Research Notes on Joseph W. Adair Sr.
He was born in Nutrosio, Apache County, Arizona on Nov. 6, 1881. His father was George Washington Adair and his mother was Emily Presinda Tyler. He was the 9th child born to them. [Kerry’s note: typescript gives names and very short biographies of the 8 other children born before Joseph Welton Adair. I choose not to include with my transcription.]
At a Conference held in St. George, there were several families called to go to Arizona to help settle the area, also help with teaching the Indians in that area. George Washington Adair was one of those called. They prepared to go as soon as possible. They packed everything up and left by wagons, going to Lee’s Ferry and up the Honeymoon trail (before it was called that) and on into the Arizona country.
They stayed in a three room cabin with Great Grandpa George Washington and Emily and their family in one room, his son George, Jr. and his wife Almira and her family in one and Emily’s Uncle William Pulsipher in the other. In the spring Great Grandfather went further south and built a log cabin in Nutrioso. It was the first log cabin built by a white man in that area. It is here that a 9th child, my Grandfather, Joseph Welton Adair, Sr., was born. It is a beautiful little valley, but close to the White Mountains area, where the Apache Indians were. The area is called Bush Valley today. The Indian Geronimo and his band raided around the area, but thought this valley was sacred, so left the settlers alone. They did raid, burn, steal and kill many people in the surrounding areas. Victorio was also a problem at this time.
There were bad men that would steal, rob and kill in Arizona and then they would come up to the Stringerville area to hide. The Clanton Gang of the OK Corral fame were one of these gangs. One time there was a gang of men that robbed a bank and raced out of town, ended at the edge of Eager, just a few miles south of Stringerville and a few miles north of Nutrioso. Then they got into an argument as to how to split the money. They started shooting each other and most of them were killed. The headstones are there where they were killed. The Sheriff caught up to them and got the remaining men. The wonderful, fearless lawmen from the Tombstone area came and helped clean out the outlaws. It was a very dangerous thing to go to town to get supplies. Most of the town of Stringerville were Catholic and did not want any Mormons even buried in their Cemetery. As a result there are two Cemeteries. The rough element made fun of Mormons, and gave them a very bad time. One day they killed a man as he came to get supplies, just to see if Mormons would die like any other man. As you can see, these times were the real wild west, and at this period of time our Great Grandparents were very much a part of it. They did not find things easy, but they never stopped believing in the Church and did all they could to help support and teach their growing family. [Kerry’s note: typescript gives names and very short biographies of the 10th and 11th children born to Joseph’s parents. I choose not to include with my transcription.]
Also, at this time Great, Great Grandfather, Samuel Jefferson Adair was living with Great Grandfather George Washington Adair and his family and then come back. He died at Nutrioso July 6, 1889. We believe he is buried there as the obituary, written by George Washington Adair in the Deseret News states. [Kerry’s note: I believe this to be incorrect since the LDS branch record of Nutrioso clearly states he died in Nutrioso but was buried in St. Johns – contact me for copy of record if needed.] The winters were so bad they moved to Alpine a few miles to the south. Great Grandfather’s friend Jacob Hamblin lived there and the two families had lived by each other in Kanab. This was Priscilla Hamblin and her family. They moved back to Nutrioso and lived there about 10 years from 1881 to 1887 or 1889.
They moved to the Muddy in Nevada where they traded Cattle and horses to the Whitmore family for a strip of land. They caught wild horses from the Arizona Strip and trained them, then sold them. It was here that my grandfather, Joseph Welton Adair, Sr., was breaking a horse, when it reared up over backwards and the saddle horn went into his chest. From this injury he had heart trouble the rest of his life. It has been told to me that he had a bad leg and used a cane. It could be that his leg was injured at this time also.
He was taken to New Harmony to Emily Jane Adair Grant his sister’s to recuperate. He stayed there and the doctor from Cedar City came to help him. He stayed there through the winter. It was while here that he met Sarah Adelia Taylor and fell in love. When he was well enough to travel he told her that he would go to New Mexico and build a cabin, then they would be married.
He did come back and they were married. Sarah was the daughter of Independence Taylor and Julia Aner Taylor. She was born Nov. 6, 1882 in New Harmony, Washington Co., Utah. Soon after they were married they moved to New Mexico. They had five children: Carrie Adair born July 26, 1907 at New Harmony, Washington Co., Utah. She married Leslie Chambers and was later divorced. She later married Ed McReynolds. She died and is buried in Los Angeles, Calif. Joseph Welton Adair, Jr. Born April 22, 1913 at Cedar Hill, San Juan Co. New Mexico. He married Susan Evaline (Evelyn) Smith Adair on Nov. 17, 1933 in St. George, Washington Co., Utah. They were married in the St. George Temple.
