Samuel had, what I think most people will agree once they have read this short history of his life, a very interesting life and a very adventuresome time of it, always moving in search of something better. He was also very fortunate in that all ten of his children were still alive at the time of Samuel and Margaret's golden wedding anniversary in 1921.

Samuel was born as the eighth child in a pioneer family in Marion Township, in Hardin County, Ohio on December 15th in 1850. Unfortunately, his father died when he was only 9 years old. He worked on the family farm until 1871 when he married Margaret Ellen Staley from near by Jackson Township in Allen County, Ohio on April 20th. Jackson Township is diagonally adjacent to Marion Township thus the respective family farms were quite close to one another. Margaret was born on the Staley farm in Jackson Township in Allen County, Ohio. The county seat of Allen County, Ohio is Lima in Bath Township, the next township west from Jackson. Little else is know of her life prior to marriage.

It has been written that he recieved some education as a teacher. Where we do not know but what is unknown is that a school for that type of education was just getting started in Ada, Ohio located in Liberty Township, the next township north of Marion and only 3 or 4 miles from the farm. The school at Ada became a normal school in the 1870's and is now known as Ohio Northern University.

By the time my grandfather, Charles, was born in 1876, Samuel and family had moved to Williams County, in the most northwesterly county in Ohio. Charles was born near the town of West Unity in Brady Township. Samuel may have been teaching school there, however, the 1880 census lists him as a Farmer living in Springfield Township, the next township south of Brady. His daughter, Nettie, was born in 1878 in Springfield Township.

In the 1870's Samuel's father-in-law, Peter Staley III had moved his family to Center Township, Cedar County, Iowa. By 1882 when Samuel's daughter, Sarah, was born, the McAdams family was living near Tipton in Cedar County. Cedar County is adjacent to the east side of Johnson County, where Iowa City is located.

After 1887, when their son, James, was born, and before 1889, when their daughter, Stella, was born, the family moved 200 miles northwest to Ramsey Township near the town of Bancroft in Kossuth County, Iowa. They also lived for a very short time near Lu Verne in Humboldt County during this period.

Around 1896 Samuel moved his family again, this time only a little further north to Harrison Township, still in Kossuth County, where he bought a farm just south of Swea City. By 1902, Samuel, was considered to be, and I quote the Swea City Hearld, a "substantial farmer".

Samuel became involved in local Republican politics and served as delegate, a commissioner, and secretary on the school board. However, Samuel was itching to move again and he went to Colorado to look for land, but considered it too dry, so he bought a half section (320 acres) near Salem, South Dakota, in the next township west of Sioux Falls, instead.

By December of 1902, he was having second thoughts and after selling his farm south of Swea City, he rented out the land in South Dakota and bought a house in Swea City.

For the next 7 years he had a harness shop and a nursery in Swea City. In 1910 he sold the harness shop and 80 acres in Grant Township. For a few years he served as County Assessor.

They had a big celebration for their 50th wedding anniversary in April of 1921 and the entire family was there including all 10 children, their spouses, and grandchildren.

Two years later, on July 10, 1923, Margaret died. Samuel moved in with his daughter, Stella, and her family and lived there until he died on 13 June 1928.