Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1892-07-29
Especial Correspondence

Mr.. Adams was born in Midway, Mass,
July 80, 1922. He is of English descent.
His ancestor, Henry Adams, escaping from
what was called "The Green Dragon Per
secution," fled in 1880 from Devonshire,
England, and settled in Quincy, Mass. OF
several sons one settled in Medfeld, and
was the direct ancestor of Oliver Optic:
one remained in Quincy, and among his
descendants furnished two presidents Of
the United States, and the other sons scat
tered in different places.
Mr.. Adams father was for a time a
hotel keeper in Midway, and subsequently
kept the famous Lamb tavern in Boston.
William attended the Boston public
schools, became q leader among his school
mates in all the athletic sports which he
now SO graphically describes, and spent
hours among the sailors on the old wharves,
studying the mysteries of the ships and
gathering and laying up the treasures of
nautical lore with which his pages TEEN.
Later his father bought a farm in Rox-
bury, where several years of the young
mans life were passed. He contemplated
a college course, but, abandoning this de-
sign, he began to teach school. About this
time he published his first story in a maya
zine called The Social Monitor, and this
was quickly followed by others. Then TOR
a brief period he assisted his father ii the
management of a new hotel, named the
Adams House, in honor of the president.
The father soon disposed of his interest to
another son., and the brothers ran it a
short time and failed, because, as a wit
ness testified in court, they kept too good
a hotel"
William returned ere long to the teach
er's desk, remaining at it in different ca
pac!ties for many years. The first money
which he ever received for writing was for
a story which he disposed of to the editor
Of The True Flag for six dollars. This
seemed a rich vein, and he devoted himself
~assiduously to working it, spending his
evenings Inc other leisure time in writing
stories under various mons de plume, Of
which the most popular was Oliver
Optic. He has written nearly 1000 short
stories.
Mr.. Adams published his first volume in
1853. 1t was entitled 'Hatchie, the Guar
dian Slave; or, The Heiress of Bellevue"
1t brought him the modest sum of $37. so.
His next volume was a great hit, however.
It was a collection of short tales and
sketches entitled "In Doors and Out"
Then publishers began to besiege him,
Eager to print his writings. In the main
divers reputation comes from his juve-
nile works. When first asked to write q
book of this nature he declined, declaring
that he could not possibly do such thing.
Being finally persuaded, however, he wrote
"The Boat C)ab," which was a phenome-
nal success. Then began that remarkable
line Of books which included the Great
Western" series, the "Yacht Club" series.
The Upward and Onward" series, the
Army and Navy" series, the 'Starry
Flag series, the Lake Shore" series, the
"Blue and Gray" series, besides a host of
other books, as the Riverside Story
Books for very young readers, Living
Too East" for grown up ones, and num-
berless short stories published in various
papers and magazines.
When, in 1885, MI. Adams resigned the
~mastership Of the Bowditch school, he