Hines, H. K. "An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon." Chicago: Lewis
Pub. Co. 1893.  p. 657.
 
     WILLIAM B. ADAIR, a native of Astoria, Clatsop county, Oregon, was born
June 23, 1849.  A sketch of his father, General John Adair, is given elsewhere.
He attended the public schools of Astoria and subsequently graduated from the
boy's high school of San Francisco, in his nineteenth year.  With a view to
acquiring some business knowledge he spent some two years in the employment of
the large hardware establishment of Treadwell & Co., of San Francisco, and
remained with them until the failure of that firm, when he accepted a clerkship
in the office of Colonel G. H. Mendell, United States Engineer Corps and
remained there for the next five years, when he resigned that position to accept
the more lucrative one of Post Trader to the command of General Crook, in the
Black Hills, remaining in that position until the close of the Indian war in
that country.  He then returned to Oregon and for three years, from 1874 to
1877, was head bookkeeper for the large salmon cannery of A. Booth & Co.,
situated at Astoria.  During the years of 1878 and 1879, Mr. Adair was connected
with his brother in the business of canning salmon, under the firm name of S.D.
Adair & Co.  In 1880 Mr. Adair built a cannery on Frazer river, British
Columbia, and for the three years ensuing carried on the business there as
manager of the British Union Packing Company.  In 1884 he retired from the
salmon business.  Since his retirement, with the exception of two years spent in
South Bend, Washington, he has resided in Astoria, occupying himself with
real-estate and general agency business and in the care of his father's estate.
     Mr. Adair was married in Victoria, British Columbia, September 25, 1887, to
Miss Mary Louise Henrietta, eldest daughter of Henri Jorand, of that city.  The
issue of this marriage has been one son, Robert William.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in April 2005 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.