| Wife: Rebecca Brown | |
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11 Children: Margaret Ann Adair (1804-1852) Samuel Jefferson Adair (1806-1889) Pherreba (Fairby) Adair ~1808-1836) Eliza Jane Adair (1811-1892) Sophia Adair (~1812-1877) Thomas Jefferson Adair (1814-1890) Sarah Ada Adair (1815-1852) George Washington Adair (1818-1897) John Wesley Adair (1820-1903) Mary Ann Adair (1822-1892) Laney Ann Adair (1824-1881) | |
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Father: Joseph Adair, Jr. Mother: Sarah Lowe 
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[The following was written be me, JPP, by combining the history by Miriam Covington with that of Mary Adams found on FamilySearch.org.]
Thomas Jefferson Adair was born 25 October 1771 in North Charleston, then known as the 96th District, which afterward became Laurens County, South Carolina. His birthplace is now usually listed simply as Charleston, S.C. Little is known of the childhood and youth of Thomas. He was the eldest son of Joseph Adair who lived in Laurens County South Carolina in 1808 according to family tradition and Sarah ________ . Being the eldest son of Joseph is an important clue, which comes from Joseph Adair of Dunkins Creek, Laurens District, South Carolina gifting him 40 acres of land. That deed is the correct Joseph and Thomas because it was witnessed by Roger Brown, Thomas's father-in-law. As for his middle name, he apparently sometimes signed his legal name as "Thomas A. Adair" but he may have adopted the middle name "Jefferson" because of his admiration for Thomas Jefferson, after whom he also named his second and sixth children. That land gift, deeded on 5th Feb 1804 most likely given at the birth of Thomas's first child Margaret Ann. It also shows that Joseph was wealthy with plenty of land, as was true of the famous Adairs of that locale.
That famous family of Adairs had migrated to the Colonies from Ireland about 1730 and they had all came to Laurens County by 1754. The father's name was Thomas. They multiplied quickly, so there are many Adairs from that county by the time the Thomas described in this page was born. In my family history that first Thomas is listed as the great-grandfather of this Thomas, but subsequent research has failed to make that connection. The father of our subject had father Joseph who had married Sarah, and the grandson of the patriarch Thomas had a grandson named Joseph who had married Sarah, so those were apparently assumed to be same couple. Thus on the pedigree chart on my pages shows them as the same couple, but notes the linkage problems.
The first Thomas had emigrated with his family from Antrim County, Ireland about the year 1730 and settled in Chester County, Pennsylvania where he and his family resided for twenty years. In 1750, Thomas and his sons James, Joseph Alexander, and William joined the Waxen Colony of Scotch-Irish settlers and moved to South Carolina making their home in the middle-north counties. That son James Adair M.D. (surgeon in Revolutionary War) lived among the Chickasaw Indians from about 1744 for forty years. He spoke seven languages including Hebrew and authored History of the American Indians (1775) showing that they were of Hebrew origin which is still in print as a classic work. Apparently it was his influence with the King of England that allowed him to buy huge tracts of land in what would become Laurens County which were very cheap, and on which he invited his people from Pennsylvania to come and live and improve.
Joseph Alexander Adair (1711-1789), he fought in the American Revolution alongside William Berry and George Washington. He was one of the oldest soldiers in that war. His son and grandson also fought along side him as well as his grand daughter's husband, Capt. James Dillard.
Thus, red-headed Irish Thomas Jefferson Adair Sr. came to be born in South Carolina. In the year 1795 (or 1803), Thomas Jefferson Adair (Sr.) married nineteen year-old Rebecca Brown (born 3 Nov 1776 in my family records [JPP] but sometimes listed as 3 Nov 1784), the daughter Roger and Molly Brown. Molly is an Irish nickname usually for Mary, but one source says her real name was Nancy. Her father was also born in Ireland, similarly emigrated to America, and married her mother in North Carolina; hence Irish Rebecca was born in Laurens County, South Carolina. Thomas Jefferson Sr. and Rebecca were blessed with eleven children. Judging from the birth years of their children, their marriage was more likely in 1803, and if Rebecca was married at 19, then her birth year was more likely in 1784.
