Joseph Adamson (1857-1940)

ADAMSON

Posted By: Tina Keister (email)
Date: 2/22/2012 at 13:22:48

Joseph Adamson was born near Swede Bend (now Stratford) in Webster County, Iowa into a family of 21 children on April 27, 1857. As a young child he was hidden in a cave with his mother to protect him from the Indians and due to poverty was given to other people to be raised at the time of this mother’s death. The home of Mr and Mrs Michael Johnson of Pilot Mound Township became his home for his boyhood years. His name was originally spelled Adams, but was lengthened to Adamson to better blend in with the Scandinavian community. Both he and his brother Charles (1863-1941) were raised by the Johnsons, who had no children of their own. The foster father Michael, died March 21, 1900 aged 81 years. The foster mother, Sarah (Olson) Johnson, had died Jan 17, 1885, aged 64 years, and both are buried in the Linn Cemetery north of east of Pilot Mound.
As a young man, Joseph Adamson left this area first for the lumber camps of Minnesota, then worked as a cowhand in Kansas, and then as a prospector searching for gold in California and Oregon. Returning to this area in the late 1870’s, Mr Adamson settled down on a farm in Grant Township. On June 29, 1880 he purchased 80 acres (W1/2 of SE ¼) in Section 22 and on Oct 17, 1882, purchased an adjacent 80 acres (E1/2 of SW ¼), thus farming 160 acres. Mr Adamson not only became a successful farmer but, notwithstanding his meager education, also became a newspaper correspondent of note and wrote for local and statewide newspapers under the pseudonym of “Big Swanson.” He also wrote poetry and mastered several musical instruments.
On July 18, 1883, he was married to Miss Augusta Johanna Holst, a member of the well-known Holst family of Boone County. She was born in Hochkirch, Victoria, Australia on Aug 23, 1856, one of seven children born to Heinrich Ludwig (1817-1886) and Emilie Leopolinda ( Luchholz) Holst (1820-1908). The parents were native of Germany where they were married in 1843. They immigrated to Australia in 1846 where they farmed for 21 years. In 1867 the family immigrated again, this time to America, where they landed at Castle Garden, New York on Aug 3, 1867. Five days later the family came to Boone County, Iowa where the father purchased 160 acres (SW1/2) in Section 20 of Pilot Mound Township (one-fourth mile south of the town of Pilot Mound). The parents farmed there for the remainder of their lives and are buried in Maas Cemetery in Amaqua Township, Boone County.
To Mr and Mrs Adamson were born five children, all on the Adamson home place south of Boxholm. They were: Frank E (1884-1971), Andrew Verner (1887-1908), Mrs Leonard (Belva M) Calson (1889-1973), Earl J (1891-1918), and Floyd (1899-1903). Mr and Mrs Adamson were early members of the Boxholm Methodist Church, joining on Aug 21, 1887. Mr Adamson served as the first Sunday School superintendent and was also a local lay leader during its early formative years. Mr Adamson also had quite a reputation as a speaker and orator.
After farming for about 20 years in Grant Township, Mr and Mrs Adamson retired about 1898 and moved into Pilot Mound. The home place was rented by his son Earl and later by various other farmers. It is today owned by G J Boyd. Mrs Adamson died on July 4, 1929, aged 72 years. It has been said that because of her wide circle of friends, her funeral concourse was one of the largest ever witnessed in Boone county, Mrs Adamson was a sister to Bernhart P Holst, father of Bertram Paul Holst, both of whom were well known throughout Boone County in their respective generations.
Mr Adamson lived on in Pilot Mound until about 1936 when he moved to Boxholm and lived with his son Frank. His death occurred on May 10, 1940, aged 83 years. Both are buried in the Pilot Mound Cemetery west of that city. The son, Frank E (who shortened his name to Adams), was in the barbering and jewelry business in Boxholm from 1906 on and also served as mayor of Boxholm from 1918-1919. Frank died May 1, 1971, two weeks shy of his 87th birthday. None of the Adamson descendants are currently residing within Grant Township.

History of Boxholm and Grant Township in Boone County, Iowa 1986 by David C Peterson