Murph Newton Adams, the son of William Riley Adams and Ann Elizabeth (DeWees) Adams, was born on June 4, 1876, on his parent's farm in Snake Hollow, just west of Kalona, Iowa.
He met Blanche Annette Evans when she moved from Monmouth, Kansas to Kalona to teach school. They married in Kalona on January 22, 1896. They lived in his family's hotel while he sought a suitable home for them. Through the years they moved repeatedly, each home a little finer than the next. The family never strayed far from Kalona, with the exception of a brief time living in a home in Oskaloosa, when a house full of new furniture burned to the ground.
Murph and Blanch had five children in 17 years (Dorothea, Lon, Marjorie, Ralph and Reagan).
Murph was a hard worker and a dapper dresser. He doted on his family, and for many years, all of his adult children except for Ralph lived on the same street. (Ralph lived only a few miles away, in Iowa City.) The grandchildren were together all the time, in and out of each other's houses, probably all made possible through their grandpa's largess. The idyll ended when Murph's sons caught wind of his affair with a woman from Washington, Iowa. Blanche packed up and moved to an apartment in Iowa City, and she and Murph lived apart the last few years of their lives.
Murph died on January 25, 1948 in Iowa City at the age of 71.
Looking back in newspaper clippings:
The Kalona News, 20 Feb 1903
Murph Adams met with a mishap, while chopping wood, but fortunately escaped serious injury. He and Tom were trimming up the top of a tree when the tree took a turn. Murph jumped with the ax in his hand. The ax hit a stump and bounded back, the back of the ax giving Murph a hard welt on the forehead. The ax was sharp enough to cut through Murph’s heavy wool cap, laid open the scalp and severed an artery. He bled profusely, but was able to get to town and have the wound dressed and he will suffer no serious results from the accident.
The Kalona News, 18 Jan 1907
Murph Adams has been helping invoice in the Edmondson store this week. Murph is a handy man most anywhere.
The Kalona News, 14 Mar 1907
A good blind work mare for sale cheap, Murph Adams.
The Kalona News, 29 Mar 1907
Several of our poultry raisers have flocks of young chickens on hand. Mrs. George Kirkpatrick and Mrs. Murph Adams each have some of the early birds.
The Kalona News, 18 Jul 1908
Murph Adams is seriously ill.
The Kalona News, 18 Aug 1908
Murph Adams is going to build an addition to his house on the farm this fall.
The Kalona News, 30 Sep 1908
Murph Adams has just about completed a nice addition to their residence on the farm.
The Kalona News, 21 Jan 1909
Murph Adams is helping out, at the Edmondson store for a few weeks. He has had considerable experience.
The Kalona News, 25 Feb 1909
Having decided to quit the farm and move to Kalona, I will sell at public sale at my place of residence, mile south of Snake Hollow school house, Murph N. Adams
The Kalona News, 11 Mar 1909
Murph Adams' are now at home in the west part of town.
The Kalona News, 30 Jul 1909
Murph Adams has treated his family to a fine new Kimball piano. It is a nice instrument and will be greatly appreciated by his little daughters.
The Kalona News, 10 May 1910
Murph Adams is fixing up his residence in the west part of town.
The Kalona News, 8 Jun 1916
The primary election board consisted of L. R. Feldman, L. C. Kessler, and Murph Adams as judges and F. E. Skola and Ira E. Wells as clerks.
The Kalona News, 8 Feb 1917
Murph Adams’ have moved to their new home in the north part of town. When they get everything complete according to plans, they will have one of the most desirable homes in Kalona.
The Kalona News, 3 Aug 1934
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Shetler moved Tuesday to one of M. N. Adams' properties in the north part of town. They have been living in the John Fisher property.
Mr. and Mrs. M. N. Adams, Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Adams in company with Mr. and Mrs. L. O. Adams and Mrs. James McCracken of Lone Tree were Davenport callers Monday.
Iowa City Press Citizen, 26 Jun 1948
Murph Adams Dies in City
Kalona Realtor, 72, Succumbs to Lingering Illness
Murph N Adams, 72, prominent Kalona realtor, died Friday at Mercy Hospital following an extended illness.
He was born 4 Jan 1876 in Washington County near Kalona. His parents were William R. and Ann Elizabeth Adams.
Mr. Adams was proceeded in death by his wife, Blanche Evans Adams in 1946. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs Dorothea Boone of Carson, Washington and Mrs Marjorie Engstrom of Wellman; three sons, Lon O. of Lone Tree, Ralph E. of Chicago, and T.R. Adams of Wellman. Also surviving are 11 grandchildren. One grandson and two brothers also proceeded him in death.
