JOSEPH ADAMS.
     The story of the sufferings and the bravery of those who wore the blue and fought nobly for the preservation of the Union, now so great and prosperous as a direct result of their heroism and their de­votion to principle and country,—this story cannot be told too often. It is especially well that those of the younger generation should have impressed upon their minds that the bravery and happiness they enjoy freely was purchased for them at an awful price, and though none but an actual participant in the Civil war can give the true picture in its entirety, a faint idea may be gained in the perusal of the history of those who, as in the case of Joseph Adams, experienced the horrors of war in many of its worst phases. Mr. Adams, who died at his home in New Lexington, sacrificed his life on the altar of his country and he certainly deserves the credit for what he did toward suppressing the rebellion of the south, hazarding the authority of the government at Washington.
     Mr. Adams was a native of Pennsylvania, his birth having occurred in Washington county, that state, on the 22d of August, 1828.  When he was four years of age he was brought to Perry county, Ohio, in 1832, by his parents, Robert and Margaret (McClellan) Adams, who located in Clayton township, the father purchasing a farm, en which they spent their remaining days. His death occurred September 11, 1886, when he was eighty-four years of age; and his wife passed away on the 12th of July, 1890, at the age of eighty-seven years and seven months. Both were natives of Washington county, Pennsylvania, and the family is of Irish lineage. Joseph Adams, the grandfather of our subject, together with his father, came from the Emerald Isle to the new world. The maternal grandfather of our subject was James McClellan, who also came from Ireland. Unto Robert and Margaret (McClellan) Adams were born seven sons: Joseph, of this review ; John, who served in the Civil war and is now deceased; Samuel, who for three years was a Union soldier and became a corporal and is now living in Brown, Kansas; Calvin, who was killed in battle, being with his brothers in the One Hundred and Fourteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry;
     James, who served in the commissary department during the Civil war and is now living in Cook county, Iowa; Margaret, the deceased wife of J. A. Grant, of Salt Lake township, Perry county; and William, who died many years ago.
     Joseph Adams, of this review, was reared upon the old home farm and throughout the period of his active business career carried on agricultural pursuits. When the country became involved in civil war he was more than forty years of age and thus exempt from military service. However, he enlisted in 1864 as a member of the One Hundred and Sixtieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, serving as a member of Company F during the term of his enlistment. His health became so badly impaired during his service that for eighteen years prior to his death he was unable to engage in active work. After his return from the war he again took up his abode on the old homestead and for a time carried on agricultural pursuits, meeting with good success as the result of his labors, but as the years passed he suffered more and more as the result of the hardships of his army life and for almost two decades he had to put aside business cares entirely.
     Mr. Adams was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Colborn, a daughter of Robert and Rebecca (Hazleton) Colborn, whose father removed from Somerset county, Pennsylvania, to Pike township, Perry county, Ohio, and spent the last years of his life here, dying in 1893, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. His wife was a daughter of Samuel and Nancy (McKinney) Hazleton, and her father was a pioneer settler of Perry county, coming west with his brothers, John, Henry and William Hazleton.
     The marriage of our subject and his wife was blessed with seven children: Robert C., who died at the age of four years; Margaret I., who is the wife of Albert Flowers, of Clinton county, Iowa; Lulie, now the wife of William Collins, of Warren county, Ohio; Susan M., at home;
Mary Josephine, the wife of John S. Safell, of Pike township, Perry county: James Arthur, now deceased; and Charles Earl, who is living in New Lexington. For more than forty years, Mr. Adams, the father of this family, was a loyal and exemplary member of the Masonic fraternity, and he also belonged to the Grand Army of the Republic. He was a man of most excellent traits of character and enjoyed the warm regard and confidence of all who knew him..
Source: A Biographical Record of Fairfield and Perry Counties, Ohio - Publ. New York and Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co - 1902 ~ Page 474