William Shepard Adamson

William Shepard Adamson was born February 16, 1838, in Ohio, probably in Adams County. William was the son of Robert Adamson and Elizabeth Shepard.

The Adamson family moved from Ohio to Indiana about 1839. They settled in Montgomery County.

The 1840 Montgomery County, Indiana census shows the family living in Wayne Township. William was shown as a male under the age of 5 years.  William's father died on August 18, 1840, shortly after the census was taken. 

 Twelve year old William appears with his widowed mother and his siblings on the 1850 Montgomery County, Indiana census, still living in Wayne Township.

About 1857, William's sister Elizabeth and her husband John Boyer moved their family from Indiana to Louisa County, Iowa. The 1860 Louisa County, Iowa census, Marshall Township, shows William, 23, living with his sister Elizabeth and her family. (He was listed as William Anderson on the census.)

William married Rebeca A. Maiden prior to 1865. Rebeca Maiden was born May 29, 1836, in Ohio, one of at least ten children born to William Maiden and Margaret Jane Sellers.

The 1870 Henry County, Iowa census, Scott Township, shows William Adamson, 32, farmer, born in Ohio; Rebecca, 32, born in Ohio; Anna, 5, born in Iowa; Grant, 3, born in Iowa and William, 2 months, born in Iowa. William is shown to have real property valued at $1950 and personal property valued at $125. Living nearby was Rebeca's brother Henry Maiden and his wife Margaret. Rebeca's parents lived a short distance away.

  William's family appears on the 1880 Louisa County, Iowa census in Elm Grove Township. The census shows William, 46, a farmer; Rebecca, 42; Anna M., 15; Grant, 12; and John, 10 years old.

The 1900 Louisa County, Iowa census, Elm Grove Township, shows William Adamson, 62, born February 1838, in Ohio, married 37 years, farmer; Rebecca Adamson, wife, 64, born May 1836, in Ohio, married 37 years, given birth to 4 children, 3 children still living; Lewis Bush, son-in-law, 40, born August 1859, married 12 years, born in Illinois, farmer; Anna Bush, daughter, 35, born May 1865, in Iowa, married 12 years, given birth to 4 children, 3 children still living; Esther Bush, granddaughter, 11, born June 1888, in Iowa; Blanche Bush, granddaughter, 8, born March 1992, in Iowa; and Earl Bush, grandson, 6, born June 1893, in Iowa. Living next door was William and Rebecca's son John Adamson and his family.

William died February 19, 1908 at Winfield, in Henry County, Iowa. He is buried in Winfield-Scott Cemetery near Winfield, in Henry County.

The 1910 Keokuk County, Iowa census shows Rebecca Adamson, 73, living with her daughter and son-in-law, Annie and Lewis Bush and their family.

Rebeca died on June 16, 1922. She is buried with her husband in Winfield-Scott Cemetery near Winfield.

Children of William Adamson and Rebeca Maiden