(NOTE: John Chester Adams probably never had his portrait taken prior to the Civil War. During the 3 month period that John Chester Adams was with the 86th Illinois in the Nashville, Tennessee area in 1862-63, John, spent much of this time in the hospital sick before his death. However, if at any point he felt well enough to do so, like most of the Union soldiers in the Nashville area, John probably took the time to sit for a portrait to send home to the loved ones that he left behind. These portraits were printed in the form of what was called a "tin type" or, more often, in the form of what was called a CDV. This was a paper picture glued to a heavier card stock about the size of a modern day baseball card, and the soldiers didn't just have one or two copies made. Most of the time, they had a dozen or more made, so they could swap pictures with their tentmates and messmates and also to send to their friends and loved ones back home.
Unfortunately, John did not survive the war, but if he did sit for pictures, copies may still exist in the hands of great great grandchildren of his brothers and sisters or of the tentmates and messmates that he undoubtedly would have swapped pictures with. If anyone seeing this has one of those surviving pictures, could you scan it and add it to his Find A Grave Memorial for all with an interest to see. Thanks! Baxter)
Quartermaster Sergeant JOHN CHESTER ADAMS, Co. H, 86th Illinois & Field and Staff, 86th Illinois
John Chester Adams was born on September 9, 1840 in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, probably in Worthington rather than Notthington, as his enlistment record, seen below, states. John Chester Adams was the son of John Adams and Mary Ann (Bryant) Adams. John Adams and Mary Ann Bryant were married in Hampshire County, Massachsuetts on January 1, 1838. John Adams was born c. 1803/04, while Mary Ann Bryant was born c. April 11, 1814 in Chesterfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. John and Mary Ann had a daughter, Mary, on January 26, 1839. The family is found in the 1840 census in Hampshire County, Massachusetts as follows;
1 male 30 to 39 (John)
1 female 20 to 29 (Mary Ann)
1 female under 5 (Mary)
At least five more children were born to John and Mary Ann. Their children, all of whom were born in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, most likely includes;
1. Mary Adams, born January 26, 1839. Mary was married in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts on September 29, 1869 to Jacob R. Bates, the son of Jacob Bates and Mary (___________) Bates.
At the time of the 1880 census, Mary and Jacob are found in Stuart Township of Guthrie County, Iowa, where Jacob is a Dry Goods Merchant;
Jacob R. Bates 41 Dry Goods MerchantMass.
Mary Bates 41 Keeping House Mass.
Annie Cochran 20 Servant
Mary (Adams) Bates died on 16 Apr 1900 and her mortal remains were laid in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Stuart, Guthrie County, Iowa. See her Find A Grave Memorial #11274125.
2. John C. Adams, born September 9, 1840. Moved west to Illinois in the early 1860's, where he joined the 86th Illinois. See his biography below.
3. William W. Adams, born October 1, 1842. William died while in the service c. 1863 in the Civil War.
4. Howard Adams, born January 3, 1845 in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. Howard Adams died on 9 Sep 1913 in Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts and his mortal remains were laid in the Hinsdale Cemetery in Hinsdale, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. See his Find A Grave Memorial #133032676.
5. Eliza Crosby Adams, born October 29, 1848. Eliza C. Adams was married to Albert J. Randall on February 1, 1872 in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.
At the time of the 1880 census, Eliza and her family are found in in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts;
A. J. Randall Head 37 Farmer Mass.
Eliza Randall Wife 31 House Keeping Mass.
Earl A. Randall Son 1
Mary A. Adams Mother 66 At home Mass.
Eugene Brown Servant 15 Farm Laborer Mass.
Eliza Crosby (Adams) Randall died on _____________ __, 1914 and her mortal remains were laid in the Old Hadley Cemetery in Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. See her Find A Grave Memorial #128602281.
6. Lorea Standish Adams, born c. August 20, 1851/54. Lorea was married in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts on January 7, 1873 to Joseph F. Gaylord, the son of Anson Gaylord and Alnieda (____________) Gaylord. Lorea Standish (Adams) Gaylord died on 14 May 1885 and her mortal remains were laid in the Glen Valley Cemetery in Barre, Worcester County, Massachusetts. See her Find A Grave Memorial #140501489.
At the time of the 1850 census, the Adams family is found in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts;
John Adams 46 Farmer Mass.
Mary A. Adams 36 Mass
Mary Adams 11 Mass.
John C. Adams 9 Mass.
William W. Adams 7 Mass.
Howard Adams 5 Mass.
Eliza C. Adams 1 Mass.
At the time of the 1860 census, the Adams family is found in the same location as in 1850;
John Adams 56 Farmer Mass.
Mary Adams 46 Mass.
Mary Adams 21 C. S. Teacher Mass.
John C. Adams 19 Farm Laborer Mass.
William Adams 17 Farm Laborer Mass.
Hannabe? Adams 15 Mass
Eliza Adams 13 Mass.
Lorea? Adams 8 Mass.
At the time of the 1870 census, the Adams family appears as following in the same location;
John Adams 66 Farmer Mass.
Mary Ann Adams 56 Keeping House Mass.
Eliza c. Adams 21
John Adams died on 29 Jul 1873 at the age of 69, which would place his year of birth as either 1803 or 1804. His mortal remains were laid in the Worthington Center Cemetery in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. See his Find A Grave Memorial #133124655.
At the time of the 1880 census, Mary Ann (Bryant) Adams is found residing with her daughter, Eliza, and her family in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts;
A. J. Randall Head 37 Farmer Mass.
Eliza Randall Wife 31 House Keeping Mass.
