William Winfield Adams (1881 - 1959)

Born 17 Oct 1881 in Maryland, United States

Died 15 Mar 1959 at age 77 in Montgomery, Maryland, United States

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Biography

William Winfield Adams is a part of US Black heritage.

William Winfield Adams was born on 17 Oct 1881

He married Mary E. Hood around 1898, according to a family tree. They had the following children:

1. Johnson Adams (1898 - 1986)
2. Raymond Adams (1899)
3. Elsworth Adams (1900)

In the 1900 census William (age 20), Day Laborer, was the married head of household in Rockville, Montgomery, Maryland.^[1] Mary and he divorce, date unknown.

He married second, Maggie Carter around 1905. They had the following children based on the 1910 census where she states she had 8 children:

1. Cora Adams
2. Frank Adams
3. Jane Adams
4. Dorothy Adams
5. Hiawatha Adams (f)
6. Johnson Adams
7. Elsworth Adams
8. Caroline Adams

Maggie died in 1918.

In the 1910 census William (age 29), Laborer, was the married head of household in Election District 4, Montgomery, Maryland, United States.^[2]

In the 1920 census William (age 38), Laborer, was the married head of household in Wheaton, Montgomery, Maryland.^[3]

This biography is on his FG memorial: Will Adams played fiddle for dances around Montgomery County in the early 20th century. By the time he was recorded in 1953 by Mike Seeger, he hadn't played music in 25 years. In several sessions, Seeger recorded Will Adams, playing on a borrowed fiddle. He remembered forty tunes which he played from memory, including "Tie Your Dog, Sallie Gal," "Getting Up Cows," "Haste to the Wedding," and "Girl I Left Behind Me." He played square dance tunes, waltzes, and Irish jigs.

He passed away in 1959.

Research Notes

There is a Davis Adams listed as being 19 years old in 1910 as the son of William which would make William only 10 years old when he had him.

Sources

1. ↑ 1900 Census: "1900 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1900; Census Place: Rockville, Montgomery, Maryland; Roll: 625; Page: 5; Enumeration District: 0054
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7602 #20498415 (accessed 17 April 2023)
   William W Adams (20), married, Day Laborer, head of household in Rockville, Montgomery, Maryland. Born in Maryland, USA.

   Name	Sex	Age	Status	Relation	Occupation	Birth Place
   William W Adams	M	20	Married	Head	Day Laborer	Maryland, USA
   Mary Adams	F	19	Married	Wife	Servant	Maryland, USA
   Raymond Adams	M	7/12	Single	Son		Maryland, USA
   Millie Adams	F	17	Single	Sister		Maryland, USA
   Eleanor Jackson	F	8/12	Single	Niece		Maryland, USA

2. ↑ 1910 Census: "1910 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1910; Census Place: Election District 4, Montgomery, Maryland; Roll: T624_566; Page: 23A; Enumeration District: 0106; FHL microfilm: 1374579
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7884 #10525554 (accessed 17 April 2023)
   Millitens Adams (29), married, Laborer, head of household in Election District 4, Montgomery, Maryland, USA. Born in Maryland.

   Name	Sex	Age	Status	Relation	Occupation	Birth Place
   William Adams	M	29	Married	Head	Laborer	Maryland
   Maggie Adams	F	35	Married	Wife		Maryland
   Davis Adams	M	19	Single	Son	Laborer	Maryland
   Cora Adams	F	18	Single	Daughter		Maryland
   Frank Adams	M	16	Single	Son	Laborer	Maryland
   Jane Adams	F	14	Single	Daughter		Maryland
   Dorthy A Adams	F	5	Single	Daughter		Maryland
   Hiawatha Adams	F	3	Single	Daughter		Maryland
   Johnson Adams	M	12	Single	Son		Maryland
   Elsworth Adams	M	10	Single	Son		Maryland
   Caroline Adams	F	1	Single	Daughter		Maryland

3. ↑ 1920 Census: "1920 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1920; Census Place: Wheaton, Montgomery, Maryland; Roll: T625_671; Page: 15A; Enumeration District: 143
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6061 #25683723 (accessed 3 December 2023)
   William Adams Jr (38), married, Laborer, head of household in Wheaton, Montgomery, Maryland. Born in Maryland.

   Name	Sex	Age	Status	Relation	Occupation	Birth Place
   William Adams	M	38	Married	Head	Laborer	Maryland
   Florence E Adams	F	25	Married	Wife	Servant	Maryland
   Dorothy D Adams	F	14	Single	Daughter	Housework	Maryland
   Hiawiatha Adams	M	13	Single	Son		Maryland
   Caroline Adams	F	11	Single	Daughter		Maryland
   Maurice Hopkins	M	26	Single	Boarder	Teamster	Maryland

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/234464204/william-winfield-adams: accessed 17 April 2023), memorial page for William Winfield Adams (17 Oct 1881–15 Mar 1959), Find a Grave Memorial ID 234464204, citing Ash Memorial Cemetery, Sandy Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland, USA; Maintained by Julianne Mangin (contributor 47901800).