William Adams
September 16, 1802 - July 22, 1881

"William Adams, the son of Stephen Adams, was born in County, North Carolina, on his father's farm on Sept 16, 1802. He came with his family to the North Fork of the Kentucky River while an infant. He was "affectionately called Billy by his neighbors, was an enterprising man. He owned, besides several thousand acres of land, a tannery, blacksmith shop in which he did custom work, a mill to grind wheat and corn for the settlers, and ran a tavern, "where everybody ate whether they had money or not." (Authority of Wiley Rice, of Salyersville, who knew Adams well.) He and his son, Smith Adams, engaged also in logging and saw-milling. To all these activities he added extensive farming operations. A brother, Gilbert Adams, lived at Ivyton on the Burning Fork."

He had "the few advantages that only the limited educational opportunities the backwoods offered. He became a blacksmith and acquired between two and three thousands acres of the virgin Licking River land in the vicinity of the present Salyersville. Some of the land he afterwards donated for public purposes. Having attained a competence in land, he began to engage in merchandising. He was twice married. A son, Green F. Adams, became a prominent merchant in the present Johnson County."

Salyersville was first named Licking Station by Archibald Prater (Mark's 4th Great Grandfather) and his companions. A few years it was called Adamsville after Billy Adams.


Sources:
Kentucky's Last Frontier; Henry P. Scalf pp. 121, 456-457

Mark's Uncle