Earl A. Randall Son 1
Mary A. Adams Mother 66 At home Mass.
Eugene Brown Servant 15 Farm Laborer Mass.
Mary Ann (Bryant) Adams died on 29 Aug 1889 and her mortal remains were also laid in the Worthington Center Cemetery. See her Find A Grave Memorial #133124672.
Now to continue with what we know about John Chester Adams;
John C. Adams is still found living with his parents at the time of the 1860 census of Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, seen above. Sometime between the summer of 1860 and the summer of 1862, John C. Adams moved west to Illinois, where he took up residence in the city of Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois.
John C. Adams may have been scouting out a new place for the family to move to at some time in the future, or he may have come west in the spring or summer of 1862, perhaps because the units in the Hampshire County area were full and he came west strictly to find a unit in the Union army to join. Whatever, the reason he came west, on August 4, 1862, John C. Adams volunteered at Peoria, Illinois to serve in a company which was being raised in the Peoria, Illinois area by David W. Magee, a veteran of the Mexican War, for service in the Union Army during the Civil War. At the time he enlisted, he did list Peoria, Illinois as his place of residence.
Illinois Civil War Detail Report from the Illinois State Archives;
"Name ADAMS, JOHN C Rank SGT
Company H Unit 86 IL US INF
Personal Characteristics
Residence PEORIA, PEORIA CO, IL Age 21 Height 5' 5 1/2
Hair BROWN Eyes BLUE Complexion LIGHT
Marital Status SINGLE Occupation CLERK
Nativity NOTTHINGTON, HAMPSHIRE CO, MA
Service Record
Joined When AUG 4, 1862 Joined Where PEORIA, IL
Joined By Whom ____ Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom _____
Muster Out Muster Out Where _____
Muster Out By Whom _____
Remarks TRANS TO NON COM STAFF AS QUARTERMASTER SERGEANT NOV 12, 1862"
When Magee had about 100 volunteers he assembled his company at Camp Lyons, located near present day Glen Oak Park in Peoria, where they remained in camp until they were mustered into service. On August 27, 1862 Magee and 89 of his volunteers were mustered into service as Co. H of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Initially, the men of Co. H elected Magee to be their Captain. Magee, however, because of his past military experiences, was selected and promoted to the rank of Lt. Colonel of the entire regiment. After this John H. Hall, was elected by the men of Co. H to be their Captain. John C. Adams was elected by the men of Co. H to serve as their 5th Sergeant.
On September 7, 1862, the men of the 86th Illinois marched out of the gates of Camp Lyon, through the streets of Peoria, with much fanfare, and boarded a train bound for Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville, Indiana, across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. Three weeks later, the men of the 86th were in the field in Kentucky as part of Col. Daniel McCook's Brigade, in pursuit of Confederate troops. On Oct. 8, 1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those troops in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, the 86th Illinois suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the next three years.
After the Battle of Perryville, the Confederate troops withdrew from Kentucky, while the men of McCook's Brigade marched on to Nashville, Tennessee, where they would go into winter camp. The men of McCook's Brigade arrived in the Nashville, Tennessee area on the 7th of November and went straight to Edgefield, Tennessee, located just north and east of Nashville across the Cumberland River from Nashville. There the men of McCook's Brigade made their initial encampment.
Sergeant John C. Adams is believed to have early on been called on to assist Quartermaster Charles H. Dean with his duties. On November 12, 1862, Sergeant John C. Adams was officially transferred to the Non Commissioned Staff of the Field & Staff of the 86th Illinois, where he was assigned as a Quartermaster Sergeant. John would serve the remainder of his time with the 86th as a Quartermaster Sergeant.
ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
Name ADAMS, JOHN C
Rank QMSGT Company HQ Unit 86 IL US INF
Personal Characteristics
Residence PEORIA, PEORIA CO, IL Age N/A Height N/A Hair N/A
Eyes N/A Complexion N/A Marital Status N/A Occupation N/A
Nativity N/A
Service Record
Joined When AUG 4, 1862 Joined Where PEORIA, IL
Joined By Whom D W MAGEE Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out N/A
Muster Out Where N/A Muster Out By Whom N/A
Remarks DIED AT NASHVILLE TENN SEP 19, 1863 OF FEVER
The men of McCook's Brigade remained based in the Nashville all through the winter of 1862/63 and on through the spring and summer of 1863. On August 20, 1863, the men of McCook's Brigade marched out of Nashville, Tennessee on a mission to repair several railroad bridges. Within a few weeks however, they swung to the south and east, participating in what would become known as the Campaign for Chattanooga, Tennessee. The day they left Nashville, it is believed that Quartermaster Sergeant John C. Adams was left behind sick with fever in one of the Army Hospitals.
As the days passed into September, John's condition continued to deteriorate and on September 19, 1863, the day his regiment was participating in the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, Quartermaster Sergeant John C. Adams died in an Army Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. His earthly remains were initially buried in a cemetery near the hospital. Shortly after the war, the bodies in these cemeteries were exhumed and moved to the Nashville National Cemetery. The identity of John's grave had probably already been lost or it was lost during the transfer process and today Sgt. John C. Adams is almost certainly one of the 4,131 Federal dead marked with a stone reading, "UNKNOWN U. S. SOLDIER".
