Biography of Preston Adair
Madison County, Ohio Biographies
PRESTON ADAIR, farmer and stock raiser, P. 0. London. His ancestry can be traced back to Ireland. John Adair, Sr , enlisted in the British Army, and when the American colonies threw off the yoke of tyranny, he accompanied Gen. Cornwallis to America. After the war, he settled in Augusta County, Va., where he married Jane Ross. They were the parents of seven children. One son, John Adair, Jr., the father of our subject, was born near Stanton, Va., November 11, 1783. His mother dying young, he was taken to raise by an uncle. In 1808, when twenty five years of age, he accompanied his father to Ohio, stopping at Chillicothe and remaining there as guest3 of Gen. McArthur for some days. They then came to Madison County, where John, Sr., purchased a tract of land, about one mile north of the present site of La Fayette, where he resided till his death, in 1815. John Adair then married, and purchased a tract of land from Gen. McArthur, located on the "Upper Glade," in Deer Creek Township, and consisting of eighty acres. He married Jane Ross, a native of Virginia, and the result of this union was the birth of twelve children. Seven of these grew to mature years, and six are now living. Mrs. Adair died in June, 1837. and Mr. Adair married for his second wife, in 1840, Miss B. Plymell. No children were given them. Mr. Adair died January 19, 1859, and his widow resided with our subject until the date of her death, in April, 1876. John Adair, Sr., was an extensive stock dealer of that time; in political life a Whig, but entertaining a strong dislike for office holding. He was an earnest Christian, and a pioneer Methodist of that community. The first Methodist Episcopal "class meeting" in that vicinity was held in a "squatter's cabin," on his land. Preston Adair, his son and our subject, was born on the old homestead June 11, 1829. He was there reared, receiving only a limited education. His mother died, and his older brothers had all left home, so, from the time he was twelve years of age until thirty, he remained with his father and step mother, carrying on the farm. He was married, September 20, 1859, to Hannah Street, a native of Knox County, Ohio, daughter of John and Ann (Robison) Street, who came from England to Ross County, Ohio, in 1840. After marriage. Mr. Adair carried on the home farm for three years, and, in April, 1864, removed to his present comfortable residence, on East High street, London. Upon the death of his parents, he purchased the old homestead, and has since added to it, until at present it consists of 400 acres of valuable land. Mr. Adair is a thorough Republican in political views, and, in the fall of 1880, was elected Infirmary Director for a term of three years. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal denomination since a boy of twelve years, and at present is a Steward and class leader in the church at London. He is also connected with the Masonic Lodge and Council. Five children have been given to Mr. and Mrs. Adair, four living - Nettie; John W., in attendance at Wittenberg College, Springfield, Ohio; Bruce, who has been blind for the past two years and is being educated at the Ohio State Blind Asylum, at Columbus; and Byers. Mrs. Adair and the two elder children are also members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Thomas Robison, grandfather of Mrs. Adair, resides at Mount Vernon, Ohio, aged eighty seven years.
From:
History of Madison County, Ohio
Published by: W. H. Beers and Company
Chicago, Illinois
