Edwin Adams, a native of Cornwall, England, came to the United States
     in 1883 at the age of 19. Earlier, his oldest brother, Sam, and wife and
     the Hellings family had come to Nebraska from England. Edwin lived with
     the Hellings family. Their only son, Jim, considered Dad Adams his older
     brother, a relationship that lasted throughout their lives.
          Two years later they all came to Kansas, homesteading near Lakin in
     Kearney county. A younger brother, Paul, who later came to Medicine Lodge
     to farm had come to Kearney county and was in the cattle business. They
     all survived the blizzard of 1886 with many stories of its fierceness.
     Paul was particularly proud of having saved all the cattle.
          We don't know exactly what year Dad Adams and the Hellings family
     came to Medicine Lodge, but it was a while before the Strip opened in 1892.
     He told of going down as a spectator, spending the night in Mart Updegraph.s
     wagon and nearly freezing to death. Mr Hellings was an early day City
     Marshal of Medicine Lodge. Jim learned the banking business from C.Q. 
     Chandler, ran the bank at Coats before ging to Kansas City where he became
     Excecutive Vice-President of the Stockyards Bank.
          When Dad Adams first came to Medicine Lodge, he worked at the rock
     quarry, sugar mill, Best Bros. Gypsum plant, and farming. In October, 1903,
     he opened a furniture and undertaking business in the building now occupied
     by the Sears Store, having gone to Kansas City for his stock. Caskets came
     unlined. Linings were chosen and tacked in. He framed pictures, making the
     frames. Everett Shell recalls learning to make frames when he worked at the
     store after school and on Saturdays.
          According to the July 5, 1908, edition of the Medicine Lodge Cresset,
     Adams and Co. added a new hearse to its equipment. "It is elegant with
     draperies and trimmings of ornate brass." It had kerosene lamps, one of
     which is still in the family. Also advertised were fine china, glassware,
     carpets, baskets, "the latest things in furniture and caskets." He also
     sold pianos. Earlier he had moved to a two-story brick building Chandler
     had built especially for him on the northeast corner of Main and Kansas.
          In March Edwin married Maud Stone, a native of Illinois, who had come
     from Rice County with her parents in 1901. They had three sons, Wendell, 
     Gwynne, and Alfred..
          After selling his business in 1926, he did some construction work and
     was engaged in farming with his son, Wendell. They continued to farm with
     horses until 1947 so Dad Adams could be a part of the operation. He was a
     familiar sight riding Wendell's old blue-roan pony to the farm and back 
     after he was 80 years old.
          Dad Adams was an active member of the Methodist Church. He sang in the
     choir, taught Sunday School classes, worked in Epworth League, and held
     various church ofices. Although he was very proud of his United States
     citizenship, it was difficult to denounce Queen Victoria to obtain his
     naturalization papers.
          He died in 1955, and Mother Adams in 1963.
     bu
               
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 81  
     Submitted by: Aetna Adams