F. J. Adams was born in Cologne, Germany, in 1852 and immigrated to the United States with his family in 1864. After settling in Minnesota, where his father became a farmer, Adams apprenticed as a harness maker. In 1880, he moved to Brookings, South Dakota, where he opened a harness shop with his brother. He later established a successful business in White, South Dakota. A dedicated Republican, Adams served in various public offices and was active in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He married Lena Kohl in 1876, and they had seven children, six of whom survived to adulthood.
F. J. Adams, one of the successful business men and honored citizens of White, Brookings County, was born in Cologne, Germany, on the 2d of February, 1852, being a son of Joseph and Elizabeth Adams, who emigrated to America in 1864, taking up their residence in New York City, where they remained two years, the father of the subject being there engaged in the bakery business. In 1866 he removed with his family to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he was employed in a manufacturing establishment until 1871, when he removed to Blue Earth County, Minnesota, and took up a tract of government land near Mankato, being one of the pioneers of that section of the state and devoting the remainder of his life to agricultural pursuits. His death occurred on his home place in 1900, while his devoted wife passed away in 1896, both having been communicants of the Catholic Church.
The subject of this review was a lad of twelve years at the time of the family emigration to America, and his preliminary educational discipline had been secured in the excellent schools of the fatherland. He thereafter attended school as opportunity afforded, and after coming to Minnesota he assisted in the reclamation and cultivation of the homestead farm until he had attained the age of seventeen years, when he entered upon an apprenticeship at the harness-making trade in Mankato, becoming in due time a skilled workman. In 1872 he went to the city of St. Paul, where he was engaged in the work of his trade for two years, after which he returned to Mankato, where he continued in the work of his trade until 1880, when he came to Brookings, South Dakota, where, in company with his brother Christ, he opened a harness shop, continuing to be associated with the enterprise until 1887, when he disposed of his interest to his brother and removed to the village of White, in the same county, where he has ever since maintained his home. Here he established a harness shop and in the intervening years has built up a good business.
In politics Mr. Adams has ever given an unqualified allegiance to the Republican Party, and he has been prominent as a worker in its ranks since coming to South Dakota, having been a delegate to various party conventions and ever striving to promote the cause. He served for three years as a member of the board of county commissioners, was a member of the board of aldermen of Brookings for eight years and has served one term on the school board of the village of White. He was reared in the faith of the Catholic Church but is not identified with any religious body, being liberal and tolerant in his views. Mr. Adams is one of the prominent and popular members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in the state, and at the time of this writing is an officer in the grand lodge of the order, to which he had previously been a delegate many times. He is a member of the encampment of the Odd Fellows and is also affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America. While a resident of Brookings he was for sixteen years president and manager of the First Regimental Band of that city, being an excellent musician. The band accompanied the South Dakota editors on their trip to the National Park and also played two weeks at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
On the 30th of April 1876, Mr. Adams was united in marriage to Miss Lena Kohl, who was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, being a daughter of John and Gertrude Kohl, both of whom were born in Germany. To Mr. and Mrs. Adams have been born seven children, all of whom are living except one: J. F. is the subject of an individual sketch appearing on another page of this volume; F. C. died at the age of nineteen years; Gertrude is a teacher in the public schools of Brookings County; and Cornelius, Walter, Louise, and Anthony remain at the parental home.
Source: Robinson, Doane, History of South Dakota: together with mention of Citizens of South Dakota, [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen, 1904.