Edgar's cremated remains were not initially taken after his death and were available at the Oregon State Hospital to be claimed by anyone who is related. In 2016 his ashes were claimed by a family member.
More information is available at http://www.oregon.gov/oha/amh/osh/pages/cremains.aspx
A book by David Maisel and a documentary by Ondi Timoner & Robert James, both entitled "Library of Dust" also provide more information.
We're looking for living relatives, please contact me if you have information.
Edgar Preston Adair was born on 12/30/1873 in Ontario, Canada to Edward Adair and Almina Elizabeth Perkins. His father was a druggist. His mother died between 1876 and 1881. He had a younger brother, Charles Frederick Adair. Edgar immigrated to the US in 1883 (about age 10) and became a US citizen by his father's naturalization before 1910.
In the census of 1910 lists him living in Helena, Antrim County, Michigan with his father and grandmother. Edgar was single and farming with his father.
At the time of the WWI draft registration in 1918 he lived in Portland, Oregon He was 44 and unemployed. His closest family was his brother Charles Frederick Adair in Chicago. Census data shows that about 1918 he got married for the first time (age 44). The 1930 census indicated he was divorced. He was a paid employee, an assistant superintendent, at the Pisgah Home Colony in Scappoose, Oregon west of Portland.
The Pisgah Home Colony was modeled after the Pisgah Home in Los Angeles which was founded "to give free care to drunkards and outcasts" who wished to reform. The concept grew into a major social effort that inspired "Mother Lawrence" to take up the challenge. Hattie established a Portland-based "Pisgah Home" to take care of the "down and out old men," and it was said that the Portland police regularly brought her men that had been arrested for drunkenness. Needing a place in the country where these men could do physical labor and restore their health, she acquired a piece of land 8 miles northwest of Scappoose in 1919.
In 1930 the Home had 6 employees: Hattie Lawrence, manager, a superintendent, Edgar, the assistant superintendent, a matron, cook and nurse. There were 49 residents in the Home during the 1930 census. The men built an impressive three story shake-sided building on the logged-off land. It was surrounded by gardens and tended by men hoeing and busying themselves with horticulture. "Mother" Hattie B. Lawrence was killed in a car accident in 1937.
In the census of 1940 it was reported that Edgar was the head of the Pisgah Home Colony. It was indicated he was married, but no wife was listed with him in the census. It was also reported that he had attended 2 years of college. The other men (about 60) were referred to as "lodgers" rather than inmates. They were generally 50-80 years old.
At some point after Hattie Lawrence's death the land was acquired by local Japanese businessmen, but the land was taken from them at the beginning of WWII and the land now belongs to the Longview Fibre Company. Today the Pisgah Home Colony of Scappoose Oregon no longer exists, the buildings were abandoned and a forest fire in the 1960's burned away any remains of the colony.
On 11/6/1946 Edgar was admitted to the Oregon State Hospital, a residential facility in Salem, Oregon for the treatment of people with mental illness. He lived there for over 15 years. He died at the institution on 5/2/1962 of coronary thrombosis.
More information is available at http://www.oregon.gov/oha/amh/osh/pages/cremains.aspx
A book by David Maisel and a documentary by Ondi Timoner & Robert James, both entitled "Library of Dust" also provide more information.
We're looking for living relatives, please contact me if you have information.
Edgar Preston Adair was born on 12/30/1873 in Ontario, Canada to Edward Adair and Almina Elizabeth Perkins. His father was a druggist. His mother died between 1876 and 1881. He had a younger brother, Charles Frederick Adair. Edgar immigrated to the US in 1883 (about age 10) and became a US citizen by his father's naturalization before 1910.
In the census of 1910 lists him living in Helena, Antrim County, Michigan with his father and grandmother. Edgar was single and farming with his father.
