JESSIMAN, Adam

JESSIMAN, GRIFFIN

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/17/2016 at 05:22:23

Biography ~ Adam Jessiman
Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa

Adam Jessiman was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, on April 19, 1949, the youngest of John and Mary Jessiman's nine sons.

Adam was sent to college in Glasgow, Scotland, to become an architect. He was baptized into the RLDS Church on his 33rd birthday and eventually moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas. Adam was residing there when on July 1, 1895, Graceland's building committee reviewed and approved architect Charles R. Dunham's pland for a brick facility that would become the campus' Administration Building. A few weeks later the board brought Adam in from Arkansas to assume the duties of the building's construction superintendent, a position he continued through the facility's opening on January 1, 1897.

Known as an artistic genius and a perfectionist, Adam also guided the construction of the Lamoni Saints' Home (later known as Graceland's North Hall), Kansas City's Swope Park Mansion (demolished in 1960), and the Independence [MO] Stone Church (built 1884, dedicated April 6, 1888). Adam also crafted and played violins.

Adam eventually moved to Oregon where he was fatally injured afer being struck by a car. The physicians wanted to amputate Adams' leg in an effort to save his life, but he replied, "I entered this world with two legs, and I'll leave it with two."

NOTE: Adam died in Medford, Oregon on May 21, 1929. Interment was made at Jacksonville Cemetery, Jacksonville, Oregon.

Adam's wife, Merintha Aletha (Griffin) Jessiman was born in 1852, and died in 1897. Adam and Merintha's son, Griffen G. Jessiman, was born in 1897, and died in 1900. Merintha and Griffen were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Lamoni, Iowa. After Merintha's death, Adam married a second time, however her name is unknown.

SOURCES:

Edwards, Paul M. "The Hilltop Where. . . An Informal History of Graceland College." p. 21. Venture Foundation. Lamoni IA. 1972.

Goehner, David. "The Graceland College Book of Knowledge: From A To Z." Pp. 420-21. Herald House. Independence MO. 1997.

Rose Hill Cemetery transcription

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, December of 2015

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