Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy

Rufus Columbus Burleson Adair

Male 1844 - 1858  (14 years)


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  • Name Rufus Columbus Burleson Adair 
    Born 9 Feb 1844  , Itawamba, Mississippi, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 2 Aug 1858  Washington, Washington, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried Old Washington City Cemetery, Washington, Washington, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I1138  Petersen-de Lanskoy
    Last Modified 27 May 2021 

    Father Samuel Jefferson Adair,   b. 28 Mar 1806, , Laurens, South Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 6 Jul 1889, Nutrioso, Apache, Arizona, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 83 years) 
    Mother Jemima Catherine Mangum,   b. 14 Sep 1809, , Warren, Ohio, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 28 Apr 1848, Mount Pisgah, Union, Iowa, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 38 years) 
    Married 3 Dec 1829  , Pickens, Alabama, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F98  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • RESEARCH_NOTES:
      1. Censuses:
      1850 US: District 21, Pottawattamie, Iowa, p. 78b, 13 Sep 1850, entry 217:
      Samuel Adair, 46, Laborer, SC.
      Nancy, 39, VA.
      John, 18, AL.
      George, 15, AL.
      Samuel, 12, AL.
      Rufus, 7, MS.
      Mary, 13, TN.
      Robert, 7, TN.
      Benjamin, 5, TN.
      Jemima, 4, IA.
      Joshua, 1, IA.

      1851 Iowa State: Pottawattamie County. FHL film 1022203. The entire state was counted but only Pottawattamie listed everyone by name in the household and their ages; other counties only listed the head of the household and a numerical count without names of the various ages by sex in the household. No date is given when the census was taken but it was certified in Dec. 1851; however, the other counties show a Sep 1851 date which also appears more likely for Pottawattamie as well in light of ages given some children with known birthdays in October. Census return:
      Adair: Samuel 45, John M. 18, George 16, Samuel N. 14, Rufus A.B. 10, Jemima 6, Joshua 1. [Note Samuel appears recently separated from his second wife by the time of this census and she is living several pages away in the census under her first married name of Maynard with her children of the Maynard marriage. Joshua Adair is listed twice - once with Nancy Maynard and once with Samuel Adair; evidently the final custodial arrangements for Joshua were not yet settled by the time of the census. Nancy's next husband Andrew Allen is not in the census confirming that Andrew Allen was not a factor in the breakup of Samuel and Nancy's marriage. Her fourth husband Evins O'Banion is listed in the county's census put several pages away. Samuel Adair is also several pages away as well. This confirms the fact that Samuel went west in June 1852 was not the immediate cause of their separation by this census in Sep. 1851. Also note that John and Permelia, his son-in-law and daughter, are living next door. Also the following related families are living as neighbors to each other in the county but several census pages away from Samuel: Thomas/Mary Adair, John/Mary A. Mangum, and William/Sarah Mangum. ]

      1852 Iowa: Pottawattamie County:
      Thomas Adair, 6, 4, 1, 1.
      Samuel Adair, 8, 3, 1, 1. Note also an Andrew Allen and a Jude Allen family is listed 7 and 8 entries below; Andrew Allen marries Samuel's separated wife after 1852 [Nancy did not go west, nor does Andrew Allen; Andrew's first wife Eunice who he separates from because he doesn't want to go west does go to Utah in same company as her children and Samuel in 1852. Jude's daughter Jane eventually marries Bishop John Stoker.]

      The 1856 Utah Territorial Census was taken because Utah was trying to get statehood to avoid some of the problems that later came. As a result they wanted as many people as possible and frequently included names of everyone in a family without regard to whether they were living or dead. As a result, some of the people listed with the family may not actually have been in the household in 1856. The Adair and Mangums listed included the following heads of households in the Provo and Payson City area: George W. Adair, James Mangum, Joseph Adair (wife Rebecca), Samuel Adair, and Thomas Adair. Source for the following entry is FHL film # 505,913 (index in FHL book 979.2X22u); Ms d 2929 fd. 33, Payson City, p. 8:
      Samuel Adair
      Roxana "
      Ann "
      John M. "
      George "
      Jane "
      Newton "
      Rufus "
      Catherine "
      William "
      Joseph "
      Emily "
      Ezra T. "
      Joshua "
      Eliza J. "