At the time of the WWI draft registration in 1918 he lived in Portland, Oregon He was 44 and unemployed. His closest family was his brother Charles Frederick Adair in Chicago. Census data shows that about 1918 he got married for the first time (age 44). The 1930 census indicated he was divorced. He was a paid employee, an assistant superintendent, at the Pisgah Home Colony in Scappoose, Oregon west of Portland.
The Pisgah Home Colony was modeled after the Pisgah Home in Los Angeles which was founded "to give free care to drunkards and outcasts" who wished to reform. The concept grew into a major social effort that inspired "Mother Lawrence" to take up the challenge. Hattie established a Portland-based "Pisgah Home" to take care of the "down and out old men," and it was said that the Portland police regularly brought her men that had been arrested for drunkenness. Needing a place in the country where these men could do physical labor and restore their health, she acquired a piece of land 8 miles northwest of Scappoose in 1919.
In 1930 the Home had 6 employees: Hattie Lawrence, manager, a superintendent, Edgar, the assistant superintendent, a matron, cook and nurse. There were 49 residents in the Home during the 1930 census. The men built an impressive three story shake-sided building on the logged-off land. It was surrounded by gardens and tended by men hoeing and busying themselves with horticulture. "Mother" Hattie B. Lawrence was killed in a car accident in 1937.
In the census of 1940 it was reported that Edgar was the head of the Pisgah Home Colony. It was indicated he was married, but no wife was listed with him in the census. It was also reported that he had attended 2 years of college. The other men (about 60) were referred to as "lodgers" rather than inmates. They were generally 50-80 years old.
At some point after Hattie Lawrence's death the land was acquired by local Japanese businessmen, but the land was taken from them at the beginning of WWII and the land now belongs to the Longview Fibre Company. Today the Pisgah Home Colony of Scappoose Oregon no longer exists, the buildings were abandoned and a forest fire in the 1960's burned away any remains of the colony.
On 11/6/1946 Edgar was admitted to the Oregon State Hospital, a residential facility in Salem, Oregon for the treatment of people with mental illness. He lived there for over 15 years. He died at the institution on 5/2/1962 of coronary thrombosis.
Edgar's cremated remains were not initially taken after his death and were available at the Oregon State Hospital to be claimed by anyone who is related. In 2016 his ashes were claimed by a family member.
More information is available at http://www.oregon.gov/oha/amh/osh/pages/cremains.aspx
A book by David Maisel and a documentary by Ondi Timoner & Robert James, both entitled "Library of Dust" also provide more information.
We're looking for living relatives, please contact me if you have information.
Edgar Preston Adair was born on 12/30/1873 in Ontario, Canada to Edward Adair and Almina Elizabeth Perkins. His father was a druggist. His mother died between 1876 and 1881. He had a younger brother, Charles Frederick Adair. Edgar immigrated to the US in 1883 (about age 10) and became a US citizen by his father's naturalization before 1910.
In the census of 1910 lists him living in Helena, Antrim County, Michigan with his father and grandmother. Edgar was single and farming with his father.
At the time of the WWI draft registration in 1918 he lived in Portland, Oregon He was 44 and unemployed. His closest family was his brother Charles Frederick Adair in Chicago. Census data shows that about 1918 he got married for the first time (age 44). The 1930 census indicated he was divorced. He was a paid employee, an assistant superintendent, at the Pisgah Home Colony in Scappoose, Oregon west of Portland.
The Pisgah Home Colony was modeled after the Pisgah Home in Los Angeles which was founded "to give free care to drunkards and outcasts" who wished to reform. The concept grew into a major social effort that inspired "Mother Lawrence" to take up the challenge. Hattie established a Portland-based "Pisgah Home" to take care of the "down and out old men," and it was said that the Portland police regularly brought her men that had been arrested for drunkenness. Needing a place in the country where these men could do physical labor and restore their health, she acquired a piece of land 8 miles northwest of Scappoose in 1919.