John C. Adams's name appears on the main family monument in the Worthington Center Cemetery. The monument states his death occurred in Nashville, Tennessee on February 19, 1863, rather than September 19, 1863. It is doubtful that his body was disinterred and returned to Massachusetts. His body almost certainly lies in the Nashville National Cemetery. See his Find A Grave Memorial which has been set up in the Worthington Center Cemetery in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, #133124621.
by Baxter B. Fite III
(Baxter would enjoy hearing from anyone, especially descendants of the Adams family, who might be able to ad to the biographical material that we have on John C. Adams and the Adams family. Baxter would also love to see copies of any photographs of John C. Adams that might have survived the years, added to his Find A Grave site for all to see.)
Unfortunately, John did not survive the war, but if he did sit for pictures, copies may still exist in the hands of great great grandchildren of his brothers and sisters or of the tentmates and messmates that he undoubtedly would have swapped pictures with. If anyone seeing this has one of those surviving pictures, could you scan it and add it to his Find A Grave Memorial for all with an interest to see. Thanks! Baxter)
Quartermaster Sergeant JOHN CHESTER ADAMS, Co. H, 86th Illinois & Field and Staff, 86th Illinois
John Chester Adams was born on September 9, 1840 in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, probably in Worthington rather than Notthington, as his enlistment record, seen below, states. John Chester Adams was the son of John Adams and Mary Ann (Bryant) Adams. John Adams and Mary Ann Bryant were married in Hampshire County, Massachsuetts on January 1, 1838. John Adams was born c. 1803/04, while Mary Ann Bryant was born c. April 11, 1814 in Chesterfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. John and Mary Ann had a daughter, Mary, on January 26, 1839. The family is found in the 1840 census in Hampshire County, Massachusetts as follows;
1 male 30 to 39 (John)
1 female 20 to 29 (Mary Ann)
1 female under 5 (Mary)
At least five more children were born to John and Mary Ann. Their children, all of whom were born in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, most likely includes;
1. Mary Adams, born January 26, 1839. Mary was married in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts on September 29, 1869 to Jacob R. Bates, the son of Jacob Bates and Mary (___________) Bates.
At the time of the 1880 census, Mary and Jacob are found in Stuart Township of Guthrie County, Iowa, where Jacob is a Dry Goods Merchant;
Jacob R. Bates 41 Dry Goods MerchantMass.
Mary Bates 41 Keeping House Mass.
Annie Cochran 20 Servant
Mary (Adams) Bates died on 16 Apr 1900 and her mortal remains were laid in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Stuart, Guthrie County, Iowa. See her Find A Grave Memorial #11274125.
2. John C. Adams, born September 9, 1840. Moved west to Illinois in the early 1860's, where he joined the 86th Illinois. See his biography below.
3. William W. Adams, born October 1, 1842. William died while in the service c. 1863 in the Civil War.
4. Howard Adams, born January 3, 1845 in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. Howard Adams died on 9 Sep 1913 in Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts and his mortal remains were laid in the Hinsdale Cemetery in Hinsdale, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. See his Find A Grave Memorial #133032676.
5. Eliza Crosby Adams, born October 29, 1848. Eliza C. Adams was married to Albert J. Randall on February 1, 1872 in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.
At the time of the 1880 census, Eliza and her family are found in in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts;
A. J. Randall Head 37 Farmer Mass.
Eliza Randall Wife 31 House Keeping Mass.
Earl A. Randall Son 1
Mary A. Adams Mother 66 At home Mass.
Eugene Brown Servant 15 Farm Laborer Mass.
Eliza Crosby (Adams) Randall died on _____________ __, 1914 and her mortal remains were laid in the Old Hadley Cemetery in Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. See her Find A Grave Memorial #128602281.
6. Lorea Standish Adams, born c. August 20, 1851/54. Lorea was married in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts on January 7, 1873 to Joseph F. Gaylord, the son of Anson Gaylord and Alnieda (____________) Gaylord. Lorea Standish (Adams) Gaylord died on 14 May 1885 and her mortal remains were laid in the Glen Valley Cemetery in Barre, Worcester County, Massachusetts. See her Find A Grave Memorial #140501489.
At the time of the 1850 census, the Adams family is found in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts;
John Adams 46 Farmer Mass.
Mary A. Adams 36 Mass
Mary Adams 11 Mass.
John C. Adams 9 Mass.
William W. Adams 7 Mass.
Howard Adams 5 Mass.
Eliza C. Adams 1 Mass.
At the time of the 1860 census, the Adams family is found in the same location as in 1850;
John Adams 56 Farmer Mass.
Mary Adams 46 Mass.
Mary Adams 21 C. S. Teacher Mass.
John C. Adams 19 Farm Laborer Mass.
William Adams 17 Farm Laborer Mass.
Hannabe? Adams 15 Mass
Eliza Adams 13 Mass.
Lorea? Adams 8 Mass.
At the time of the 1870 census, the Adams family appears as following in the same location;
John Adams 66 Farmer Mass.
Mary Ann Adams 56 Keeping House Mass.
Eliza c. Adams 21
John Adams died on 29 Jul 1873 at the age of 69, which would place his year of birth as either 1803 or 1804. His mortal remains were laid in the Worthington Center Cemetery in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. See his Find A Grave Memorial #133124655.
At the time of the 1880 census, Mary Ann (Bryant) Adams is found residing with her daughter, Eliza, and her family in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts;
A. J. Randall Head 37 Farmer Mass.
Eliza Randall Wife 31 House Keeping Mass.
Earl A. Randall Son 1
Mary A. Adams Mother 66 At home Mass.
Eugene Brown Servant 15 Farm Laborer Mass.
Mary Ann (Bryant) Adams died on 29 Aug 1889 and her mortal remains were also laid in the Worthington Center Cemetery. See her Find A Grave Memorial #133124672.
