ADAIR, Thomas Jefferson

    • March 21, 2019
    0 1
    Read Time:2 Minute, 54 Second
    The following biography originally appeared in Pioneer Magazine, 2010 Vol.57 No.1

    Born May 28, 1884, Thomas Jefferson Adair was a cowboy on the Blue River Wilderness, south of Nutrioso, Arizona, where his father, Samuel Newton

    Adair, was a rancher. Samuel had served a mission with Jacob Hamblin among the Hopi and Navajo Indian tribes in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona.

    Thomas received his call to the Southwestern States for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was set apart on April 1, 1904; he was assigned to labor in Arkansas.

    Elder Adair received a letter from Mission President James G. Duffin at the headquarters of the Southwestern States Mission in Kansas City, Mo., informing him of what he should take.

    “Bring no books nor extra clothing except one pair of garments. Knit garments are worn by almost all the elders. We have made special arrangements with the ‘Western Knitting Co’ in Salt Lake City, whereby Elders can get a 20% discount. Also, if you want to get a Prince Albert suit in Salt Lake City, go to West’s Mail Order House. They have agreed to sell you a $21 suit for $14. We supply Elders here at the office with suitable grips, clothing of all kinds (except garments), books, tracts, etc. We keep on hand Bibles specially suited to our work. Bring no trunks or valises: you cannot take them with you in your travels, and we have no room to store them here. May the blessings of the Lord attend you on your journey to this city and throughout your mission.”

    A few pages from Elder Adair’s journal show he and his companion spent part of their time looking for food and for places to sleep. After eating a morning meal, they were on their way, teaching as they went, and seeking food and lodging each night. They used each opportunity to preach the gospel and bear their testimonies.

    “Friday 5 August 1904. We arose this morning feeling able to pursue our journey, and shortly after eating our breakfast began to do so. We ate dinner with a man by the name of Moreland. After dinner we had all the muskmelons we could eat. . . .

    “Wednesday 10 August 1904. After eating our breakfast we borrowed a kettle, a tub, and some soap and went to the spring and washed our clothes. We got our washing out about noon, ate our dinner, and then wrote some letters while our clothes were drying. When they were dry, we put them in our grips and started on our journey. We walked five or six miles and found us a place to stay. The man’s name was Mr. Wickersham.”

    During his mission, Elder Adair became ill. There are no details to show when or where Elder Adair contracted typhoid malaria, but malaria generally comes from drinking impure water or is contracted from mosquitoes. He had served 28 months as a faithful missionary when he contracted the disease. He was released from his mission and started for home.

    Evidently, Elder Adair’s parents received word that he had arrived in St. Johns, Arizona, on July 23, 1906, and was quite ill with a fever. His parents lived in Nutrioso, about 75 miles from St. Johns, and they traveled to his bedside to help him. They found he was too ill to travel any farther, and he passed away about a week later on August 1, 1906, at age 22.

    About Post Author

    Brother Joseph

    randy@rkbaker.com
    Happy
    Happy
    0 %
    Sad
    Sad
    0 %
    Excited
    Excited
    0 %
    Sleepy
    Sleepy
    0 %
    Angry
    Angry
    0 %
    Surprise
    Surprise
    100 %

    Related Tags
    You May Also Like

      CHURCH, Margaret – Still Giving Her Life

      Despite their full-time family and farming commitments, the couple accepted teaching and leadership responsibilities in nearly every church position possible. Further, they encouraged each one of their children in educational pursuits. By 1978 their nine sons and seven daughters had completed a total of 67 years of college. After sending eight of their children on missions, Marge and Lathel accepted a call in 1977 to the Rapid City South Dakota Mission. It was during this service that she was chosen as Utah's Mother of the Year. Following are quotes written for that occasion by two of her daughters:
      View Post

      The Adventures of Nathan W. Adams

      Much fanfare accompanied the completion of the transcontinental railroad at Promontory Point, Utah on May 10, 1869. Two weeks later Major John Wesley Powell and nine companions in four row boats left Green River, Wyoming, with almost no fanfare, to explore the Green and Colorado Rivers. It was a trip fraught with danger that only six of the men completed. Although not involved in running the river, my great uncle, Nathan Adams, would later share the adventures experienced by Powell’s second exploration crew as they mapped the Grand Canyon area during the 1870s. A hundred and forty years later only a few intrepid tourists visit Promontory Point each year, while tens of thousands of tourists, many of them from foreign countries, enjoy the marvelous scenery discovered by Powell and his colleagues.
      View Post

        CHAPMAN, Julia Ann

        With the coming of spring, the brethren made a concerted drive to get all the Saints out of Kanesville. Other than for Julia’s health, Isaac was well equipped to travel. In the heat of the late spring, Julia gained some weight and felt pretty well. Deciding that they could safely make the trip, Isaac loaded the wagon
        View Post

          BARNEY, Lewis

          He discovered that the Mormons were a religious people, however, at that time he cared nothing for religion. “The Methodists and the Presbyterians had been trying to convert me to their faith. I came to the conclusion that religion of every kind was a hoax, and that none was right, and that all preachers of religion were hypocrites, and were preaching for money and popularity.”
          View Post

            BELLISON, James Thomas and Louisa

            Before many days, an incident occurred which tells a lot about James' attitude toward draft animals. His granddaughter, Pearl Allen Read, tells of the company coming to a bog of mud in the trail which caused many wagons to get stuck. As each team came to the bog, the Captain standing there would join the drivers in whipping the animals to get them through.When it was his turn, James forbade the Captain. "These are my animals and no whip is to be used on them." Although James' team pulled through the bog successfully, the Captain was angry and thereafter continued to find fault with this independent member of his company.James Thomas' life-long insistence that his animals be treated well was admired by those who knew him and was learned and perpetuated by his children throughout their lives.
            View Post

              THOMSON Jr., Moses

              Combined with the guarding that was surely required of Moses, we also learn from George Thomson’s biography that “Moses pushed and pulled on a handcart with a sick man in it for many days. Their rations got slimmer . . . When they got to the Sweetwater [River] near Devil’s Gate, Moses died with seven others the same night. . . . they were buried in shallow graves and covered with snow. This tragedy was a terrible blow to George and he did not get over it for years.”
              View Post

                COX, Orville Southerland

                Occasionally, the monotony of the bellows was broken in other ways. For example: At one time, oxen were brought to the shop to be shod that had real hard hoofs, called “glassy hoof.” Whenever Deacon undertook to drive a nail in, it bent. Cox straightened nails over and over, as nails were precious articles in those days, and must not be discarded because they were bent. After a while, the boy said, “Let me.” He shod the ox without bending a nail. Thereafter, Cox shod all the oxen with one and all that came to the shop.
                View Post

                  WALLACE, George Benjamin

                  July 4 Sunday – Rain this morning. Public meeting. Elders P. P. Pratt, Taylor and Father Smith spoke against growing cold and careless, and neglecting to pray. They urged all to give thanks to God, who is blessing us all the time. They also spoke against swearing and taking the name of God in vain. They gave strong warning and spoke of some of the law which will be put in force hereafter. They exhorted to union, obedience, etc. and exhorted the fathers concerning their children, how to bring them up, etc. They said if we forgot God it would go with us as it did with the Lamanites, etc. We must not set fire to the prairie for it is a signal for the Indians to gather together. We have now come 175 miles. The conclusion is to travel each company of 50 by itself and to have it encamp and herd by itself.
                  View Post