A private funeral service for the family only will be held at a date to be determined later. Friends may call at the Oathout Chapel until noon on Sunday.
He met Blanche Annette Evans when she moved from Monmouth, Kansas to Kalona to teach school. They married in Kalona on January 22, 1896. They lived in his family's hotel while he sought a suitable home for them. Through the years they moved repeatedly, each home a little finer than the next. The family never strayed far from Kalona, with the exception of a brief time living in a home in Oskaloosa, when a house full of new furniture burned to the ground.
Murph and Blanch had five children in 17 years (Dorothea, Lon, Marjorie, Ralph and Reagan).
Murph was a hard worker and a dapper dresser. He doted on his family, and for many years, all of his adult children except for Ralph lived on the same street. (Ralph lived only a few miles away, in Iowa City.) The grandchildren were together all the time, in and out of each other's houses, probably all made possible through their grandpa's largess. The idyll ended when Murph's sons caught wind of his affair with a woman from Washington, Iowa. Blanche packed up and moved to an apartment in Iowa City, and she and Murph lived apart the last few years of their lives.
Murph died on January 25, 1948 in Iowa City at the age of 71.
Looking back in newspaper clippings:
The Kalona News, 20 Feb 1903
Murph Adams met with a mishap, while chopping wood, but fortunately escaped serious injury. He and Tom were trimming up the top of a tree when the tree took a turn. Murph jumped with the ax in his hand. The ax hit a stump and bounded back, the back of the ax giving Murph a hard welt on the forehead. The ax was sharp enough to cut through Murph’s heavy wool cap, laid open the scalp and severed an artery. He bled profusely, but was able to get to town and have the wound dressed and he will suffer no serious results from the accident.
The Kalona News, 18 Jan 1907
Murph Adams has been helping invoice in the Edmondson store this week. Murph is a handy man most anywhere.
The Kalona News, 14 Mar 1907
A good blind work mare for sale cheap, Murph Adams.
The Kalona News, 29 Mar 1907
Several of our poultry raisers have flocks of young chickens on hand. Mrs. George Kirkpatrick and Mrs. Murph Adams each have some of the early birds.
The Kalona News, 18 Jul 1908
Murph Adams is seriously ill.
The Kalona News, 18 Aug 1908
Murph Adams is going to build an addition to his house on the farm this fall.
The Kalona News, 30 Sep 1908
Murph Adams has just about completed a nice addition to their residence on the farm.
The Kalona News, 21 Jan 1909
Murph Adams is helping out, at the Edmondson store for a few weeks. He has had considerable experience.
The Kalona News, 25 Feb 1909
Having decided to quit the farm and move to Kalona, I will sell at public sale at my place of residence, mile south of Snake Hollow school house, Murph N. Adams
The Kalona News, 11 Mar 1909
Murph Adams' are now at home in the west part of town.
The Kalona News, 30 Jul 1909
Murph Adams has treated his family to a fine new Kimball piano. It is a nice instrument and will be greatly appreciated by his little daughters.
The Kalona News, 10 May 1910
Murph Adams is fixing up his residence in the west part of town.
The Kalona News, 8 Jun 1916
The primary election board consisted of L. R. Feldman, L. C. Kessler, and Murph Adams as judges and F. E. Skola and Ira E. Wells as clerks.
The Kalona News, 8 Feb 1917
Murph Adams’ have moved to their new home in the north part of town. When they get everything complete according to plans, they will have one of the most desirable homes in Kalona.
The Kalona News, 3 Aug 1934
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Shetler moved Tuesday to one of M. N. Adams' properties in the north part of town. They have been living in the John Fisher property.
Mr. and Mrs. M. N. Adams, Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Adams in company with Mr. and Mrs. L. O. Adams and Mrs. James McCracken of Lone Tree were Davenport callers Monday.
Iowa City Press Citizen, 26 Jun 1948
Murph Adams Dies in City
Kalona Realtor, 72, Succumbs to Lingering Illness
Murph N Adams, 72, prominent Kalona realtor, died Friday at Mercy Hospital following an extended illness.
He was born 4 Jan 1876 in Washington County near Kalona. His parents were William R. and Ann Elizabeth Adams.
Mr. Adams was proceeded in death by his wife, Blanche Evans Adams in 1946. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs Dorothea Boone of Carson, Washington and Mrs Marjorie Engstrom of Wellman; three sons, Lon O. of Lone Tree, Ralph E. of Chicago, and T.R. Adams of Wellman. Also surviving are 11 grandchildren. One grandson and two brothers also proceeded him in death.
A private funeral service for the family only will be held at a date to be determined later. Friends may call at the Oathout Chapel until noon on Sunday.
