But before that, on Sunday May 17, Fruhlingfest (German Springfest) is back. The German American Central Society will be serving from Noon to Six at Avanti’s Event Center in Pekin. TCGHS is a sponsor this year so please stop by and enjoy a little German hospitality. 

And finally, on Saturday, May 30 at 10am, TCGHS is holding a dedication ceremony at Antioch cemetery, 10986 Antioch Rd., Tremont, honoring several Revolutionary War Veterans that are buried in Tazewell county. We have commissioned several markers that will be placed in various cemeteries around the area. We’ll hand out a list of all of them at Antioch cemetery that day. 

All history is local until it is woven together with other stories to become part of the National fabric and there is no aspect of National history that doesn’t touch Tazewell County. 

Johnston was born 15 February 1807 in Washington, D.C. Not much is known about his past, but he arrived in Tazewell County in the early 1830s. He first married Venary Crocker (1808-1842) on 16 April 1834 in Tazewell county and later married Lavina Hamilton (1818-1861) on 14 September 1858 in Peoria.

He purchased land in Fondulac township in 1835 and by 1839 had purchased several more parcels. It would appear that his home was located in the SE corner of Section 22 which was always a fractional section. The 1929 Atlas indicates his land along Cat Trail was then in the possession of A. Messer. Today most of section 22 is in Peoria Lake. It would appear that what remains of the western edge of the SE corner is about where the condos and boat slips are, just south of Jonah’s.

Adams was always listed as a farmer in the census records but was often mentioned in the Tazewell County Board minutes as being compensated for work.

A few examples of his road work in the 1840s:

In 1842 it was “Ordered that Johnson Adams be and he is hereby appointed agent to contract for and have work done on the Road heading from the Peoria Ferry to the highlands near Franks to amount of two hundred Dollars being the balance appropriated, now in the hands of the Treasurer belonging to said road the balance in full paid by Wm L May.”

In 1848 it was “ordered that Johnson Adams be allowed two dollars and fifty cents for lumber furnished for bridge in road district no 32.”

In 1850 the Record of the Town of FonduLac reflects that Adams was elected to be the Overseer of the Poor for that township.

Mr. Adams was chosen to be a juror in two Tazewell cases where Lincoln was the defense attorney. In 1851 he was on the jury that presided over Hicks vs. Meeker and in 1852 he was a juror in Gibson vs. Hawley.

The 1873 Tazewell County atlas lists Adams as a subscriber and indicates that he lived in Section 22 of Fondulac township, that he was born in the District of Columbia, that he came to Tazewell in 1834 and that he was a farmer and a merchant. 

Adams had four known children. The little girls, Mary (1835-1836) and Cordelia (1842-1846) died young and are buried with their parents in Fondulac cemetery. The youngest son, John W., (1859-1906) married Maddie Cramer 31 May 1885 in Peoria where he was a part of the firm Adams & Cramer, later Adams Grain & Coal. He was listed as a coal merchant in the 1900 census. He had no children and was buried in Springdale.

Finally, son Austin (1838-1924) married Lucy J. Harris on 5 April 1866 in Peoria. The 1870 Fondulac census lists him as a lawyer but by 1880 he’s living in Peoria and employed as a fireman. The couple eventually relocated to Wichita, Kansas. Austin had served in the 67th Company K from Illinois during the Civil War. Austin and Lucy had three children Warren (1867-1918), Claudia V. (1869-1957) and Maude (1872-1956).

Johnston S. Adams died 21 February 1882 and was buried in Fondulac cemetery.

Both of the boys’ obituaries referenced them being descendants of John Quincy Adams. Austin’s obituary also claimed that his father erected the first house in Peoria in 1830. Neither claim could be verified in the time available.

If anyone would like more information about any Tazewell family, feel free to contact TCGHS.

The Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society is an award-winning 501c3, all volunteer organization that has been in continuous service to our members and the public for 47 years. TCGHS operates an archive, library and research facility at 719 N. 11th St., Pekin. Visit our website at www.tcghs.org to learn more about us. If you have any point of interest that you would like to know more about, stop in at TCGHS or drop us a line.