Representative Abraham G. Adams View All Years
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Abraham G. Adams
Des Moines County
Born at Sterling, Worcester Co., Mass., September 29, 1830. His parents, Reuben S. and Maria (Gibbs) Adams, were also natives of Massachusetts, and were among the early settlers, emigrating to Burlington in 1839. The educational advantages of a new country are necessarily of a primitive and rude style, and our subject coming here at the age of eight years recited his first lessons in a log school-house. Later, his studies were pursued in the basement of the "Old Zion Church," which had been converted into a school-room, and where the pioneer pedagogue ruled and taught in the old fashioned district school style. In 1847, Mr. Adams went to St. Louis, where he spent two years in a large jobbing boot and shoe house, there acquiring a knowledge of the business, which proved valuable to him in later years. Returning to Burlington in 1849, he assisted his father in the store, and was admitted to partnership in 1851. In June 1852, Mr. Adams was united in marriage with Miss Emily Swain. She was a lady possessing many excellences of character that endeared her to a large circle of friends In early life, Mr. Adams was a Whig, and cast his first vote for Gen. Winfield Scott for President. On the formation of the Republican party, he joined that organization, and ever afterward was a faithful adherent to its principles and an earnest worker in its support. He made many warm political friends, some of whom were the Nation's most illustrious heroes and statesmen. Gen. U. S. Grant was his warm friend, and on his return voyage around the world was his guest. In 1868, Mr. Adams was elected to represent Des Moines county in the Twelfth Iowa General Assembly. In 1878, Mr. Adams was elected Mayor of Burlington, re-elected in 1879, and, after an interval of five years, was again elected to the same office, and re-elected each succeeding year. His official career was distinguished for rare executive ability, enterprise and devotion to the best interests of the city. His judgments and opinions had great weight in all questions of public policy, and while he was progressive in his views, his enterprise and liberality were sufficiently tempered by conservatism to command the utmost confidence and respect of his fellow-citizens.
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