Hon. Jewett William ADAMS
Hon.
Jewett William ADAMS. In the far-away days when California and other states of
the Western Coast were in the processes of development, many were the
opportunities for the acquirement of great wealth by men possessed of
sufficient initiative and vision to stake their all upon an investment whose
outcome to those less optimistic seemed decidedly problematical. One of those pioneers whose rewards were
commensurate with the great risks he ran, and who won public commendation and
high office, was the late Hon. Jewett William ADAMS, whose activities covered many
fields and bore him to the gubernatorial chair of a great state.
Governor
ADAMS was born on a farm in the vicinity of Burlington, Vermont, August 6,
1834, a son of William and Nancy (BOARDMAN) ADAMS, both of whom belonged to old
and honored families in the East. After
receiving an excellent education in his native state, Jewett William ADAMS came
West, and arrived in California in 1852, where he entered the mines, and was
fortunate to become a protege of General Fremont, and was engaged in working
the Old Fremont grant.
Subsequently
he was attracted to Nevada, where he went into the teaming business, and in
connection with it laid the foundation of his great fortune. It was while building up this large
enterprise that he invented and put to practical use the iron hub, which gave
him the nickname he held throughout life, of “Ironhub” Adams. While this is the most important
manifestation of his inventive genius, he produced a number of appliances, and
took in this kind of work, especially in after life, a relaxation that was much
needed. The cattle business next
attracted him, and in partnership with Mr. MAGGILL, under the firm name of
ADAMS & MAGGILL, built up one of the largest cattle industries in
Nevada. This firm also handled sheep,
but were best known as cattleman.
Governor ADAMS was also the pioneer of the plaster business at San
Francisco, and controlled the Empire Hardwall Plaster Company, which was a
source of extensive profits. In fact,
it would be difficult to mention anything with which he became interested that
was not lucrative, for his was the genius which knew how to develop any
business to paying proportions. Entering
politics at Carson City, Nevada he became one of the dominating factors in the
democratic party, and was elected lieutenant governor, under Governor BRADLEY,
and really acting governor for practically all of the term, and was elected
governor on his record.
On
January 16, 1878, Governor ADAMS married Miss Emma E. LEE, a native of
Philadelphia and a descendant of the Virginia LEEs. They had one daughter, Frances.
She married George CORSE Jr., of San Francisco, and they have two
children; Jean and Frances May. After
years of great activity in varied lines Governor ADAMS and his contemporaries
are no more. They have passed the torch
of life to other and younger hands, but the results they accomplished
remain. They were the empire builders of
the West, who, while strenuously working to honestly and legitimately amass
personal fortunes, created something so wonderful and overwhelming that
posterity will continue to enshrine their names into the far-distant ages.