      1851 Iowa State: Pottawattamie County. FHL film 1022203. The entire state was counted but only Pottawattamie listed everyone by name in the household and their ages; other counties only listed the head of the household and a numerical count without names of the various ages by sex in the household. No date is given when the census was taken but it was certified in Dec. 1851; however, the other counties show a Sep 1851 date which also appears more likely for Pottawattamie as well in light of ages given some children with known birthdays in October. Census return:
      Adair: Samuel 45, John M. 18, George 16, Samuel N. 14, Rufus A.B. 10, Jemima 6, Joshua 1. [Note Samuel appears recently separated from his second wife by the time of this census and she is living several pages away in the census under her first married name of Maynard with her children of the Maynard marriage. Joshua Adair is listed twice – once with Nancy Maynard and once with Samuel Adair; evidently the final custodial arrangements for Joshua were not yet settled by the time of the census. Nancy's next husband Andrew Allen is not in the census confirming that Andrew Allen was not a factor in the breakup of Samuel and Nancy's marriage. Her fourth husband Evins O'Banion is listed in the county's census put several pages away. Samuel Adair is also several pages away as well. This confirms the fact that Samuel went west in June 1852 was not the immediate cause of their separation by this census in Sep. 1851. Also note that John and Permelia, his son-in-law and daughter, are living next door. Also the following related families are living as neighbors to each other in the county but several census pages away from Samuel: Thomas/Mary Adair, John/Mary A. Mangum, and William/Sarah Mangum.]

      2. The following is a small excerpt of a larger listing (see Samuel Newton Adair's notes for full transcription), which was received in digital form from Don and Caroline Smith, 2003. Regardless of the title – "Family Records of Samuel Newton Adair" – I am not sure if this is really a transcript of records kept by Samuel Newton Adair or not. Some death dates given for some of the individuals are after the date Samuel Newton Adair himself died. I spoke in person with Collins Chapman of Mesa, Arizona, in Feb. of 2006. He did not recognize it. Collins' family is the source of most of the biographical information on Samuel and Collin's mother was responsible for the autobiography of Samuel Newton Adair who dictated it to her. The following came to me as an addendum to a typed copy of that autobiography; however, I have now seen a portion of the original handwritten dictation and find no such attachment. The following therefore has no documented source that I can find thus far and should be used with caution:
      [A.] "Father: Samuel Jefferson Adair; Mother: Jamima Mangum; Children:
      Rebeca Francis Adair
      William Jefferson Adair
      John Milton Adair
      George Washington Adair
      Pamelia Jane Adair
      Samuel Newton Adair
      Joseph Jasper Adair
      Rufus Columbus Adair
      Jamima Kathrine Adair
      Ezra T. Adair
      [B.] "Samuel Jefferson Adair - Born at Lawrence Co., South Carolina, March 28, 1806. Baptized by Elder John Dowdle, Nov. 27, 1845. Confirmed by Elder John Dowdle, Nov. 30, 1845. Ordained an Elder by Daniel Thomas, a High Priest by John Young in 1855. Married Jamima Mangum. Filled a mission to Southern Utah in 1857. Migrated from Mississippi to Nauvoo, Illinois on Jan. 10, 1846. Died at Nutrioso, Apache County, Arizona, July 6, 1889."
      [C.] "Jamima Mangum - married Samuel Jefferson Adair. Died at Mt. Pisgah, Iowa about 1847.
      Rebeca Francis Adair - Born and died at Pikens County, Alabama.
      William Jefferson Adair - Born at Pikens County, Alabama. Died at Mt. Pisgah, Iowa about 1847.
      John Milton Adair - Born at Pickens County, Alabama. Married Eliza Jane Richey. Died at Lincoln County, Nevada.
      George Washington Adair - Born at Pickens County, Alabama, married Ann Chestnut. Died at San Juan, New Mexico.
      Pamelia Jane Adair - Born at Pikens County, Alabama. Married Charles D. Searle at Payson City, Utah in 1856. Died at Ashley, Uintah County, Utah about 1884.
      Samuel Newton Adair - Born at Itawomba County, Mississippi, Dec. 11, 1839. Baptized by Samuel Jefferson Adair, in 1847. Ordained an Elder by John Freeman. Ordained a High Priest by Apostle Erastus Snow, at Luna, New Mexico Nov. 24, 1885. Married to Helen Gennett Brown by Robert Covington at Washington, Utah, Dec. 15, 1863. Endowed at Endowment House, Salt Lake City, Utah, June 18, 1867. Patriarchal Blessing by Emer Harris. Filled Mission to Moqice [Moqui] Village - Went Nov. 1862. Returned on Jan. 10, 1863. Migrated from Mississippi to Nauvoo. Died at Luna, New Mexico, May 16, 1925.
      Joseph Jasper Adair - Born at Itawomba County, Mississippi. Died at Mt. Pisgah, Iowa about 1847.
      Rufus Columbus Adair - Born at Itawomba County, Mississippi. Died at Washington City, Utah, Aug. 2, 1858.
      Jamima Katherine Adair - Born at Des Moine, Iowa. Married to Frederick Rugg at Washington, Utah, Jan. 11, 1866.
      Ezra T. Adair - Born at Mt. Pisgah, Iowa, 1848. Died at Mt. Pisgah, Iowa, 1848."

