The deceased was a veteran of the Civil War. Following a long illness, he passed to his reward.

Robert Milligan, oldest son of William and Nancy Adams, was born July 26, 1845, hear Monmouth, Illinois, ad departed this life March 13, 1931, at his home in Osceola, Iowa, at the age of 95 years, 7 months and 17 days.

He came to Clarke county with his parents in 1856 in a covered wagon and experienced all the thrills and hardships of the early pioneer.

He felt the call of his country, although very young, and enlisted in Company I, 18th regiment, February 18, 1864, and was honorably discharged July 20, 1865. On September 15, 1867, he was married to Mary M. Haner near Woodburn, Iowa.

Mr. and Mrs. Adams went to housekeeping about five miles east of Osceola and lived in this community and reared their family. In later years they moved to Osceola where they enjoyed life until the circle was broken by death.

To this union were born six children, Mrs. Nancy J. Scott, Mrs. Irene C. Ashby of Osceola, Mrs. Bertha E. Hart of west Hollywood, California; and W.P. Adams of Garden Grove, Iowa; Stella R. and Mary E. who died in infancy. All his children with him during his last illness excepting Mrs. Hart.

Besides the four children and his life companion, he leaves 20 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. Two brothers, Wilson J. Adams of Canton, Illinois; Alonzo Adams of Osceola, two half brothers, Andy Adams and Mildred Adams and two sisters, Mrs. Charity Neff of Osceola, and Mrs. Rachel Haines of Topeka, Kansas. His parents, three brothers and two sisters preceded him in death. He leaves many other more distant relatives and a host of friends. He was converted early in life and united with the East Chapel church and has ever since kept the faith. In later years he transferred his membership to the M.P. church in Osceola.

Funeral services were conducted by Rev. J.C. Leonard, assisted by Rev. Caldwell, at the M.P. church, Osceola, Sunday at 2:00 o’clock p.m. Interment in Maple Hill cemetery.

May 17, 1923
Osceola Sentinel

One day the past week three brothers, John, Alonzo and Robert Adams appeared at the local studio to have their picture taken. They are the remaining members of a pioneer family. Probably there are within our borders no other three brothers who have lived so long in Clarke county. In an interview with Robert, the reporter learned that their parents, William and Lucretia Adams, came to Clarke county in the spring of 1855. They had four sons, the three mentioned above and Wm. Jr., who died some thirty years ago.

Robert was nine years of age when the family made the trip to Clarke county from Warren county, Illinois. They came in two covered wagons. The wagon in front was drawn by a team of horses driven by the father and to the other wagon was hitched a team of oxen – Buck and Berry – driven by nine year old Robert. It was a long road. It took days and days to make and it hurried Buck and Berry to keep up with the horse drawn wagon in front. In those days the road was little more than a trail across the wild prairies. If streams were bridged at all it was by a mere narrow board crossing with no bannisters. When they came to a stream to be forded or a bridge to be crossed the father would drive across, then return and help Robert get the ox team over with the greatest safety. There were plenty of thrills for the boys of those days. There were deer, wolves and other wild animals along the road-side and when night came and everything was still except an occasional hoot of an owl, or the howl of a coyote, the lads on their bed in the covered wagon had much to think about. There were thoughts of the bands of Indians of which they had heard that day and visions of harm that might come to the family and then with the happy thought of a new home in Iowa they would fall asleep to awake next morning ready for another day’s journey.

It was the first day of May, 1855, when the Adams family stayed all night with John McDonough, Sr., and the next day landed at the place not far from where East Chapel is now, where they first made their home in Clarke county. They soon had a log house. A real pioneer house it was, with a stick and mud chimney, wooden latches on the door and clapboard roof held on by poles instead of nails. But the four boys and their parents were happy and well. They broke up and farmed seven acres that summer and then next winter they had sufficient provisions, with the wild game they killed, for food for the season.

Speaking of wild game reminded Robert that his father, that first winter, killed six deer and one wild turkey with eight shots from his rifle. Every load of ammunition had to count in those days but the father had to shoot one deer twice to get him, so it took an extra load that time. They dried the flesh from the hams and the shoulders of the deer for the next summer’s use so they had venison all the year round.

Robert remembered that his father one winter day killed two deer about 2 ½ miles from home. On account of the wolves he did not dare to leave them where he shot them so he dragged them to within a quarter of a mile of home by taking them in turns a short distance at a time. When he was near enough home to leave them, he went to the house and got the ox team and dragged the deer on in. That was in Clarke county about sixty-seven years ago.

When about thirteen years of age, Robert Adams helped a man by the name of Lewis to break the sod on the lots in Osceola on South Main street in the blocks about where M. L. Temple’s and Vern Hick’s residences are now. He drove five yoke of oxen hitched to a big sod breaking plow mounted on wheels. For this work he received fifty cents per day.

The Clarke county pioneers were doing well. They had an abundance of wholesome food, comfortable homes and pleasant associations. But in the early 60’s the war came and when Robert was little more than seventeen he enlisted in the 18th Iowa, Co. I, and joined the Union force in the southland. After the war he returned to Clarke county.

History of Clarke County, Biographical Sketches. 1886

Robert M. Adams, a successful and enterprising farmer and stock-raiser of Oseola Township, was born in Warren County, Illinois,July 26, 1846, the eldest son of William and Nancy J. (Milligan) Adams, who were both natives of the State of Pennsylvania. The mother died when our subject was about six years old, and in the spring of 1856, the father came with his family to Clarke County, Iowa, locating in Osceola Township, where he has since made his home. Robert M. was about ten years of age when he was brought to Clarke County, and here he was reared to manhood on his father's farm, and educated in the district schools.

At the age of eighteen, he enlisted in Company I, eighteenth Iowa Infantry, and sent to Arkansas. He was in the Seventh Army Corps, under command of General Steele, for eighteen months, most of the time doing guard duty. He was mustered out at Little Rock, Arkansas, in July, 1865, when he retired to his father's farm in Clarke County.

In 1867 he united in marriage to Miss Mary Haner, and to this union were born five children - Nancy J., Irena C., Bertha E., William P. and Mary E. After his marriage Mr. Adams settled on his present farm on section 13, Osceola Township, where he has eighty acres of improved land under good cultivation, a fine residence and good farm buildings. He has met with good success in his agricultural pursuits, especially in the raising of stock. He was formerly engaged in raising hogs and cattle, but of late years has devoted his attention more especially to the raising of cattle and horses, in which pursuit he is having good success.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Adams are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, attending service at Davis' school-house. Mr. Adams has served his township as constable with credit to himself and his constituents.

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