Murph Newton Adams, the son of William Riley Adams and Ann Elizabeth (DeWees) Adams, was born on June 4, 1876, on his parent's farm in Snake Hollow, just west of Kalona, Iowa.
He met Blanche Annette Evans when she moved from Monmouth, Kansas to Kalona to teach school. They married in Kalona on January 22, 1896. They lived in his family's hotel while he sought a suitable home for them. Through the years they moved repeatedly, each home a little finer than the next. The family never strayed far from Kalona, with the exception of a brief time living in a home in Oskaloosa, when a house full of new furniture burned to the ground.
Murph and Blanch had five children in 17 years (Dorothea, Lon, Marjorie, Ralph and Reagan).
Murph was a hard worker and a dapper dresser. He doted on his family, and for many years, all of his adult children except for Ralph lived on the same street. (Ralph lived only a few miles away, in Iowa City.) The grandchildren were together all the time, in and out of each other's houses, probably all made possible through their grandpa's largess. The idyll ended when Murph's sons caught wind of his affair with a woman from Washington, Iowa. Blanche packed up and moved to an apartment in Iowa City, and she and Murph lived apart the last few years of their lives.
Murph died on January 25, 1948 in Iowa City at the age of 71.
Looking back in newspaper clippings:
The Kalona News, 20 Feb 1903
Murph Adams met with a mishap, while chopping wood, but fortunately escaped serious injury. He and Tom were trimming up the top of a tree when the tree took a turn. Murph jumped with the ax in his hand. The ax hit a stump and bounded back, the back of the ax giving Murph a hard welt on the forehead. The ax was sharp enough to cut through Murph’s heavy wool cap, laid open the scalp and severed an artery. He bled profusely, but was able to get to town and have the wound dressed and he will suffer no serious results from the accident.
The Kalona News, 18 Jan 1907
Murph Adams has been helping invoice in the Edmondson store this week. Murph is a handy man most anywhere.
The Kalona News, 14 Mar 1907
A good blind work mare for sale cheap, Murph Adams.
The Kalona News, 29 Mar 1907
Several of our poultry raisers have flocks of young chickens on hand. Mrs. George Kirkpatrick and Mrs. Murph Adams each have some of the early birds.
The Kalona News, 18 Jul 1908
Murph Adams is seriously ill.
The Kalona News, 18 Aug 1908
Murph Adams is going to build an addition to his house on the farm this fall.
The Kalona News, 30 Sep 1908
Murph Adams has just about completed a nice addition to their residence on the farm.
The Kalona News, 21 Jan 1909
Murph Adams is helping out, at the Edmondson store for a few weeks. He has had considerable experience.
The Kalona News, 25 Feb 1909
Having decided to quit the farm and move to Kalona, I will sell at public sale at my place of residence, mile south of Snake Hollow school house, Murph N. Adams
The Kalona News, 11 Mar 1909
Murph Adams' are now at home in the west part of town.
The Kalona News, 30 Jul 1909
Murph Adams has treated his family to a fine new Kimball piano. It is a nice instrument and will be greatly appreciated by his little daughters.
The Kalona News, 10 May 1910
Murph Adams is fixing up his residence in the west part of town.
The Kalona News, 8 Jun 1916
The primary election board consisted of L. R. Feldman, L. C. Kessler, and Murph Adams as judges and F. E. Skola and Ira E. Wells as clerks.
The Kalona News, 8 Feb 1917
Murph Adams’ have moved to their new home in the north part of town. When they get everything complete according to plans, they will have one of the most desirable homes in Kalona.
The Kalona News, 3 Aug 1934
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Shetler moved Tuesday to one of M. N. Adams' properties in the north part of town. They have been living in the John Fisher property.
Mr. and Mrs. M. N. Adams, Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Adams in company with Mr. and Mrs. L. O. Adams and Mrs. James McCracken of Lone Tree were Davenport callers Monday.
Iowa City Press Citizen, 26 Jun 1948
Murph Adams Dies in City
Kalona Realtor, 72, Succumbs to Lingering Illness
Murph N Adams, 72, prominent Kalona realtor, died Friday at Mercy Hospital following an extended illness.
He was born 4 Jan 1876 in Washington County near Kalona. His parents were William R. and Ann Elizabeth Adams.
Mr. Adams was proceeded in death by his wife, Blanche Evans Adams in 1946. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs Dorothea Boone of Carson, Washington and Mrs Marjorie Engstrom of Wellman; three sons, Lon O. of Lone Tree, Ralph E. of Chicago, and T.R. Adams of Wellman. Also surviving are 11 grandchildren. One grandson and two brothers also proceeded him in death.
