Joseph W. Adair

    Joseph W. Adair, County Superintendent of Whitley County, Indiana, was born in Washington Township, Nobel County, IN, November 29, 1843, and is one of eleven children, six yet living, born to Joseph E. and Eliza (Windoes) Adair, the mother being the second wife. The first wife was a Miss Coons, who left two children at her death, both of whom are living. Joseph E. Adair was a native of Virginia, born July, 1797. His parents were John and Elizabeth (McKnight) Adair, natives respectively of County of Downs, Ireland and Scotland. John Adair came to America as a British soldier during the Revolutionary war, was taken prisoner by the Colonial troops, and held until the close of the struggle, when he married Miss McKnight in South Carolina, removed to Virginia, and afterward to Madison County, Ohio, where he died, aged 74 years. Joseph E. Adair received a liberal education. Was married in Madison County, Ohio, emigrating in 1836 to Noble County, IN, where he purchased a large tract of land on the south side of the Tippecanoe River, where he engaged in clearing and farming, until his death, October 29, 1849. He was an honest and highly respected citizen, and filled the office of Justice of the Peace for many years. Mrs. Adair was married, in 1854, to C.B. Wood, who died in 1871, Mrs. Wood dying in September, 1873.

    Joseph W. Adair remained on the farm and attended school until the age of sixteen, when he came to Columbia City and entered Douglas' select school, after which he began his career as a teacher, teaching in Elkhart, Whitley and Nobel Counties, and Principal of the schools of Ligonier, and of the high schools of Wolf Lake, making a total of twenty terms. During this time, he attended a year at the Methodist College at Fort Wayne, and one year at Wabash College at Crawfordsville, IN.

    In March, 1869, he located in Columbia City, and began the practice of law, having read law for some time under Hon. H.D. Wilson, of Goshen. In 1873, he became partner of Hon. J.S. Collins, which continued until January, 1882. He married July 25, 1867, Miss Amelia Young, daughter of John Young, Esq., ex-auditor of Noble County, and to them have been born three children -Edward T. (deceased), Jessie and Josephine.

    Mr. Adair is a Democrat, a member of the I.O.O.F., the O.F. Encampment, and of the Masonic Fraternity, being High Priest of Columbia City Chapter, and also of the Commandery at Fort Wayne. He is emphatically a self made man. In September, 1881, he was elected County Superintendent of Schools of Whitley County, in which capacity he is now serving.

Source: Counties of Whitley and Noble, Indiana. Historical and Biographical. Weston A. Goodspeed, Charles Blanchard, 1882, page 287.