The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-02
TO a part of a large fortune. but neglected to

10 4 part of a large fortune. but neglected TO
properly prosecute his claims.
His uncle. Leven Adams, visited MN
when he WAS barely in his teens. and being
displeased with the life Of ease and useless
ness TO which the boy was being raised
persuaded him to 60 to Kentucky. Thers
he instilled into him the principles to which
he owes his success. He taught him to pay
as he went and to appreciate the rafe
sweetness Of honest toll.
The uncle. Leven Adams. came TO PIKE
County In $50. and he sent back such glow
ing reports OF the new country that youhs
Heber was persuaded to Join him. He came
out by land In 1886. and. with a compan,
sn. brought perhaps the first bioodeo
>orses into Pike County. There were eleven
head in the bunch. and these horses were
the wonder In that day.
This was the beginning Of Mr.. Adamas
success as a business man. and all his Hie
fine stock was his hobby. He farmed. ano'
though he raised a large family. he mace
money. But IL was not the farm thas
brought I'm the shekels: 1t was fine stock-
His horses. his cattle and his hogs. wnen
he was In business for himself. were a.
ways the finest I'm all the country. From
fine stock he laid up a snug fortune Ior
his old age. and. though he has divided Nd
orally with all his children. he now nss
four farms and other property.
When he first came to Missouri yoanS
Adams assisted his uncle in subduing the
wilderness where he had located his farm.
on Grassy Creek. A peculiar failing OF the
early settlers in this part Of the country
was that they would pass the best land ny
to settle on a creek. the creek bottoms oe-
ing adapted to the growth OF "teroaccy.
For Instance. Mr.. Adams passed by as un-
desirable land which is to-day worth $lW
per acre. whereas the land which ne cnose
as best OF all is worth only SIS or - per
acre.
Young Heber had been raised within sew
enteen miles OF the home Of Henry Clay.
but he had never seen Clay. In 1883 ne
made a journey back to Kentucky. the spe-
cial purpose of the trip being to see the
great statesman. But Mr.. Clay. being In
declining health, had gone to New Orleans
and Mr.. Adams never met him. Nor does
he boast of an acquaintance with any great
men of the past or present. Mr.. Adams mas
seen three wars. but never participated In
any Of them. In fact. he prides himself on
the uneventful career he has led. |
After he was grown. Mr.. Adams went to
school awhile. boarding at the home Of
George Reading. grandfather OF his wife
to-be. who lived only half q mile way. They
were schoolmates for awhile: and II was
not loEg urtl young Adams and Miss Eliz-
abeih Reading were sweethearts. Boarding
SO close to her home. II was easy fog the
young man to see the girl he loved. and
the fame was soon much farther along In
size h the young lady was In years. |
When Mr.. Adams was asked II there was
not some romance In his c~ourtship. At least.
he replied:
NO: 1 can't say there was. When I made
up my mind I wanted to marry Elisabeth. |
/ gained her consent frst and then I went
II her father. William Reading. and asked
for her. h old gentleman was very kind
to me-. and explained that he had NO Oh |
~jections to me. He did not raise the ouss-
ton Of whether I was able to support her |
the point that Is 20 commou to-day IN |
affairs Of this kind: but he raised one OBJ
lection that I understand young men Of
this day still have to contend with-nams-
ly. that his daughter was too young to !
marry. We talked the matter over at
length. but he was obdurate.
Elizabeth and I then took the matter |
into our own hands. We were not handi- |
capped by license laws in those days. % |
We went down to Grandpa Readings place
that very evening. May 10. 1SAl. and were
married by a Methodist preacher named l
Newman. The old folks decided to mako the
hest Of It. and readily forgave ua And they
never regretted their blessing: NOR did ~
ever rue the day." |
Mr.. Adams owns q good farm I'VE miles
frcm here. but he decided q few years ago |
to give up active management OF II, % b |
moved to town. The old couple live IN .
home on North Carolina street.
with their daughter, MISS Nannies ma TWO L
grandchildren. George and Egbert. son and i
daughter of their dead son. The little girl. /
named George for her father. was born
after her father cied. and IL in her NTH
year.. Egbert. the boy. Is 8 years old. They
are very much attached to the old couple. /
ard Mr.. and Mrs. Adams love them dearly. /
Mr.. and Mrs. Adams celebrated only one
arr iveisary before the sixtieth. That was
their fftieth. and II was their children VINO
arrange that over their protest. They /
passed their wooden. tin and all other an
n~iversaries over without notice: they paid
very little more attention to b golden. l
and even when the time for the ruby cole
bration came around they could not I'M
ders.and that the event was Of any inter- |
est TO the public- i