This is my father and mother. Mark Twain Adair born June 10, 1915 at Aztec, San Juan, New Mexico. He married Virginia (?) and was divorced. He later married Gertrude Travor. He died in California, where he lived, but is buried in New Harmony. Riley Adair was born Dec. 5, 1918 in (?) New Mexico. He never married, lived with Joe and Mark. He died in California at Uncle Mark’s home and is buried in New Harmony. Ruth Alice Adair born May 17, 1921, at Hammond, San Juan, New Mexico. She married George M. Smith and they are living in Vernal, Uintah Co., Utah at this time.
While in New Mexico, Rufus and Joseph went to Durango to work in a saw mill. They also helped their father haul freight to and from Durango, Colorado.
Joseph and Rufus bought a ranch in Meyers Canyon, south west of the Chaco Trading Post that was run by his brother, a few miles south of Hammond. Daniel Moroni Tyler, Emily’s brother lived there also. They had cattle and horses. They had bought the ranch from Mrs. Samon. The children were brought to Hammond for the winter to go to school. There was a real bad winter in 1921 and most of the cattle died. As the snow was so bad they couldn’t get feed to them. They were unable to make payment on the ranch and lost it.
Soon after this, Grandpa and Grandma decided to go to New Harmony where Grandma’s family lived. They sold their holding and with 2 wagons, teams, horses, mules and an Angora herd of 600 (1,000?) head, they started for Utah. Grandpa was very sick at this time and was put in a bed in one of the wagons. Grandma drove one of the wagons. Aunt Ruth was only 3 years old and very worried about her father. She would not go near the wagon where he was, because she was so scared and did not understand why her father was not up with her mother. Dad and Uncle Mark had to help drive the goats and other animals. Dad was only 12 years old and Uncle Mark only 10 years old. Aunt Carrie stayed in New Mexico with relatives. The rest of the family came to Utah.
They went as far as Bluff and stayed for the winter. The children went to school in Bluff, Utah and the continued their journey in the spring. It took them 1 ½ years to get to New Harmony as they had to graze their animals along the way. They had to go across the San Rafael Swell to Saline and then on to New Harmony. (We need to do more checking on this as Gerry said they stayed in Moab, and Donell said that they crossed the Dirty Devil and Colorado Rivers and came through Hanksville.)
When they got to New Harmony, Grandma’s sister-in-law was living with her father with her children as her husband, William Penn had died. They camped behind the house by the nut trees and then found a house they could use.
The Angora goat business was going strong at this time. There were about 10,000 head owned in the area. Grandpa owned about 1,000 of them. He summered them in the East Mountains (now known as the Kolob Cliff’s). The road that goes to the cliffs now, was the road that they used to take the goats to summer. They wintered them on the Arizona Strip.
Grandpa and his two oldest sons (Joe and Mark) were with the herd most of the time. They used two mules named Tom and Betty, and had a very good dog that helped them.
While on their way to winter the goats of the Arizona Strip, Grandpa got very sick and was taken back to St. George. He died there on November 9, 1926. He was brought back to New Harmony and buried there. The load of caring for the goat herd fell on my father Joseph Welton Adair, Jr. and Uncle Mark. Dad was not quite 14 years old and Uncle Mark was 11 years old. The children at that time ranged from 5 years to 19 years in age. The two youngest children, Ruth and Riley were in school in New Harmony.
Dad told how he had a new pair of Levi’s, he took them to St. George and went to a store to trade them for food. The first store would not do anything for him. He went across the street to another store and the man let him have a side of bacon and a few candy sticks. This was all they had for Christmas this year.
