Alpha Adams was born in Franklin Township, Greene County, Missouri, and was the daughter of Jane and Henry M. Adams. Her grandfather, John Adams was born about 1829 in Kentucky, and her grandmother, Kate Adams was born about 1834 in Tennessee. Unfortunately any details about the lives of her paternal grandparents prior to 1870 are unknown, and it is not known if her father Henry Adams was born a slave in Missouri.
Alpha is alleged to have lived most of her life in the same two story house located on the corner of two country roads at East Farm Road 48, and a small dirt road that would later be known as County Road 169. The house had no electricity, and no indoor plumming. She had kerosene lamps for light, a wood stove for heat and for cooking, and an outhouse in the back near the shed.
In the 1920's she is known to have married a man named Morris Sharp Jr. and they lived for a while in Springfield. Her husband is believed to have died before 1940. After the death of her husband, Alpha returned to her old home and is believed to be the last one of her family to remain in her father's house.
I was born in 1964 and have only a few memories of Miss Adams, but whenever I look back on my childhood thoughts of her often return since Miss Adams was part of that childhood. She always wore a plain floor length dress with a sweater or shawl, and would wear a cloth scarf wrapping her head to cover her hair. I remember that my aunt and I would sometimes go to her house and she would give us candy and caramel coated popcorn balls. Before we left we always asked if she needed a chore done. I'm told that we helped carry water from the nearby spring, and I'm also told that my grandfather chopped wood for her after she had a stroke. Everyone in the region looked after her and respected her as if she were family.
She eventually disappeared, and since I was so young I always wondered where she had gone. All I knew is that she would never return. Many years later I was told she had died in a nursing home, and it is not known if she had any surviving family. She probably died alone with nobody to weep at her grave.
My aunt and I, always had to wait for the school bus and would always be dropped off after school at the street corner near her house. Even long after she had gone she was always remembered since I passed her house everyday. The old "Adams House" is still there today, but it looks very different. The house has new paint, a deck on the side of the house, all the modern fixtures, and a new family that fills the house with love. However when I see the house, I am reminded of a sweet little old colored lady sitting in her rocker on the front porch, a memory that paint and new fixtures will never take away.
I have many fond memories of my childhood in Missouri, and Miss Adams is one of those fond memories. - Brenda Mathias
SOURCE:
1870 Census, Greene County, Missouri (Henry Adams)
1900 Census, Franklin Township (north part), Greene County, Missouri
1910 Census, Franklin Township, Greene County, Missouri
1920 Census, Franklin Township, Greene County, Missouri
1930 Census, Springfield, Greene County, Missouri (Morris Sharp Jr.)
Not found in 1940 census.
Alpha is alleged to have lived most of her life in the same two story house located on the corner of two country roads at East Farm Road 48, and a small dirt road that would later be known as County Road 169. The house had no electricity, and no indoor plumming. She had kerosene lamps for light, a wood stove for heat and for cooking, and an outhouse in the back near the shed.
In the 1920's she is known to have married a man named Morris Sharp Jr. and they lived for a while in Springfield. Her husband is believed to have died before 1940. After the death of her husband, Alpha returned to her old home and is believed to be the last one of her family to remain in her father's house.
I was born in 1964 and have only a few memories of Miss Adams, but whenever I look back on my childhood thoughts of her often return since Miss Adams was part of that childhood. She always wore a plain floor length dress with a sweater or shawl, and would wear a cloth scarf wrapping her head to cover her hair. I remember that my aunt and I would sometimes go to her house and she would give us candy and caramel coated popcorn balls. Before we left we always asked if she needed a chore done. I'm told that we helped carry water from the nearby spring, and I'm also told that my grandfather chopped wood for her after she had a stroke. Everyone in the region looked after her and respected her as if she were family.
She eventually disappeared, and since I was so young I always wondered where she had gone. All I knew is that she would never return. Many years later I was told she had died in a nursing home, and it is not known if she had any surviving family. She probably died alone with nobody to weep at her grave.
My aunt and I, always had to wait for the school bus and would always be dropped off after school at the street corner near her house. Even long after she had gone she was always remembered since I passed her house everyday. The old "Adams House" is still there today, but it looks very different. The house has new paint, a deck on the side of the house, all the modern fixtures, and a new family that fills the house with love. However when I see the house, I am reminded of a sweet little old colored lady sitting in her rocker on the front porch, a memory that paint and new fixtures will never take away.
I have many fond memories of my childhood in Missouri, and Miss Adams is one of those fond memories. - Brenda Mathias
SOURCE:
1870 Census, Greene County, Missouri (Henry Adams)
1900 Census, Franklin Township (north part), Greene County, Missouri
1910 Census, Franklin Township, Greene County, Missouri
1920 Census, Franklin Township, Greene County, Missouri
1930 Census, Springfield, Greene County, Missouri (Morris Sharp Jr.)
Not found in 1940 census.
