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The following was found in a scrap book kept by Ella [Adams] Engle, daughter of Charles Adams
who was the brother of Savery Adams. The origin of the article seems to appears to be a
newspaper clipping, but the name of the paper and the date of the clipping is not on the page. I am
Lisa Engle Herdahl daughter of Richard Alfred Engle who was the Great-grandson of Charles
Adams. At the end of the newspaper article in Ella Adams Engle's own handwriting it has the
following. "Charles Adams was my father, he was a brother of Savery Adams." it was then signed
by Ella Adams Engle.
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Submitted by Lisa Engle Herdahl LHerdahl@cs.com
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PIONEER REMINISCENCES AS GATHERED FROM SAVERY ADAMS
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 Reader, did you ever talk with Savery Adams about "old times?" If you did not you have
missed a whole chapter of life, and the only way to catch up is to read attentively such
reminiscences as may appear in the GAZETTE as gathered from him. He is a living local
encyclopedia and a genuine "Old Virginy never tire" in relating matters of interest connected with
the early history of Waynesville, his native place. This local historian often finds his way into our
sanctum and volunteers a few points of local history and from these conversations we have
gathered information that is interesting to us and we are glad to share the pleasure it affords us to
those of our readers who are interested in the records of the place they "live, move and have their
being."
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The Adams family have been associated with the history of Waynesville from an early date.
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Thomas Adams, uncle to Savery located here in 1804 and taught school. In 1814 (?) Ezra
Adams father of Savery, arrived in Waynesville with his wife and one child, Isaac, a babe of six
month old; they were accompanied by an older brother, Jebediah, with an infant daughter,
afterwards Mrs. Ridge, mother of Prof. J. C. Ridge, now Mrs. Sears, living in Beach Grove. They
had come from Bucks County, Pa., and the two families and all their worldly goods were conveyed
in a two horse wagon, the journey had occupied seven weeks.
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It was a bright June day when the wagon wended it's way along what is now called
Wilmington Pike, then a mud road winding around by the land now owned by the Furnas family,
down to the river, forded where is now Wright's dam, followed the river and entered Waynesville.
A cousin of Mrs. Adams was then living in a cabin beyond where Char. A. Chapman now lives and
owns, except him the emigrants had no kith nor kin this side of the mountains. But they inquired for
Friends and were directed to the home of David Brown, then living on what is known as the
Anderson property, now owned and occupied by Dr. J.B. Hough. In the yard was a colored
woman washing and hanging up clothes, to this woman Mrs. Adams spoke, being the first woman
she had seen in the "settlement."
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She was answered kindly and invited into the house to "see the folks." This colored woman
was Delia Cook, whom most of our citizens remember and whose memory they respect.
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The travelers rested the night under the roof of David Brown and shared his hospitality.
Next morning David informed them that the only vacant house he knew of was an old cabin which
for several years been used as a sheep shelter, and as he owned it they were welcome to occupy it
if they would clean it out. This cabin stood on the ground, lately owned and occupied by Capt. I.
C. Gough, now owned by I.H. Harris and occupied by Albert D. Haines. Nothing daunted Mrs.
Adams, in the spirit of a true pioneer went to work to make the old sheep cabin a cleanly and
comfortable home for herself and family.
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The well on what is now the brick yard of Farr and White, was then dug and yielding a
bountiful supply of water, and from there this brave little woman carried water, heated it in a big
iron kettle and scraped and scalded and scrubbed till the old puncheon floor was bright and clean;
there was no door to the cabin but a quilt hung up served as a protection at night, in daytime the air
and sunshine were welcome. Elizabeth Brown who is now the only person living in Waynesville
who was here at that time was then old enough to "take care of the baby" while the young mother
fixed up their new found home.
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Ezra soon brought the property of David Brown and remained on it two years, the first
year of which he assisted Brown in his store which he kept in the house now occupied by Caleb
Small, it being located on the corner where Needles' grocery in now kept.
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At the end of two years Adams leased of David Brown the land now known as the
Hagerman farm, near Lytle and remained there until Nov. 1823 when he bought of the Crispin
Heirs, Rebecca, Mary and Rowland, the lot known as the Adams corner, now owned by J. Will
White, and moved upon it and lived there until his death in 1865, and it continued to be the home of
his faithful and brave little wife until her death, which occurred May 1883, at the advanced age of
88 years and 3 days. She was the mother of twelve children Isaac, Charles, (born in the Log cabin)
Savery, David, (namesake of David Brown), Jason, Rachel, Charity, Mary Ann, Amos, Lydia,
Sarah, Abi; Jason died the same night his sister Rachel was born; Lydia and Sarah died young;
Charity (Mrs. Mannington), Abi (Mrs. Haines), Mary Ann, (Mrs. Williamson), Savery, Charles
and Amos are still living.
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Like all other pioneers this family passed through many strange and wild experiences. While
living in their first cabin they were often annoyed at night by the howling of wolves in unpleasant
proximity to their dwelling, and the father would take from the fire-place burning chunks and throw
them to scare them off; and as wolves never "stand fire" this always had the desired effect, and the
family would soon fall asleep and never dream of danger.
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While living on the farm the April before moving into Waynesville Ezra Adams started back
to Bucks County, in company with Asher Brown Sr. and George Hatton, brother to the venerable
Eliza Pennington now nearly one hundred years old. Brown and Hatton took in a drove of horses
for the eastern market. They remained East until September, and during the absence of her husband
Mrs. Adams remained on the farm with four children, with no other protection than three large dogs
— her nearest neighbors being the family of Asher Brown; then living on the farm now owned and
occupied by Cornelius Williamson.
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This noble woman managed the farm and did all her family work during the entire summer
and met with but one serious loss that, no less than her only cow. Savory says he well remembers
seeing his mother standing over the dead cow shedding bitter tears, but rallying her courage she
said, "well the children can't do without milk, we must have another cow." The cow was bought
and before her husband returned she had paid for it by "taking in spinning." Thus through all the
vicissitudes of her unpretentious life she ever manifested the dauntless spirit of a true woman.
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In September Ezra Adams returned bringing with him Fannie Smith, now the venerable aunt
Fannie Buttersworth, who had come the long journey "over the mountains" in a little one horse
wagon to join her sister, Ruth, afterwards Mrs. Tomlinson, who was living in the family of David
Evans, and teaching school, and from her Joel Evans and some others now living received a part of
their education; two other sisters of these first and second wives of the late Dr. Anderson, did not
come until years later.
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Into the lives of these pioneers was woven much of hardship, much of sorrow, much of
pleasure and some of romance, which may furnish material for succeeding sketches. Time has told
upon the place and scene of their life experiences and many changes have taken place here where
they wrestled with the forrest for homes and culture and comfort. Ezra Adams was a chair and
spinning-wheel maker and came to Ohio expecting to follow that trade, but found a chair shop
already in operation on the lot where M. C. Liddy now lives and owns, this was carried on by
Clemens Messick; on the lot now occupied by the Waynesville High School. Robt. Cummins,
father of Mrs. Julia McComas, owned and carried on a spinning wheel factory, and these two
establishments supplied the demand among the settlers.
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To-day, split bottom chairs and spinning wheels are among the relics and reminders of
"early days," and the saloon and the school house occupy the sites where these industries were
carried on. The school is one of civilization's greatest blessings, the saloon its greatest curse. The
house now occupied by Thomas Lenord then stood on the Cummins lot and was the home of the
Cummins family, it was afterwards the home Gibbs Kinney father of Coates Kinney, and doubtless
it was there were Coates poetic brain was inspired by the music of "The rain upon the roof."
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