Now to continue with what we know about John Chester Adams;
John C. Adams is still found living with his parents at the time of the 1860 census of Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, seen above. Sometime between the summer of 1860 and the summer of 1862, John C. Adams moved west to Illinois, where he took up residence in the city of Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois.
John C. Adams may have been scouting out a new place for the family to move to at some time in the future, or he may have come west in the spring or summer of 1862, perhaps because the units in the Hampshire County area were full and he came west strictly to find a unit in the Union army to join. Whatever, the reason he came west, on August 4, 1862, John C. Adams volunteered at Peoria, Illinois to serve in a company which was being raised in the Peoria, Illinois area by David W. Magee, a veteran of the Mexican War, for service in the Union Army during the Civil War. At the time he enlisted, he did list Peoria, Illinois as his place of residence.
Illinois Civil War Detail Report from the Illinois State Archives;
"Name ADAMS, JOHN C Rank SGT
Company H Unit 86 IL US INF
Personal Characteristics
Residence PEORIA, PEORIA CO, IL Age 21 Height 5' 5 1/2
Hair BROWN Eyes BLUE Complexion LIGHT
Marital Status SINGLE Occupation CLERK
Nativity NOTTHINGTON, HAMPSHIRE CO, MA
Service Record
Joined When AUG 4, 1862 Joined Where PEORIA, IL
Joined By Whom ____ Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom _____
Muster Out Muster Out Where _____
Muster Out By Whom _____
Remarks TRANS TO NON COM STAFF AS QUARTERMASTER SERGEANT NOV 12, 1862"
When Magee had about 100 volunteers he assembled his company at Camp Lyons, located near present day Glen Oak Park in Peoria, where they remained in camp until they were mustered into service. On August 27, 1862 Magee and 89 of his volunteers were mustered into service as Co. H of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Initially, the men of Co. H elected Magee to be their Captain. Magee, however, because of his past military experiences, was selected and promoted to the rank of Lt. Colonel of the entire regiment. After this John H. Hall, was elected by the men of Co. H to be their Captain. John C. Adams was elected by the men of Co. H to serve as their 5th Sergeant.
On September 7, 1862, the men of the 86th Illinois marched out of the gates of Camp Lyon, through the streets of Peoria, with much fanfare, and boarded a train bound for Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville, Indiana, across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. Three weeks later, the men of the 86th were in the field in Kentucky as part of Col. Daniel McCook's Brigade, in pursuit of Confederate troops. On Oct. 8, 1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those troops in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, the 86th Illinois suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the next three years.
After the Battle of Perryville, the Confederate troops withdrew from Kentucky, while the men of McCook's Brigade marched on to Nashville, Tennessee, where they would go into winter camp. The men of McCook's Brigade arrived in the Nashville, Tennessee area on the 7th of November and went straight to Edgefield, Tennessee, located just north and east of Nashville across the Cumberland River from Nashville. There the men of McCook's Brigade made their initial encampment.
Sergeant John C. Adams is believed to have early on been called on to assist Quartermaster Charles H. Dean with his duties. On November 12, 1862, Sergeant John C. Adams was officially transferred to the Non Commissioned Staff of the Field & Staff of the 86th Illinois, where he was assigned as a Quartermaster Sergeant. John would serve the remainder of his time with the 86th as a Quartermaster Sergeant.
ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
Name ADAMS, JOHN C
Rank QMSGT Company HQ Unit 86 IL US INF
Personal Characteristics
Residence PEORIA, PEORIA CO, IL Age N/A Height N/A Hair N/A
Eyes N/A Complexion N/A Marital Status N/A Occupation N/A
Nativity N/A
Service Record
Joined When AUG 4, 1862 Joined Where PEORIA, IL
Joined By Whom D W MAGEE Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out N/A
Muster Out Where N/A Muster Out By Whom N/A
Remarks DIED AT NASHVILLE TENN SEP 19, 1863 OF FEVER
The men of McCook's Brigade remained based in the Nashville all through the winter of 1862/63 and on through the spring and summer of 1863. On August 20, 1863, the men of McCook's Brigade marched out of Nashville, Tennessee on a mission to repair several railroad bridges. Within a few weeks however, they swung to the south and east, participating in what would become known as the Campaign for Chattanooga, Tennessee. The day they left Nashville, it is believed that Quartermaster Sergeant John C. Adams was left behind sick with fever in one of the Army Hospitals.
As the days passed into September, John's condition continued to deteriorate and on September 19, 1863, the day his regiment was participating in the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, Quartermaster Sergeant John C. Adams died in an Army Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. His earthly remains were initially buried in a cemetery near the hospital. Shortly after the war, the bodies in these cemeteries were exhumed and moved to the Nashville National Cemetery. The identity of John's grave had probably already been lost or it was lost during the transfer process and today Sgt. John C. Adams is almost certainly one of the 4,131 Federal dead marked with a stone reading, "UNKNOWN U. S. SOLDIER".
John C. Adams's name appears on the main family monument in the Worthington Center Cemetery. The monument states his death occurred in Nashville, Tennessee on February 19, 1863, rather than September 19, 1863. It is doubtful that his body was disinterred and returned to Massachusetts. His body almost certainly lies in the Nashville National Cemetery. See his Find A Grave Memorial which has been set up in the Worthington Center Cemetery in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, #133124621.
by Baxter B. Fite III
(Baxter would enjoy hearing from anyone, especially descendants of the Adams family, who might be able to ad to the biographical material that we have on John C. Adams and the Adams family. Baxter would also love to see copies of any photographs of John C. Adams that might have survived the years, added to his Find A Grave site for all to see.)
