WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Washington County, Utah)

SAMUEL LORENZO ADAMS

(early St. George resident, blacksmith)

Related Pages

Miscellaneous

Histories

BIOGRAPHY

Samuel Lorenzo Adams was a successful blacksmith from the time he came to Utah in 1852 until his death in 1910. He established the first blacksmith shop in St. George in 1864 and made many contributions to the growth of St. George and the surrounding areas.

Adams had many accomplishments. He established the first flour mill and the first cotton gin used in southern Utah. He invented a nail making machine that produced nails used in the first buildings in St. George. This nail making machine can still be seen at the Daughter of Utah Pioneers Museum.

Samuel hand forged components for building construction that can still be seen today, such as the "S" braces used in the old County Court House and the chandeliers that were used in the Opera House for many years.

He also built the first horse drawn hearse in St. George. It was made from forged iron and wood. This hearse was used for many years and was used to take Adams to his own grave. It was used until a motor powered hearse was bought.

Iron work was very difficult in those days. Samuel had to mine and smelt the iron ore that he then hand forged with hammer & anvil into usable shapes. He told many stories about trips to the Grand Gulch Mine and encounters with Indians and other hazards along the way.

FAMILY

Parents and Siblings: John Adams Eleanor Danks Adams Eleanor Adams John Adams Samuel Lorenzo Adams Mary Ann Adams	(4/16/1800-5/7/1865) (married 7/23/1827) (xx/xx/1802-4/12/1841) (7/16/1828-1/15/1899) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (9/13/1830-4/3/1911) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (1/22/1833-2/15/1910) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (5/11/1835-10/20/1913) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)
First Wife and Children: Emma Jackson Adams Eleanor Jackson Adams Emma Jennet Johnson Adams Samuel Lorenzo Adams Elizabeth Jane Adams Henrietta Adams John Henry Adams Minerva Adams George Edwin Adams Alfred Williams Adams	(12/6/1830-5/9/1855) (married 2/5/1852) (8/3/1853-7/25/1920) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (8/3/1853-9/9/1854) (11/5/1856-11/10/1910) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (2/8/1858-3/10/1948) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (11/3/1859-12/23/1940) (married Richard Alexander Morris) (7/15/1863-6/26/1865) (3/10/1865-6/27/1865) (5/17/1866-8/23/1867) (7/21/1868-5/5/1879)
Second Wife and Children: Mary Ann Morgan Adams Thomas Henry Adams William Morgan Adams	(xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married 10/10/1863) (9/11/1864-12/24/1945) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (3/22/1868-9/12/1946) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)
Third Wife and Children: Almira Lucinda Jackson Adams Emma Jesse Adams Elmo Adams Lois Alta Adams	(xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married xx/xx/xxxx) (10/13/1886-1/31/1948) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (7/20/1889-1/24/1950) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (10/13/1902-2/24/1903)

PHOTOS

WCHS photos:
WCHS-02612 Photo of a horse drawn hearse built by Samuel Lorenzo Adams

PUBLICATIONS

Early Day Reminiscences
by Samuel L. Adams
Juvenile Instructor Magazine, Volume 1, Page 379

Missionary Incidents
by Samuel L. Adams
Juvenile Instructor Magazine, Volume 30, 1861, Page 301

A String of Pearls
by Samuel L. Adams
Instructor Magazine

Gifts of the Gospel
by Samuel L. Adams
Improvement Era, Volume 2, 1899-1900

There is a Life Beyond
by Samuel L. Adams
Improvement Era, 1899-1900

A Night of Horror
by Samuel L. Adams
Juvenile Instructor, 1907

Letter to the Editor of the Deseret News
Enclosed find an article of an incident that took place in St. George, Utah in 1872
Sincerely, Samuel Lorenzo Adams

REFERENCES