Adams County History & Genealogy

Adam Willman

Death of Adam Willman

We regret very much to have to chronicle the death of Adam Willman, an old and respected citizen of this county, which occurred at his home in Oliver township, on last Thursday, after an illness of but a few hours. Mr. Willman was 76 years of age, having been born in Kentucky in 1803. He came to Oliver township (or Meigs as it was then called) with his father, in 1812, where he has resided ever since; with the exception of four years. At no time during all that period did he live more than two miles and a half from where his father located. One day last summer, Mr. Willman was in our office, and from him we learned that at the time that he first came to this county, there was an almost unbroken forest from where Treber's tavern stood, on Lick Fork, to Hemphill's farm, on the West Fork of Brush Creek. There were very few people living in all that section, and no towns - Harshaville, Unity, and Jacksonville spring up afterward. Everybody did business at West Union, which was a straggling village. The woods was full of wild game, and it was no uncommon sight to see deer in nearly as large flocks as sheep are seen today. Wolves and bears were very plenty and troublesome, so much so that settlers had to keep their sheep and hogs closely penned to save them from being preyed upon by them, especially at night.

Mr. Willman was present at the laying out and selling of the lots in the towns of Newport and Jacksonville, buying lot No. 8 in the former place. Newport was laid out by Andrew Kirkpatrick, and Jacksonville by William Thomas. Unity, he stated, was never laid out. A gentleman named McClanahan, as he recollected, started a store on it's present site, and the village sprung up around it. He stated to us that a man named Benjamin Conner laid a town out near where Fry's factory used to stand, on Brush Creek, and gave a big public dinner, at which some of the lots were sold, but the project fell through. The name of this town was to have been Fontainblue.

Mr. Willman was one of the old-time Democrats, having voted during [----- ?] years after his majority until death, the straight Democratic ticket. He was proud of the fact that he had helped to make General Jackson president, and that he had voted for him every time he had been a candidate. When he first commenced to vote he went to Cannon's tavern, where Locust Grove now stands, to enjoy this special privilege of citizenship.

Mr. Willman was very fond of music, and played several airs upon the violin only the day before his death. Our first recollection of him was as a fifer at political meetings and militia musters. He was respected by all in the community in which he lived, and his death is regretted by everyone who knew him.