(NOTE: John Chester Adams probably never had his portrait taken prior to the Civil War. During the 3 month period that John Chester Adams was with the 86th Illinois in the Nashville, Tennessee area in 1862-63, John, spent much of this time in the hospital sick before his death. However, if at any point he felt well enough to do so, like most of the Union soldiers in the Nashville area, John probably took the time to sit for a portrait to send home to the loved ones that he left behind. These portraits were printed in the form of what was called a "tin type" or, more often, in the form of what was called a CDV. This was a paper picture glued to a heavier card stock about the size of a modern day baseball card, and the soldiers didn't just have one or two copies made. Most of the time, they had a dozen or more made, so they could swap pictures with their tentmates and messmates and also to send to their friends and loved ones back home.
Unfortunately, John did not survive the war, but if he did sit for pictures, copies may still exist in the hands of great great grandchildren of his brothers and sisters or of the tentmates and messmates that he undoubtedly would have swapped pictures with. If anyone seeing this has one of those surviving pictures, could you scan it and add it to his Find A Grave Memorial for all with an interest to see. Thanks! Baxter)
Quartermaster Sergeant JOHN CHESTER ADAMS, Co. H, 86th Illinois & Field and Staff, 86th Illinois
John Chester Adams was born on September 9, 1840 in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, probably in Worthington rather than Notthington, as his enlistment record, seen below, states. John Chester Adams was the son of John Adams and Mary Ann (Bryant) Adams. John Adams and Mary Ann Bryant were married in Hampshire County, Massachsuetts on January 1, 1838. John Adams was born c. 1803/04, while Mary Ann Bryant was born c. April 11, 1814 in Chesterfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. John and Mary Ann had a daughter, Mary, on January 26, 1839. The family is found in the 1840 census in Hampshire County, Massachusetts as follows;
1 male 30 to 39 (John)
1 female 20 to 29 (Mary Ann)
1 female under 5 (Mary)
At least five more children were born to John and Mary Ann. Their children, all of whom were born in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, most likely includes;
1. Mary Adams, born January 26, 1839. Mary was married in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts on September 29, 1869 to Jacob R. Bates, the son of Jacob Bates and Mary (___________) Bates.
At the time of the 1880 census, Mary and Jacob are found in Stuart Township of Guthrie County, Iowa, where Jacob is a Dry Goods Merchant;
Jacob R. Bates 41 Dry Goods MerchantMass.
Mary Bates 41 Keeping House Mass.
Annie Cochran 20 Servant
Mary (Adams) Bates died on 16 Apr 1900 and her mortal remains were laid in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Stuart, Guthrie County, Iowa. See her Find A Grave Memorial #11274125.
2. John C. Adams, born September 9, 1840. Moved west to Illinois in the early 1860's, where he joined the 86th Illinois. See his biography below.
3. William W. Adams, born October 1, 1842. William died while in the service c. 1863 in the Civil War.
4. Howard Adams, born January 3, 1845 in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. Howard Adams died on 9 Sep 1913 in Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts and his mortal remains were laid in the Hinsdale Cemetery in Hinsdale, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. See his Find A Grave Memorial #133032676.
5. Eliza Crosby Adams, born October 29, 1848. Eliza C. Adams was married to Albert J. Randall on February 1, 1872 in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.
At the time of the 1880 census, Eliza and her family are found in in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts;
A. J. Randall Head 37 Farmer Mass.
Eliza Randall Wife 31 House Keeping Mass.
Earl A. Randall Son 1
Mary A. Adams Mother 66 At home Mass.
Eugene Brown Servant 15 Farm Laborer Mass.
Eliza Crosby (Adams) Randall died on _____________ __, 1914 and her mortal remains were laid in the Old Hadley Cemetery in Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. See her Find A Grave Memorial #128602281.
6. Lorea Standish Adams, born c. August 20, 1851/54. Lorea was married in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts on January 7, 1873 to Joseph F. Gaylord, the son of Anson Gaylord and Alnieda (____________) Gaylord. Lorea Standish (Adams) Gaylord died on 14 May 1885 and her mortal remains were laid in the Glen Valley Cemetery in Barre, Worcester County, Massachusetts. See her Find A Grave Memorial #140501489.
At the time of the 1850 census, the Adams family is found in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts;
John Adams 46 Farmer Mass.
Mary A. Adams 36 Mass
Mary Adams 11 Mass.
John C. Adams 9 Mass.
William W. Adams 7 Mass.
Howard Adams 5 Mass.
Eliza C. Adams 1 Mass.
At the time of the 1860 census, the Adams family is found in the same location as in 1850;
John Adams 56 Farmer Mass.
Mary Adams 46 Mass.
Mary Adams 21 C. S. Teacher Mass.
John C. Adams 19 Farm Laborer Mass.
William Adams 17 Farm Laborer Mass.
Hannabe? Adams 15 Mass
Eliza Adams 13 Mass.
Lorea? Adams 8 Mass.
At the time of the 1870 census, the Adams family appears as following in the same location;
John Adams 66 Farmer Mass.
Mary Ann Adams 56 Keeping House Mass.
Eliza c. Adams 21
John Adams died on 29 Jul 1873 at the age of 69, which would place his year of birth as either 1803 or 1804. His mortal remains were laid in the Worthington Center Cemetery in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. See his Find A Grave Memorial #133124655.
At the time of the 1880 census, Mary Ann (Bryant) Adams is found residing with her daughter, Eliza, and her family in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts;
A. J. Randall Head 37 Farmer Mass.
Eliza Randall Wife 31 House Keeping Mass.
