Thomas William Adams
Submitted by Wendy Cosper

Wendy welcomes e-mail to exchange information with family researchers,
especially regarding the son, Peter L. Adams of Oconto. Please click on her name (above) for a direct link.

Thomas William Adams was born May 9, 1817 in Restigouche , Quebec. I have a copy of a form the "STATE OF WISCONSIN"  where he became a US citizen in the year 1865. He was in Oconto City in 1873. There was a short paragraph in the Feb. 3, 1877 Oconto County Reporter on the death of Thomas William Adams. It states:

"In Life We Are In Death" "It is with sorrow that we learn of the death of our fellow
townsman Mr. Thos. Adams, father of Mr. Peter L Adams of this city. He died on Thursday evening, after a short and painful illness."

He is also in the records from Evergreen Cemetery in Oconto. Thomas W. Adams, 1 Feb 1877, Lot number SE1/4 2, Block 3.

His daughter's name was Isabelle Adams. She lived in Prince Edward Island. She married a man named Henry Hyde. The stepmother he refers to , her name was Elizabeth and she was placed in a asylum in Saint John , New Brunswick. I have copies of a letter he wrote to home . He speaks of great fires destroying homes and burned bodies being found.The date on the letter is very hard to make out , but it looks like 1873 .  It has been handed down through the family. I would imagine the date of his death and the fact that he died in Oconto City must have come from his daughter. Here is what the letter says:

Dear Daughter,

    I now take my pen in hand to write to you again, this makes the fourth time since I have received any from you, but I hope that you will receive this and answer it as soon as you get it for I am thinking long for some word from you. I have not much news to give you as you are not acquainted with the people here. We have had another fire here not far from us leaving one hundred and fifty destitute families, eight bodies have been found burned to a crisp and more are missing yet , out of 154 houses only 4 were left and only for the big rain that we had the fire would have destroyed the whole town- for the woods was on fire in all directions.

    The times here are much the same as they used to be , good wages , only cash is slow at present . There has been several deaths by different forms , some one way some another , but in whole this season has been healthy . Peter is learning to be a machinst . He has been nearly one year at it . He has two years more to serve, he is learning fast and will make a good workman. He is also learning engineering , he has run the factory engine for seven months and he is perfectly acquainted with steam . I am living in a house of my own but I have no houskeeper as yet. But I must get somebody to keep house for me soon as I am getting tired of it myself.

    Your stepmother is not getting any better by the last letter that I got from there. She has been to long that way now to look for her to get any better. I have been laid off work this week with a sore side but it is getting better , so I will be able to go to work on Monday. We are well otherwise , and hope to keep so with Gods blessings to attend us in our duties to him and our fellow creatures. No more at present, but remain your affectionate father until death.

Thomas William Adams

Please address your letters to T.W.Adams Oconto City, Wisconsin , U.S.