      BIOGRAPHY:
      1. From email of 26 Dec 2001 email of Norma Entrekin [nje@mindspring.com]: "The History of Samuel Newton Adair dictated to his granddaughter, Mary Gennette Adair Chapman, tells us a little more about the family called Adair. '... My father and I took a trip to Payson and while there my brother, Rufus was killed accidentally with a pistol. (Note: some records say Rufus died at Winter Quarters, on Aug 2, 1847 at age 3 1/2; this would seem to contradict the other records, if correct.)..."

      2. From Carolyn Smith, Autobiography of Samuel Newton Adair, Luna, New Mexico, Sept. 15, 1919: "... We reached home June 30, 1858. I was ordained an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by John Frieman and Gabrial Cooley. I and my father took a trip to Payson, Utah County and while there my brother Rufus was killed accidentally with a pistol from the hands of Charles Hall. We returned to Washington and remained there until the year 1860..."

      BIRTH:
      1. Date of 9 Feb 1844 as quoted below per website for Utah State Historical Society Cemeteries Database 1 Jan 2002 .

      2. Variance per obituary quoted below is 10 Feb 1844 which is derived from the age calculation given in obituary.

      3. FHL film 392631 LDS "Patriarchal Blessings Index": Rufus B. Adair, b. 9 Feb 1844 at Mississippi, parents Samuel and Jemima Adair. Blessing date 19 Feb 1856 at Payson, Utah. Patriarch: John Young. Vol. 25, p. 206.

      DEATH:
      1. Date per website for Utah State Historical Society Cemeteries Database 1 Jan 2002.

      2. Per website ; "Cemetery/Death Indexes (1852-1996) in Washington County, Utah," compiled by Wesley W. Craig, Ph.D: "Rufus Columbus Adair, b. 9 Feb 1844, d. 2 Aug 1858, Old Wash. City."

      3. Per obituary.

      4. Typescript "Washington City Cemetery, Washington, Utah," by Cuba Hall Lyle, St. George, Utah, 1986 describes the incompleteness and lack of vital records in early Washington: "...the lack of complete LDS Ward records (only 1880 - 1900 and 1907- 1940's) for the Cotton Mission which began in Washington in the spring of 1857. Consequently, many of the early dates, etc., shown are from family records or memories. The Washington City Offices did not keep death and burial records by location until 1961 when the new sections were platted. Old ward records, city records, LDS family group sheets, federal census records and the 1871 and 1881 school census records of Washington City have all played a part in this material, but, for documentation, some could be questionable. So many families moved on to greener pastures and had no way to leave permanent grave markers." On this list the following are included:
      Adair, Ann Catherine, b. 11 Apr 1844, d. 27 Mar 1863, parents are William Albert and Johanna Chesnut, spouse is George Washington Adair.
      Adair, Emily Jane, b. 2 Nov 1855, d. 1860, parents are John Milton Adair and Eliza Jane Richey.
      Adair, Olive P., b. 27 Nov 1864, d. 28 Nov 1864, parents are George Washington Adair and Emily Prescenda Tyler.
      Adair, Rufus Columbus, b. 9 Feb 1844, d. 2 Aug 1858, parents are Samuel Jefferson Adair and Jemima Catherine Mangum.
      Adair, William Orin, b. 12 Oct 1873, d. 18 July 1876, parents are Samuel Newton Adair and Helen Gennette Brown.
      Carson, Hannah Marie, b. 14 May 1864, d. 14 May 1864, parents are Valentine Carson and Hannah Waggle.