Earl A. Randall Son 1
Mary A. Adams Mother 66 At home Mass.
Eugene Brown Servant 15 Farm Laborer Mass.
Mary Ann (Bryant) Adams died on 29 Aug 1889 and her mortal remains were also laid in the Worthington Center Cemetery. See her Find A Grave Memorial #133124672.
Now to continue with what we know about John Chester Adams;
John C. Adams is still found living with his parents at the time of the 1860 census of Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, seen above. Sometime between the summer of 1860 and the summer of 1862, John C. Adams moved west to Illinois, where he took up residence in the city of Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois.
John C. Adams may have been scouting out a new place for the family to move to at some time in the future, or he may have come west in the spring or summer of 1862, perhaps because the units in the Hampshire County area were full and he came west strictly to find a unit in the Union army to join. Whatever, the reason he came west, on August 4, 1862, John C. Adams volunteered at Peoria, Illinois to serve in a company which was being raised in the Peoria, Illinois area by David W. Magee, a veteran of the Mexican War, for service in the Union Army during the Civil War. At the time he enlisted, he did list Peoria, Illinois as his place of residence.
Illinois Civil War Detail Report from the Illinois State Archives;
"Name ADAMS, JOHN C Rank SGT
Company H Unit 86 IL US INF
Personal Characteristics
Residence PEORIA, PEORIA CO, IL Age 21 Height 5' 5 1/2
Hair BROWN Eyes BLUE Complexion LIGHT
Marital Status SINGLE Occupation CLERK
Nativity NOTTHINGTON, HAMPSHIRE CO, MA
Service Record
Joined When AUG 4, 1862 Joined Where PEORIA, IL
Joined By Whom ____ Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom _____
Muster Out Muster Out Where _____
Muster Out By Whom _____
Remarks TRANS TO NON COM STAFF AS QUARTERMASTER SERGEANT NOV 12, 1862"
When Magee had about 100 volunteers he assembled his company at Camp Lyons, located near present day Glen Oak Park in Peoria, where they remained in camp until they were mustered into service. On August 27, 1862 Magee and 89 of his volunteers were mustered into service as Co. H of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Initially, the men of Co. H elected Magee to be their Captain. Magee, however, because of his past military experiences, was selected and promoted to the rank of Lt. Colonel of the entire regiment. After this John H. Hall, was elected by the men of Co. H to be their Captain. John C. Adams was elected by the men of Co. H to serve as their 5th Sergeant.
On September 7, 1862, the men of the 86th Illinois marched out of the gates of Camp Lyon, through the streets of Peoria, with much fanfare, and boarded a train bound for Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville, Indiana, across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. Three weeks later, the men of the 86th were in the field in Kentucky as part of Col. Daniel McCook's Brigade, in pursuit of Confederate troops. On Oct. 8, 1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those troops in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, the 86th Illinois suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the next three years.
After the Battle of Perryville, the Confederate troops withdrew from Kentucky, while the men of McCook's Brigade marched on to Nashville, Tennessee, where they would go into winter camp. The men of McCook's Brigade arrived in the Nashville, Tennessee area on the 7th of November and went straight to Edgefield, Tennessee, located just north and east of Nashville across the Cumberland River from Nashville. There the men of McCook's Brigade made their initial encampment.
Sergeant John C. Adams is believed to have early on been called on to assist Quartermaster Charles H. Dean with his duties. On November 12, 1862, Sergeant John C. Adams was officially transferred to the Non Commissioned Staff of the Field & Staff of the 86th Illinois, where he was assigned as a Quartermaster Sergeant. John would serve the remainder of his time with the 86th as a Quartermaster Sergeant.
ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
Name ADAMS, JOHN C
Rank QMSGT Company HQ Unit 86 IL US INF
Personal Characteristics
Residence PEORIA, PEORIA CO, IL Age N/A Height N/A Hair N/A
Eyes N/A Complexion N/A Marital Status N/A Occupation N/A
Nativity N/A
Service Record
Joined When AUG 4, 1862 Joined Where PEORIA, IL
Joined By Whom D W MAGEE Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out N/A
Muster Out Where N/A Muster Out By Whom N/A
Remarks DIED AT NASHVILLE TENN SEP 19, 1863 OF FEVER
The men of McCook's Brigade remained based in the Nashville all through the winter of 1862/63 and on through the spring and summer of 1863. On August 20, 1863, the men of McCook's Brigade marched out of Nashville, Tennessee on a mission to repair several railroad bridges. Within a few weeks however, they swung to the south and east, participating in what would become known as the Campaign for Chattanooga, Tennessee. The day they left Nashville, it is believed that Quartermaster Sergeant John C. Adams was left behind sick with fever in one of the Army Hospitals.
As the days passed into September, John's condition continued to deteriorate and on September 19, 1863, the day his regiment was participating in the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, Quartermaster Sergeant John C. Adams died in an Army Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. His earthly remains were initially buried in a cemetery near the hospital. Shortly after the war, the bodies in these cemeteries were exhumed and moved to the Nashville National Cemetery. The identity of John's grave had probably already been lost or it was lost during the transfer process and today Sgt. John C. Adams is almost certainly one of the 4,131 Federal dead marked with a stone reading, "UNKNOWN U. S. SOLDIER".
