Gaston, Joseph. "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912." Vol. 4. Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 707. J. FRANK ADAMS is owner of the Poplar farm, situated near Merrill in Klamath county. No resident in all this district has taken a more active or helpful part in promoting its progress and upbuilding. He was one of the pioneer ranchmen here, is well known for his ability in breaking wild horses, has been engaged in banking and irrigation projects and withal is a courteous, genial gentleman. He at all times commands the respect and good-will of those who know him. He was born in Eldorado county, California, March 3, 1855, and is a son of George and Sarah Ellen (Hogue) Adams, both of whom were born and reared in Peoria, Illinois. Following their marriage in that city they crossed the plains to Eldorado county, California, in 1852 and afterward removed to San Francisco. Mr. Adams went to the scene of the Fraser excitement and traveled all through southern California, rambled around much in that state and finally took up his abode in Sacramento in 1868. There he died about forty years ago and his wife later passed away in the same city. He engaged in farming, teaming and general trading and was well known among early settlers of that state. After losing her first husband Mrs. Adams became the wife of L. R. Harris, who now makes his home with his stepson, J. Frank Adams, at the age of eighty-three years. His wife, the mother of our subject, passed away about thirteen years ago. By her first marriage she had three sons, of whom the subject of this review is the eldest. The second son, Joseph Henry, died in Chico, California, and William Walter Sherman is now postmaster and a merchant at Malin, Klamath county. J. Frank Adams resided with his parents in California until 1872. He spent most of his time as a cowboy. In that year he left with stock to go into the mountains. Sacramento valley was fast becoming settled by permanent residents, making it impossible to find grazing land there. He made his way to southern Oregon and rode after stock in Siskiyou county, California, and Klamath county, Oregon, until 1879. He then took up his abode in Klamath valley, where he engaged in handling stock on shares, running stock in that way until twenty years ago, since which time he has carried on business independently. The raising and care of stock has practically been his life work. About 1881 he began securing government land, taking up every kind of claim possible, including preemption, homestead and timber. He secured desert claims, school lands and state lands and added to his possessions until he had twenty-six hundred and nineteen acres when he entered into an irrigation project under the name of the Little Klamath Ditch Company. This he incorporated in 1885. His plan was to include all farmers and each acre was to represent a share in the company, which was originally incorporated for five thousand acres, and five thousand shares at two dollars per share. Farmers of the community joined Mr. Adams in this project, which he later extended in its scope, reclaiming ten thousand acres. He became president and manager of the Little Klamath Ditch Company and, as time went on, he bought in other lands and had extensive interests in the company but sold out to the United States government in 1907, when they instituted their five million dollar project for the reclamation of arid lands in this district. He met with difficulties leading to reverses in his irrigation projects, yet the work which he accomplished is of inestimable value to the district. His financial backers in the stock business withdrew their support when he turned his attention to irrigation, which they regarded as unpractical, but with remarkable foresight he realized the value of such an undertaking and time has proven his wisdom. In the cut through from White lake to Little Klamath lake, for two and three quarters miles the ditch being twenty-two feet wide and twenty inches deep, it was necessary to cut through the marsh with a hay knife. Mr. Adams laid off the right-of-way and made the two outside cuts on the eleven feet. With his own hands he did the work on the outside cuts, totaling eleven miles, and he employed from ten to twenty-two men in cutting the center and throwing out the dirt. This was the most strenuous part of his irrigation project and led to his securing a dredge. For the past seven or eight years he has operated the Marion Steam Shovel Dredge, the first work with which was done in building the canal for the Little Klamath Ditch Company. He made several of the first landings for steamboats and be began building the first mile and a quarter of the railroad out of Klamath Falls, throwing up the grade for the company. This was his first dredge work. He then moved the dredge to Upper Klamath lake and made a ditch of seventeen miles for Abner Weed, the average depth being four and a half feet and the width thirty-five feet. This work required about three years. On the 28th of April, 1912, his dredging machine was destroyed by fire but he is now rebuilding an outfit worth about fifteen thousand dollars. There are twenty-two thousand acres in the Abner Weed tract and the work to the present time has been more than half completed. Mr. Adams has been the most active factor in the development of Klamath county, especially in the Tule Lake district. Thirty-three years ago he began the development of his ranch at Adams Point, two miles east of his present location on Tule lake. When he took up his abode on his present place, twenty-four years ago, it was a desert claim, covered with sage brush, which he grubbed up through his own labor. He has erected thereon a beautiful modern residence about two and three-fourths miles east of Merrill and has set out a grove of English poplars. This land is now all under ditch and constitutes one of the valuable ranch properties of the district. There are good improvements upon his place. He makes a specialty of handling horses and cattle, having from four to five hundred head of horses and about the same number of cattle. Few men know how to handle as well as he does wild horses and break them in for farm work or driving. He was actively interested in the first annual Rodeo held at Klamath Falls on the 31st of May and the 1st and 2d of June, 1912, for which purpose he furnished fifty of the eighty head of horses used. He attended to the corralling and catching of the horses for the riders and he today catches and breaks a wild horse with the same ease which he did in earlier manhood. He started out in life as a cowboy, empty-handed, and he is today one of the prosperous residents of southern Oregon, yet at all times has been liberal with his means. His beautiful home is the abode of a warmhearted hospitality and its doors are ever open for the reception of friend or stranger alike. He kept open house for many years when there was no hotel in this district and any guest at his home at the present time is most heartily received and royally entertained. In addition to all of his other business projects Mr. Adams assisted in organizing the First National Bank of Merrill and acted as its president for six months but he did not desire to continue in the office and at the present time is serving as a director. Mr. Adams has been married twice. On the 3d of May, 1888, he wedded Miss Fannie E. Steele, who was born in Nevada, in 1865, and was reared in Reno, a daughter of William Steele, who was one of the pioneers in the reclamation of this country through irrigation. It was through his work in that connection that Mr. Adams met him and ultimately became a member of his family through his marriage to his daughter. In 1900 Mr. Adams was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the 8th of May of that year, leaving three sons: William Walter, who is married and resides on his father's timber culture claim near Merrill; and J. Frank and Robert Steele, both at home. On the 11th of August, 1902, Mr. Adams wedded Miss Martha Cardwell, who was born in Jackson county, Oregon, March 7, 1866. She had formerly been a school teacher and was a friend of the first Mrs. Adams, making her home with them for some time. There is one child of this marriage, John Martin. Mr. Adams was reared a democrat but takes only a citizen's interest in politics. He holds membership with various fraternal organizations, including the Odd Fellows, the Elks, the Workmen and the Hoo Hoos. He has a wide acquaintance with men of state and national reputation, has led an exemplary life, is a gentleman in every respect and commands the highest regard and confidence of all who know him. He never uses liquor or tobacco and has ever endeavored to follow the golden rule, doing unto others as he would have them do unto him. All acknowledge his worth as a man and citizen. What he has done for his section of the state cannot be overestimated. He was instrumental in bringing a Bohemian colony of about eighty families to this district and located for them a town site, called Malin, giving the land for that purpose. He has disposed of about three sections of land to these settlers, requiring a small payment down and allowing them long time to make their payments. He shows that he has confidence in their integrity and willingness to meet their indebtedness and his confidence in few cases has been betrayed. As the years go on the worth of his work will be more and more highly appreciated. He certainly deserves all the success that has been his and the honor and, regard which are freely accorded him. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in April 2007 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.