Alpha Adams was born in Franklin Township, Greene County, Missouri, and was the daughter of Jane and Henry M. Adams. Her grandfather, John Adams was born about 1829 in Kentucky, and her grandmother, Kate Adams was born about 1834 in Tennessee. Unfortunately any details about the lives of her paternal grandparents prior to 1870 are unknown, and it is not known if her father Henry Adams was born a slave in Missouri.
Alpha is alleged to have lived most of her life in the same two story house located on the corner of two country roads at East Farm Road 48, and a small dirt road that would later be known as County Road 169. The house had no electricity, and no indoor plumming. She had kerosene lamps for light, a wood stove for heat and for cooking, and an outhouse in the back near the shed.
In the 1920's she is known to have married a man named Morris Sharp Jr. and they lived for a while in Springfield. Her husband is believed to have died before 1940. After the death of her husband, Alpha returned to her old home and is believed to be the last one of her family to remain in her father's house.
I was born in 1964 and have only a few memories of Miss Adams, but whenever I look back on my childhood thoughts of her often return since Miss Adams was part of that childhood. She always wore a plain floor length dress with a sweater or shawl, and would wear a cloth scarf wrapping her head to cover her hair. I remember that my aunt and I would sometimes go to her house and she would give us candy and caramel coated popcorn balls. Before we left we always asked if she needed a chore done. I'm told that we helped carry water from the nearby spring, and I'm also told that my grandfather chopped wood for her after she had a stroke. Everyone in the region looked after her and respected her as if she were family.
She eventually disappeared, and since I was so young I always wondered where she had gone. All I knew is that she would never return. Many years later I was told she had died in a nursing home, and it is not known if she had any surviving family. She probably died alone with nobody to weep at her grave.
My aunt and I, always had to wait for the school bus and would always be dropped off after school at the street corner near her house. Even long after she had gone she was always remembered since I passed her house everyday. The old "Adams House" is still there today, but it looks very different. The house has new paint, a deck on the side of the house, all the modern fixtures, and a new family that fills the house with love. However when I see the house, I am reminded of a sweet little old colored lady sitting in her rocker on the front porch, a memory that paint and new fixtures will never take away.
I have many fond memories of my childhood in Missouri, and Miss Adams is one of those fond memories. - Brenda Mathias
SOURCE:
1870 Census, Greene County, Missouri (Henry Adams)
1900 Census, Franklin Township (north part), Greene County, Missouri
1910 Census, Franklin Township, Greene County, Missouri
1920 Census, Franklin Township, Greene County, Missouri
1930 Census, Springfield, Greene County, Missouri (Morris Sharp Jr.)
Not found in 1940 census.
Alpha is alleged to have lived most of her life in the same two story house located on the corner of two country roads at East Farm Road 48, and a small dirt road that would later be known as County Road 169. The house had no electricity, and no indoor plumming. She had kerosene lamps for light, a wood stove for heat and for cooking, and an outhouse in the back near the shed.
In the 1920's she is known to have married a man named Morris Sharp Jr. and they lived for a while in Springfield. Her husband is believed to have died before 1940. After the death of her husband, Alpha returned to her old home and is believed to be the last one of her family to remain in her father's house.
I was born in 1964 and have only a few memories of Miss Adams, but whenever I look back on my childhood thoughts of her often return since Miss Adams was part of that childhood. She always wore a plain floor length dress with a sweater or shawl, and would wear a cloth scarf wrapping her head to cover her hair. I remember that my aunt and I would sometimes go to her house and she would give us candy and caramel coated popcorn balls. Before we left we always asked if she needed a chore done. I'm told that we helped carry water from the nearby spring, and I'm also told that my grandfather chopped wood for her after she had a stroke. Everyone in the region looked after her and respected her as if she were family.
She eventually disappeared, and since I was so young I always wondered where she had gone. All I knew is that she would never return. Many years later I was told she had died in a nursing home, and it is not known if she had any surviving family. She probably died alone with nobody to weep at her grave.
My aunt and I, always had to wait for the school bus and would always be dropped off after school at the street corner near her house. Even long after she had gone she was always remembered since I passed her house everyday. The old "Adams House" is still there today, but it looks very different. The house has new paint, a deck on the side of the house, all the modern fixtures, and a new family that fills the house with love. However when I see the house, I am reminded of a sweet little old colored lady sitting in her rocker on the front porch, a memory that paint and new fixtures will never take away.
I have many fond memories of my childhood in Missouri, and Miss Adams is one of those fond memories. - Brenda Mathias
SOURCE:
1870 Census, Greene County, Missouri (Henry Adams)
1900 Census, Franklin Township (north part), Greene County, Missouri
1910 Census, Franklin Township, Greene County, Missouri
1920 Census, Franklin Township, Greene County, Missouri
1930 Census, Springfield, Greene County, Missouri (Morris Sharp Jr.)
Not found in 1940 census.
Bio by: Brenda Ann Mathias
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