John C. Adams's name appears on the main family monument in the Worthington Center Cemetery. The monument states his death occurred in Nashville, Tennessee on February 19, 1863, rather than September 19, 1863. It is doubtful that his body was disinterred and returned to Massachusetts. His body almost certainly lies in the Nashville National Cemetery. See his Find A Grave Memorial which has been set up in the Worthington Center Cemetery in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, #133124621.
by Baxter B. Fite III
(Baxter would enjoy hearing from anyone, especially descendants of the Adams family, who might be able to ad to the biographical material that we have on John C. Adams and the Adams family. Baxter would also love to see copies of any photographs of John C. Adams that might have survived the years, added to his Find A Grave site for all to see.)
Unfortunately, John did not survive the war, but if he did sit for pictures, copies may still exist in the hands of great great grandchildren of his brothers and sisters or of the tentmates and messmates that he undoubtedly would have swapped pictures with. If anyone seeing this has one of those surviving pictures, could you scan it and add it to his Find A Grave Memorial for all with an interest to see. Thanks! Baxter)
Quartermaster Sergeant JOHN CHESTER ADAMS, Co. H, 86th Illinois & Field and Staff, 86th Illinois
John Chester Adams was born on September 9, 1840 in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, probably in Worthington rather than Notthington, as his enlistment record, seen below, states. John Chester Adams was the son of John Adams and Mary Ann (Bryant) Adams. John Adams and Mary Ann Bryant were married in Hampshire County, Massachsuetts on January 1, 1838. John Adams was born c. 1803/04, while Mary Ann Bryant was born c. April 11, 1814 in Chesterfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. John and Mary Ann had a daughter, Mary, on January 26, 1839. The family is found in the 1840 census in Hampshire County, Massachusetts as follows;
1 male 30 to 39 (John)
1 female 20 to 29 (Mary Ann)
1 female under 5 (Mary)
At least five more children were born to John and Mary Ann. Their children, all of whom were born in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, most likely includes;
1. Mary Adams, born January 26, 1839. Mary was married in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts on September 29, 1869 to Jacob R. Bates, the son of Jacob Bates and Mary (___________) Bates.
At the time of the 1880 census, Mary and Jacob are found in Stuart Township of Guthrie County, Iowa, where Jacob is a Dry Goods Merchant;
Jacob R. Bates 41 Dry Goods MerchantMass.
Mary Bates 41 Keeping House Mass.
Annie Cochran 20 Servant
Mary (Adams) Bates died on 16 Apr 1900 and her mortal remains were laid in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Stuart, Guthrie County, Iowa. See her Find A Grave Memorial #11274125.
2. John C. Adams, born September 9, 1840. Moved west to Illinois in the early 1860's, where he joined the 86th Illinois. See his biography below.
3. William W. Adams, born October 1, 1842. William died while in the service c. 1863 in the Civil War.
4. Howard Adams, born January 3, 1845 in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. Howard Adams died on 9 Sep 1913 in Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts and his mortal remains were laid in the Hinsdale Cemetery in Hinsdale, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. See his Find A Grave Memorial #133032676.
5. Eliza Crosby Adams, born October 29, 1848. Eliza C. Adams was married to Albert J. Randall on February 1, 1872 in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.
At the time of the 1880 census, Eliza and her family are found in in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts;
A. J. Randall Head 37 Farmer Mass.
Eliza Randall Wife 31 House Keeping Mass.
Earl A. Randall Son 1
Mary A. Adams Mother 66 At home Mass.
Eugene Brown Servant 15 Farm Laborer Mass.
Eliza Crosby (Adams) Randall died on _____________ __, 1914 and her mortal remains were laid in the Old Hadley Cemetery in Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. See her Find A Grave Memorial #128602281.
6. Lorea Standish Adams, born c. August 20, 1851/54. Lorea was married in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts on January 7, 1873 to Joseph F. Gaylord, the son of Anson Gaylord and Alnieda (____________) Gaylord. Lorea Standish (Adams) Gaylord died on 14 May 1885 and her mortal remains were laid in the Glen Valley Cemetery in Barre, Worcester County, Massachusetts. See her Find A Grave Memorial #140501489.
At the time of the 1850 census, the Adams family is found in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts;
John Adams 46 Farmer Mass.
Mary A. Adams 36 Mass
Mary Adams 11 Mass.
John C. Adams 9 Mass.
William W. Adams 7 Mass.
Howard Adams 5 Mass.
Eliza C. Adams 1 Mass.
At the time of the 1860 census, the Adams family is found in the same location as in 1850;
John Adams 56 Farmer Mass.
Mary Adams 46 Mass.
Mary Adams 21 C. S. Teacher Mass.
John C. Adams 19 Farm Laborer Mass.
William Adams 17 Farm Laborer Mass.
Hannabe? Adams 15 Mass
Eliza Adams 13 Mass.
Lorea? Adams 8 Mass.
At the time of the 1870 census, the Adams family appears as following in the same location;
John Adams 66 Farmer Mass.
Mary Ann Adams 56 Keeping House Mass.
Eliza c. Adams 21
John Adams died on 29 Jul 1873 at the age of 69, which would place his year of birth as either 1803 or 1804. His mortal remains were laid in the Worthington Center Cemetery in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. See his Find A Grave Memorial #133124655.
At the time of the 1880 census, Mary Ann (Bryant) Adams is found residing with her daughter, Eliza, and her family in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts;
A. J. Randall Head 37 Farmer Mass.
Eliza Randall Wife 31 House Keeping Mass.
Earl A. Randall Son 1
Mary A. Adams Mother 66 At home Mass.
Eugene Brown Servant 15 Farm Laborer Mass.
Mary Ann (Bryant) Adams died on 29 Aug 1889 and her mortal remains were also laid in the Worthington Center Cemetery. See her Find A Grave Memorial #133124672.