      BURIAL:
      1. Per website for Utah State Historical Society Cemeteries Database 1 Jan 2002.

      2. Email from Harold Cahoon, Washington City researcher, 6 Jul 2003: Burials listed in the Washington City Cemetery (this can be found on site and includes all of the cemeteries in Washington County) www.lofthouse.com/USA/washington/cemetery/wash1.html
      My note "nothing" means they were not listed on the lofthouse list nor the list that the Wash. Cemetery has. "No head stone" means they were listed on the lofthouse list and are listed in the City's record as not having a head stone. I do not know if the city has any better records in their office.
      Ann Chestnut Adair, no head stone.
      Mary Ann Adair Carson, nothing.
      Olive Parintha Adair, no head stone.
      Rufus Columbus Burlison Adair, no head stone.
      Samuel P. Adair, nothing.
      Ellen Bardsley Mangum, nothing.
      Eliza Jane Clark Mangum, no headstone, b. 11 Aug 1827, d. 21 Feb 1859, spouse James Michel Mangum, fa. Samuel Clark, mo. Adair.
      Eliza Jane Adair Price buried in row 36; I would assume there is a marker for this grave.

      3. In an effort to locate and place tombstones in Washington, Utah, I sent the following 6 Jul 2003 email to Barry Blake, city cemetery official wcparks@ci.washingtoncity.state.ut.us [phone is 435-634-9850 ext. 321]:
      "My friend and fellow researcher Harold Cahoon gave me your name as the contact for the Washington Cemetery. He spoke to you about locating an early pioneer gravesite for Ann Chestnut Adair, wife to George Washington Adair, and daughter-in-law to Samuel Jefferson Adair whose new statue was just dedicated as the founder of Washington. At age 9, her parents had been murdered somewhere on the Mormon Trail to Utah and she and two younger siblings were tied to a cow and left to wander helplessly. Samuel found her and adopted her. She eventually marries Samuel's son George.
      Harold indicates that you do indeed have a record that she is buried in your older cemetery but that the location has been forgotten over the years. Several people would like to contribute to a memorial stone for her. Ann died at age 19 on 27 Mar 1863. Are there any experts with expertise in regards to those early plots that could pinpoint it more accurately. I have found death records of Ann's closest relations who died around the same time and are supposedly buried in the same cemetery which may help to pinpoint her or at least get as close as we can with what available plot maps you have. They are:
      Mary Ann Adair Carson, d. 27 Apr 1861, bur. 29 Apr 1861. (Wife of the Valentine Carson who adopts Ann's baby upon her death and cousin to Ann's husband George.)
      Olive Parintha Adair, d. at birth 28 Nov 1864, oldest child of George and his second wife Emily Tyler who he married after Ann's death.
      Rufus Columbus Burlison Adair, bur. Aug 1858, George's younger unmarried brother.
      Samuel P. Adair, d. 30 Jan 1871, another young child of George and Emily Tyler Adair.
      Ellen Bardsley Mangum, d. 22 Jan 1864, wife of John Mangum who was a cousin of Samuel J. Adair.
      Eliza Jane Clark Mangum, d. 21 Feb 1859, wife of James Mitchel Mangum who was brother to John Mangum and also a cousin to Samuel J. Adair.
      Eliza Jane Adair Price, d. 16 Aug 1892, bur. 18 Aug 1892, mother of Valentine Carson noted above, sister of Samuel J. Adair, later wife of John Buren Price.
      As you research the plots for the above and their proximity to each other and potentially Ann's, could you advise me as to which one are definitely platted with stones, platted without stones, or just plain unplatted.
      What arrangements are needed by us with your department?"
      15 April 2005 follow-up note by Kerry Petersen: I have received no reply to the above. I have now personally visited the city cemetery and the city records office; they cannot verify her gravesite. The city clerk mentioned that they do not excavate graves in the old part of the cemetery because they know there are so many unmarked gravesites. Of the people listed above, I could only find a stone for John and Eliza Jane Adair Price. No further action possible.

      OBITUARY:
      1. Per FHL film 26588, item 3, death notice in the Deseret News for 18 Aug 1858: "Died, Washington City, 2 Aug 1858, Rufus C., son of Samuel and Gemima Adair, 14 years 5 months 21 days."