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From: "Kay Haden" <>
Subject: [MOLAWREN-L] Missing ADAMSON from Lawrence Co
Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2000 11:12:18 -0500


I've just joined your mail list and bring a mystery! I have a brick wall
that seems to extend into Lawrence County and I'm looking for any help,
suggestions, etc. as I've had no previous reason to research in this county.
I hope someone on the list can suggest possible substitutes for the 1890
census. I do know from the mail list archives that there seem to be a few
researchers of the ADAMSON surname in the county.

My father's birth certificate says that his father was Ray Weymouth Adamson,
born in Pierce City, Missouri, in 1884. Occupation said to be "Bridgeman".
I am trying to identify Ray Adamson's parents.

Here is what I've found so far.

In the 1910 US Census for Crawford Co, Arkansas. Mary E. Adamson, widow,
age 58 & born in Indiana, is head of household with sons Ray W. age 25, born
in Missouri, and Clair D. (I think "Clair" as it's very difficult to read)
age 17, born in Arkansas. Ray is listed as a carpenter. They live in the
same household with the family of Elisha S. & Edith J. Harrison in the town
of Chester. Elisha is 59 and Edith 55 - no relationship to them is stated
but I thought at first perhaps Mary E. could be sister to one of them.
Research has identified the families of both Elisha S. Harrison and Edith J.
Irwin and she is not a sister to either although both were from large
complex families and there could be a multitude of cousins. It would appear
Mary E. and Mr. ??? Adamson had moved to Arkansas sometime between 1884 when
Ray was born and 1893 when Clair was born. Mary E. stated she had given
birth to 7 children, but only 4 were living - 2 of these identified as
above. There are no other Adamsons in the county that could be additional
sons.

Ten years later in 1920, living in the household of Elisha & Edith Harrison
is Ray W. Adamson, son-in-law, age 35, born in Missouri. Now a Rig Builder,
Oil Field. His wife is Mary Mae, the youngest daughter of Elisha & Edith,
and they have a daughter and two sons, the middle child of which is a son,
Weymouth, age 4 1/2. The birth certificate of my father reveals this is he -
his name was Weymouth Donald Adamson, but was unexplainably called "Ernie"
as a grown man. No Mary E. Adamson, or Clair Adamson in the county in 1920.
No cemetery or death record for Mary E. Adamson to be found.

In 1900, this Adamson family was not found in Crawford County. There was a
George Adamson living in a distant township throughout this time period from
1900-1920 but there's no clue of relationship. Too old to be another son of
Mary E. Too young to be a father-in-law.

Going back to Pierce City, Lawrence Co MO in hopes of finding clues to the
family of Ray Weymouth Adamson, I've found the following. In 1880 there was
an Adamson family in the Census in Ozark Township: Ed, age 55, and Elender,
age 50. Their child bearing days could be assumed to be over. Among their
children are Sterling, age 30 (b.1850), and Lemuel, age 19 (b.1861) - both
single but of an age to be married and be a father to Ray Weymouth Adamson
by 1884. There was also in Pierce Township, a family with the surname
Weymoth. Of course neither of Ray Weymouth's parents were born yet in 1880.
You'll agree "Weymouth" is not your everyday given name.

A visit to the mail list archives revealed a few Adamson marriages but none
listed were between 1880-1885 except for one that appears to be Lemuel
Adamson to Alice Harshbarger in 1883 & their graves listed in Hopewell
Cemetery. Since he married an Alice this seems to eliminate the above
Lemuel. In Gum cemetery were listed a Sturlen Adamson and a son's grave
listing the wife & mother as Sarah A. So apparently Sterling Adamson marred
a Sarah A, thereby eliminating both of the boys listed with Ed & Ellender
Adamson in 1880 unless there's additional information.

I also found an abstract of the family of Ed & Elender from the 1870
Census - at that time there was a son Charles W. age 11 (b. 1859). I found
a cemetery record in Gum cemetery - born Oct 1858 & died Mar 1875, so he
died too young to be a father candidate for Ray Weymouth Adamson.

There wasn't another Adamson that I can find in 1880 in Lawrence Co. The
listing of Ed & Elender's children from 1870 doesn't suggest any other
possible father candidates. Brick Wall - unless I'm missing something.

I have no family stories or traditions to help out here. I was adopted by
my stepfather before age 6 and have only recently had enough information to
begin to ferret out my birth father's family.

If you read through this, you have my appreciation! Thanks for any clues.

Kay Haden
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