Now to continue with what we know about John Chester Adams;
John C. Adams is still found living with his parents at the time of the 1860 census of Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, seen above. Sometime between the summer of 1860 and the summer of 1862, John C. Adams moved west to Illinois, where he took up residence in the city of Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois.
John C. Adams may have been scouting out a new place for the family to move to at some time in the future, or he may have come west in the spring or summer of 1862, perhaps because the units in the Hampshire County area were full and he came west strictly to find a unit in the Union army to join. Whatever, the reason he came west, on August 4, 1862, John C. Adams volunteered at Peoria, Illinois to serve in a company which was being raised in the Peoria, Illinois area by David W. Magee, a veteran of the Mexican War, for service in the Union Army during the Civil War. At the time he enlisted, he did list Peoria, Illinois as his place of residence.
Illinois Civil War Detail Report from the Illinois State Archives;
"Name ADAMS, JOHN C Rank SGT
Company H Unit 86 IL US INF
Personal Characteristics
Residence PEORIA, PEORIA CO, IL Age 21 Height 5' 5 1/2
Hair BROWN Eyes BLUE Complexion LIGHT
Marital Status SINGLE Occupation CLERK
Nativity NOTTHINGTON, HAMPSHIRE CO, MA
Service Record
Joined When AUG 4, 1862 Joined Where PEORIA, IL
Joined By Whom ____ Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom _____
Muster Out Muster Out Where _____
Muster Out By Whom _____
Remarks TRANS TO NON COM STAFF AS QUARTERMASTER SERGEANT NOV 12, 1862"
When Magee had about 100 volunteers he assembled his company at Camp Lyons, located near present day Glen Oak Park in Peoria, where they remained in camp until they were mustered into service. On August 27, 1862 Magee and 89 of his volunteers were mustered into service as Co. H of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Initially, the men of Co. H elected Magee to be their Captain. Magee, however, because of his past military experiences, was selected and promoted to the rank of Lt. Colonel of the entire regiment. After this John H. Hall, was elected by the men of Co. H to be their Captain. John C. Adams was elected by the men of Co. H to serve as their 5th Sergeant.
On September 7, 1862, the men of the 86th Illinois marched out of the gates of Camp Lyon, through the streets of Peoria, with much fanfare, and boarded a train bound for Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville, Indiana, across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. Three weeks later, the men of the 86th were in the field in Kentucky as part of Col. Daniel McCook's Brigade, in pursuit of Confederate troops. On Oct. 8, 1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those troops in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, the 86th Illinois suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the next three years.
After the Battle of Perryville, the Confederate troops withdrew from Kentucky, while the men of McCook's Brigade marched on to Nashville, Tennessee, where they would go into winter camp. The men of McCook's Brigade arrived in the Nashville, Tennessee area on the 7th of November and went straight to Edgefield, Tennessee, located just north and east of Nashville across the Cumberland River from Nashville. There the men of McCook's Brigade made their initial encampment.
Sergeant John C. Adams is believed to have early on been called on to assist Quartermaster Charles H. Dean with his duties. On November 12, 1862, Sergeant John C. Adams was officially transferred to the Non Commissioned Staff of the Field & Staff of the 86th Illinois, where he was assigned as a Quartermaster Sergeant. John would serve the remainder of his time with the 86th as a Quartermaster Sergeant.
ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
Name ADAMS, JOHN C
Rank QMSGT Company HQ Unit 86 IL US INF
Personal Characteristics
Residence PEORIA, PEORIA CO, IL Age N/A Height N/A Hair N/A
Eyes N/A Complexion N/A Marital Status N/A Occupation N/A
Nativity N/A
Service Record
Joined When AUG 4, 1862 Joined Where PEORIA, IL
Joined By Whom D W MAGEE Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out N/A
Muster Out Where N/A Muster Out By Whom N/A
Remarks DIED AT NASHVILLE TENN SEP 19, 1863 OF FEVER
The men of McCook's Brigade remained based in the Nashville all through the winter of 1862/63 and on through the spring and summer of 1863. On August 20, 1863, the men of McCook's Brigade marched out of Nashville, Tennessee on a mission to repair several railroad bridges. Within a few weeks however, they swung to the south and east, participating in what would become known as the Campaign for Chattanooga, Tennessee. The day they left Nashville, it is believed that Quartermaster Sergeant John C. Adams was left behind sick with fever in one of the Army Hospitals.
As the days passed into September, John's condition continued to deteriorate and on September 19, 1863, the day his regiment was participating in the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, Quartermaster Sergeant John C. Adams died in an Army Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. His earthly remains were initially buried in a cemetery near the hospital. Shortly after the war, the bodies in these cemeteries were exhumed and moved to the Nashville National Cemetery. The identity of John's grave had probably already been lost or it was lost during the transfer process and today Sgt. John C. Adams is almost certainly one of the 4,131 Federal dead marked with a stone reading, "UNKNOWN U. S. SOLDIER".
John C. Adams's name appears on the main family monument in the Worthington Center Cemetery. The monument states his death occurred in Nashville, Tennessee on February 19, 1863, rather than September 19, 1863. It is doubtful that his body was disinterred and returned to Massachusetts. His body almost certainly lies in the Nashville National Cemetery. See his Find A Grave Memorial which has been set up in the Worthington Center Cemetery in Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, #133124621.
by Baxter B. Fite III
(Baxter would enjoy hearing from anyone, especially descendants of the Adams family, who might be able to ad to the biographical material that we have on John C. Adams and the Adams family. Baxter would also love to see copies of any photographs of John C. Adams that might have survived the years, added to his Find A Grave site for all to see.)
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