A private funeral service for the family only will be held at a date to be determined later. Friends may call at the Oathout Chapel until noon on Sunday.
He met Blanche Annette Evans when she moved from Monmouth, Kansas to Kalona to teach school. They married in Kalona on January 22, 1896. They lived in his family's hotel while he sought a suitable home for them. Through the years they moved repeatedly, each home a little finer than the next. The family never strayed far from Kalona, with the exception of a brief time living in a home in Oskaloosa, when a house full of new furniture burned to the ground.
Murph and Blanch had five children in 17 years (Dorothea, Lon, Marjorie, Ralph and Reagan).
Murph was a hard worker and a dapper dresser. He doted on his family, and for many years, all of his adult children except for Ralph lived on the same street. (Ralph lived only a few miles away, in Iowa City.) The grandchildren were together all the time, in and out of each other's houses, probably all made possible through their grandpa's largess. The idyll ended when Murph's sons caught wind of his affair with a woman from Washington, Iowa. Blanche packed up and moved to an apartment in Iowa City, and she and Murph lived apart the last few years of their lives.
Murph died on January 25, 1948 in Iowa City at the age of 71.
Looking back in newspaper clippings:
The Kalona News, 20 Feb 1903
Murph Adams met with a mishap, while chopping wood, but fortunately escaped serious injury. He and Tom were trimming up the top of a tree when the tree took a turn. Murph jumped with the ax in his hand. The ax hit a stump and bounded back, the back of the ax giving Murph a hard welt on the forehead. The ax was sharp enough to cut through Murph’s heavy wool cap, laid open the scalp and severed an artery. He bled profusely, but was able to get to town and have the wound dressed and he will suffer no serious results from the accident.
The Kalona News, 18 Jan 1907
Murph Adams has been helping invoice in the Edmondson store this week. Murph is a handy man most anywhere.
The Kalona News, 14 Mar 1907
A good blind work mare for sale cheap, Murph Adams.
The Kalona News, 29 Mar 1907
Several of our poultry raisers have flocks of young chickens on hand. Mrs. George Kirkpatrick and Mrs. Murph Adams each have some of the early birds.
The Kalona News, 18 Jul 1908
Murph Adams is seriously ill.
The Kalona News, 18 Aug 1908
Murph Adams is going to build an addition to his house on the farm this fall.
The Kalona News, 30 Sep 1908
Murph Adams has just about completed a nice addition to their residence on the farm.
The Kalona News, 21 Jan 1909
Murph Adams is helping out, at the Edmondson store for a few weeks. He has had considerable experience.
The Kalona News, 25 Feb 1909
Having decided to quit the farm and move to Kalona, I will sell at public sale at my place of residence, mile south of Snake Hollow school house, Murph N. Adams
The Kalona News, 11 Mar 1909
Murph Adams' are now at home in the west part of town.
The Kalona News, 30 Jul 1909
Murph Adams has treated his family to a fine new Kimball piano. It is a nice instrument and will be greatly appreciated by his little daughters.
The Kalona News, 10 May 1910
Murph Adams is fixing up his residence in the west part of town.
The Kalona News, 8 Jun 1916
The primary election board consisted of L. R. Feldman, L. C. Kessler, and Murph Adams as judges and F. E. Skola and Ira E. Wells as clerks.
The Kalona News, 8 Feb 1917
Murph Adams’ have moved to their new home in the north part of town. When they get everything complete according to plans, they will have one of the most desirable homes in Kalona.
The Kalona News, 3 Aug 1934
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Shetler moved Tuesday to one of M. N. Adams' properties in the north part of town. They have been living in the John Fisher property.
Mr. and Mrs. M. N. Adams, Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Adams in company with Mr. and Mrs. L. O. Adams and Mrs. James McCracken of Lone Tree were Davenport callers Monday.
Iowa City Press Citizen, 26 Jun 1948
Murph Adams Dies in City
Kalona Realtor, 72, Succumbs to Lingering Illness
Murph N Adams, 72, prominent Kalona realtor, died Friday at Mercy Hospital following an extended illness.
He was born 4 Jan 1876 in Washington County near Kalona. His parents were William R. and Ann Elizabeth Adams.
Mr. Adams was proceeded in death by his wife, Blanche Evans Adams in 1946. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs Dorothea Boone of Carson, Washington and Mrs Marjorie Engstrom of Wellman; three sons, Lon O. of Lone Tree, Ralph E. of Chicago, and T.R. Adams of Wellman. Also surviving are 11 grandchildren. One grandson and two brothers also proceeded him in death.
A private funeral service for the family only will be held at a date to be determined later. Friends may call at the Oathout Chapel until noon on Sunday.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