In 1930 the Home had 6 employees: Hattie Lawrence, manager, a superintendent, Edgar, the assistant superintendent, a matron, cook and nurse. There were 49 residents in the Home during the 1930 census. The men built an impressive three story shake-sided building on the logged-off land. It was surrounded by gardens and tended by men hoeing and busying themselves with horticulture. "Mother" Hattie B. Lawrence was killed in a car accident in 1937.
In the census of 1940 it was reported that Edgar was the head of the Pisgah Home Colony. It was indicated he was married, but no wife was listed with him in the census. It was also reported that he had attended 2 years of college. The other men (about 60) were referred to as "lodgers" rather than inmates. They were generally 50-80 years old.
At some point after Hattie Lawrence's death the land was acquired by local Japanese businessmen, but the land was taken from them at the beginning of WWII and the land now belongs to the Longview Fibre Company. Today the Pisgah Home Colony of Scappoose Oregon no longer exists, the buildings were abandoned and a forest fire in the 1960's burned away any remains of the colony.
On 11/6/1946 Edgar was admitted to the Oregon State Hospital, a residential facility in Salem, Oregon for the treatment of people with mental illness. He lived there for over 15 years. He died at the institution on 5/2/1962 of coronary thrombosis.
More information is available at http://www.oregon.gov/oha/amh/osh/pages/cremains.aspx
A book by David Maisel and a documentary by Ondi Timoner & Robert James, both entitled "Library of Dust" also provide more information.
We're looking for living relatives, please contact me if you have information.
Edgar Preston Adair was born on 12/30/1873 in Ontario, Canada to Edward Adair and Almina Elizabeth Perkins. His father was a druggist. His mother died between 1876 and 1881. He had a younger brother, Charles Frederick Adair. Edgar immigrated to the US in 1883 (about age 10) and became a US citizen by his father's naturalization before 1910.
In the census of 1910 lists him living in Helena, Antrim County, Michigan with his father and grandmother. Edgar was single and farming with his father.
At the time of the WWI draft registration in 1918 he lived in Portland, Oregon He was 44 and unemployed. His closest family was his brother Charles Frederick Adair in Chicago. Census data shows that about 1918 he got married for the first time (age 44). The 1930 census indicated he was divorced. He was a paid employee, an assistant superintendent, at the Pisgah Home Colony in Scappoose, Oregon west of Portland.
The Pisgah Home Colony was modeled after the Pisgah Home in Los Angeles which was founded "to give free care to drunkards and outcasts" who wished to reform. The concept grew into a major social effort that inspired "Mother Lawrence" to take up the challenge. Hattie established a Portland-based "Pisgah Home" to take care of the "down and out old men," and it was said that the Portland police regularly brought her men that had been arrested for drunkenness. Needing a place in the country where these men could do physical labor and restore their health, she acquired a piece of land 8 miles northwest of Scappoose in 1919.
In 1930 the Home had 6 employees: Hattie Lawrence, manager, a superintendent, Edgar, the assistant superintendent, a matron, cook and nurse. There were 49 residents in the Home during the 1930 census. The men built an impressive three story shake-sided building on the logged-off land. It was surrounded by gardens and tended by men hoeing and busying themselves with horticulture. "Mother" Hattie B. Lawrence was killed in a car accident in 1937.
In the census of 1940 it was reported that Edgar was the head of the Pisgah Home Colony. It was indicated he was married, but no wife was listed with him in the census. It was also reported that he had attended 2 years of college. The other men (about 60) were referred to as "lodgers" rather than inmates. They were generally 50-80 years old.
At some point after Hattie Lawrence's death the land was acquired by local Japanese businessmen, but the land was taken from them at the beginning of WWII and the land now belongs to the Longview Fibre Company. Today the Pisgah Home Colony of Scappoose Oregon no longer exists, the buildings were abandoned and a forest fire in the 1960's burned away any remains of the colony.
On 11/6/1946 Edgar was admitted to the Oregon State Hospital, a residential facility in Salem, Oregon for the treatment of people with mental illness. He lived there for over 15 years. He died at the institution on 5/2/1962 of coronary thrombosis.
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