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Pg. 143:"Joseph Welton Adair, Sr. was born November 6, 1881, in Washington, Utah, [Kerry’s note --error: should be Nutrioso, AZ] to George Washington Adair and Emily Presinda Tyler. He was a brother of Emily Jane Adair. He married Sarah Adelia (Susie) Taylor who was born Nov. 6, 1882, in New Harmony to Independence and Julia Anner Taylor. Soon after Joseph and Sarah Adelia married, they moved to Farmington, New Mexico. All their five children were born there. Farmington is a farming and livestock area located on the San Juan River. They lived there for about 22 years. Eventually their longing for the area where they were born and raised and the aging of their parents brought them back home. They sold their holdings in Farmington, and with team and buggy, wagons, horse, mules, and an Angora goat herd, they covered the 600-mile journey to New Harmony, arriving during the summer of 1925. The Angora goat business was booming in New Harmony at the time. A total of 10,000 head were owned in the Valley, and Joseph Adair owned 1,000 of them. He summered them in the East Mountain area and wintered them on the Arizona Strip. Joseph and his two oldest sons, Joseph and Mark, were with the herd most of the time. They used two riding mules named Tom and Betty. Joseph W. Adair, Sr. died Nov. 9, 1926. The load of caring for the goat herd then fell fully upon Joe, Jr., age 18, and Mark, about 15. The children at that time ranged in age from six to 22 years. The two youngest children, Ruth and Riley, were in school in New Harmony. In 1933, when Lurene Pace Taylor moved into the Max Pace home, Susie Adair and her family moved into the home of Independence Taylor to care for her aging father. Uncle Penn was 79 years old at the time. Susie Adair eventually married Randell Lunt. When Independence Taylor died, his home lot and other property near town became her property. When Susie died, the property became owned by Ruth and George Smith. Both Joseph Adair, Sr., and Sarah Adelia Taylor Adair Lunt are buried in the New Harmony Cemetery."
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Name: Joseph Welton ADAIR Sex: M Birth: 17 JUN 1881 in Nutrioso, Apache, Arizona Death: 9 NOV 1926 in Near Pintura, Washington, Utah Burial: NOV 1926 New Harmony Cemetery, New Harmony, Washington, Utah
_IFLAGS: 0 Note: RESEARCH_NOTES: 1. Per website http://home.att.net/~dtadair/georgewashingtonadair.html: "About 1906 he was married to Sarah Adelia Taylor. They were the parents of Carrie and Joseph Welton Jr. Joseph Sr. passed away on Nov. 9, 1926." 2. 1900 Federal Census, San Juan County, New Mexico,Precinct No. 6 Bloomfield (Hammond): Adair, George W. Head-W-M-June 1837-63- Marr-36--Ala-No. Carolina- Ala- Farm " , Emily Wife-W-F-Jan 1847 -53- Marr-36- Iowa- N.Y.- N.Y. " , William A. Son-W-M-Feb 1872- 28- Div- - Utah-Ala - Iowa- Farm Lab. " , Joseph W. Son- W-M-Jun 1881- 19- Sing - Ariz- Ala- Iowa- " " " , Rufus N. Son- W-M-Sep 1884- 15 Sing - Ariz- Ala- Iowa " " " , Edna I. Dau- W-F-Jan 1887- 13 Sing - Ariz- Ala- Iowa At School
BIOGRAPHY: Parents: Independence Taylor and Julia Aner Taylor [note: two separate Taylor ancestries].
BIRTH: Date per website for Utah State Historical Society Cemeteries Database 1 Jan 2002.
MARRIAGE: 1. Date and place of "Abt 1906 in Salt Lake City" per www.FamilySearch.org, Pedigree Resource File, disc #8, Pin #456956, submitted by Vern Hixson, 819 Mesa Court, Los Banos, California 93635; 6 Jan 2002. 2. Ordinance index shows marriage "8 Apr 1911 at Salt Lake Co., Utah" 4 days before sealing date.
DEATH:
1. Date per website for Utah State Historical Society Cemeteries Database 1 Jan 2002.
2. Per 25 Jan 2002 email of Carolyn Smith
BURIAL:
1. Per website for Utah State Historical Society Cemeteries Database 1 Jan 2002.
2. Per website
!ORDINANCES: Verified 31 Mar 2001.
BAPTISM: Per Robin Adair.
ENDOWMENT: Ordinance Index 1.02, Salt Lake Temple, FHL Film 1239508, Ord. 7921.
SEALING TO PARENTS: Born in the covenant.
SEALING TO SPOUSE: Ordinance Index 1.02 FHL film 186207.
SOURCES_MISC: Per Robin Adair 20 Jan 2002 email: robadair@thegrid.net. He is descendent through Daniel Tyler Adair.
Change Date: 6 APR 2003 at 14:29:39
Father: George Washington ADAIR b: 27 JUN 1837 in , Pickens, Alabama
Mother: Emily Prescinda TYLER b: 28 JAN 1847 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa
Marriage 1 Sarah Adelia TAYLOR b: 6 MAR 1882 in New Harmony, Washington, Utah
Married: 8 APR 1911 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah
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