The C. A. McAdams Family

The C. A. McAdams Family

Our American Roots

by Charles G. Petersen
McAdams Children

Homer Greene
Family Group

Homer Greene (I have often wondered where the Greene came from) was born in 1892 on the McAdams farm in Ramsey Township near Bancroft, Iowa. By 1900 the family had moved to Swea City, Iowa where Homer's father bought a harness shop and where Homer learned a trade he used the rest of his live as witnessed by the 1910 census for Swea City where Homer was 18 years old, living at home, and working in his father's harness shop. This picture of Homer with his father and brothers was taken about 1911 when Homer was 19 years old.

One of his classmates in school in Swea city was Lydia Ann Gettman. Lydia was born Iowa on 14 Sep 1892, exactly where is not certain because I can find no specific record of her birth, although there are records for her siblings. Her parent were married in 1884 in Franklin County, Iowa, but by 1885 they were living in Hardin County then in 1895 they were living in Calhoun County. In 1890 they have a daughter born in Franklin County, in 1894 they have a daughter born in Calhoun County. Lydia was born in 1892. In 1897 they have a child born in Kossuth County and they are living there in 1900 and 1905. Lydia's father died in 1906 in Kossuth County and is buried in the Harrison Township Cemetery just outside Swea City. In 1910 Lydia is working as a domestic servant for the Miner family in Emmetsburg, Palo Alto County, Iowa.

Homer's sister, Emma, and brother, Edward, had moved in Morton County, North Dakota and he apparently followed then there, then asking Lydia to come also. Homer married Lydia Ann Gettman in Flasher, Morten County, North Dakota in a civil ceremony on 27 Nov 1914 accoding to an article in The Bismark Tribune. Their first child, Basil Alvin born 30 Nov 1916 in Flasher, North Dakota. Homer's World War I Draft Registration in 1817 shows he is living in Flasher and owner of a harness shop. In 1820 they are still living in Flasher.

In April of 1921 Homer's parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and all ten children were there and many of the spouses, including Lydia. Homer and Lydia must have moved back to Iowa about that same time for their second son, Joseph Lawrence, was born in November of 1921 in Winnebago County. The 1925 Iowa Census and the 1930 U.S. Census show they are living in Greene County, Iowa again as owner of a harness shop. An article in Kossuth County Advance on July 12, 1934 mentioned that they were living in Rippey, a small community in southeastern Greene County. Another article, this time from the Kossuth County Advance, in 1937 said they were moving to Everett, Washington.

The 1940 U.S. Census show the family minus Basil and Homer's 1942 World War II draft registration collaborates them as in Pendleton, Oregon and Homer is owner of a harness shop. When they moved north a short distance across the state line to Walla Walla, Washington is not known but it was before 1953. Homer died there on June 20, 1963. Lydia then moved to Moses Lake, Washington, where her son Joseph and family were living, and died there on May 6, 1973. Homer and Lydia are buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Walla Walla.

Children

Basil Alvin was born on November 30, 1916 in Flasher, Morton County, North Dakota. Basil graduated from Iowa State College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering as mentioned in the Ames Tribune of June 11, 1938. In 1940 Basil is living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and his occupation is listed as Wholesale Feed Products. Basil married Velma Leila Leeper about 1942 and they had a baby girl born December 10, 1943 in Algona, Iowa. They were living in Des Moines when Basil enlisted in the Navy on July 28, 1944. The actual induction was at Fort Snelling, Minnesota according to an article in the Kossuth County Advance on August 3, 1944. He was discharged from the military on May 6, 1946. He died in Homestaed, Florida October 19, 1972, he was only 55 years old. Velma remarried to James Barnes Lawson on December 12, 1980. She died in Homestead at little over two years later on March 3, 1983.

Joseph Lawrence born on 10 Nov 1921 in Buffalo Center, Iowa. He moved west to Oregon with his parent about 1938 then on to Washington. Joseph married Mildred Phyllis Ure on November 2, 1946 in Yakima, Washington. They lived in Moses Lake, Washinton and had 3 children. She died there on May 25, 1997 and 5 years later Joseph died there on June 27, 2002.