Thomas and Rebecca moved their family frequently and they resided in the states of Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, and Indiana; never living more than about two years in any one place. In 1802 we find him with his brother-in-law George Brown and William Brown and John Brown in Georgia and Mississippi. We find Thomas and Joseph Adair in Anderson County Tennessee as early as 1802 and as late as 1809 where he was overseer of roads, and acted on the Jury on a number of Sessions from 1802 - 1804.
On the 23 Mar. 1804, he received a gift deed from his father Joseph Adair of 40 acres of land on Duncan Creek Laurens District, witnessed by Roger Brown and Jane Adair. This Roger was Rebecca's brother. Jane Adair was the daughter of Thomas Erskin Adair (Another family clue!). In this gift Joseph says, "In consideration for the love and good will I bear to my eldest son, Thomas Adair, etc.", giving the clue that Thomas is his eldest son.
From the year of 1804 to 1808 many of the citizens of District 96 were becoming restless desiring to move farther west. Evidently there were many inducements for obtaining land for farms with squatters rights. There were many members of the Adair Family who left. We find Thomas in Anderson County Tennessee in 1810. Among others who were in this company of scouts was John Brown, Reuben Brown, Thomas Hart and Isaac Lowe. [My family history said Thomas's mother was Sarah Lowe. JPP] We next find the family in Nashville Tennessee where their fourth child was born Eliza Jane born 11 November 1810. [My family records show she was born in 1811, JPP.] The family kept on the move and later children were born in Indiana, Tennessee and Alabama. [Click or hover on the list of children's names above to see where each was born. JPP]
All of this moving was very hard on Rebecca but she was fortunate to be able to rear all her children to adulthood. In 1831 while living in Pickens County, Alabama, Rebecca and Thomas separated. Rebecca was left with six children to care for alone. The oldest child still at home was seventeen year-old Thomas Jefferson Jr. who was a great help in providing for his five other siblings at home ages sixteen to seven years-old.
Not much is known about Thomas after he left his family, who were all converted to the LDS Church in 1843. They went to Nauvoo arriving in 1846, just in time to join the trek west. Their history is on his wife Rebecca's page.
Some of the Adair family died while crossing the plains enroute to the Rocky Mountain refuge. Others settled in Brigham City and then were called to colonize in Washington, Utah. From time to time they received word from relatives living in the southern region of the United Stated about their father's whereabouts and conditions. In 1856 relatives living near Thomas Jefferson Sr. in Mississippi sent word to his children in Utah that he had gone insane and had died there that year.
The History of Pickens Co. Ala. showing the boundaries of Pickens Co by Act of Dec. 19, 1820, show the early settlers of Pickens Co. Alabama. Among them are Thomas Adair and William Adair. Alabama 7 Vol 3 - Sketch of William Irvin Adair, lawyer, son of William and Mary Irvin Adair, nephew of Governor John Adair of Kentucky and grandson of William and Mary Moore Adair, who were natives of Scotland and who emigrated from Belfast Ireland in 1736, settled in Chester Co.South Carolina and later returned to Scotland. Served in the war of 1812 as Captain of the Kentucky 17 Infantry. He was a lawyer. Was in the Legislature in 1822-23. Was Speaker in the House November 1832. Was elected to the Circuit Bench and held it until 1835, when he died in Madison Co. Alabama. He married Miss Jones and left descendants. F Tenn M 7 Maury Co. Tenn 1810-1821 Here we find Thomas Adair. Here also Thomas Hart who left Laurens Co. South Carolina and accompanied the Adairs to the west died and a division of the Estate took place thus - John, Thomas, Henry Clay guardians of Eleanor, Louise, John Jr. and Thomas Jr. minors of Thomas Jr. and Henry Clay Hart. Here they meet the Mangums and Cherries who became part of the family by marriage. Here also we find James Brown and Nancy his wife, Henry Clay and Lucretia his wife; James Shelly and Polly his wife, George Ross and Eliza, his wife. Daniel Brown, Henry Brown, Dr. Jennings, Josiah Harrell, most of whom left South Carolina about the same time the Adairs left. The 1830 and 1840 Census report gives the number in the family and their approximated ages of the Thomas Adair Family in Pickens, Alabama and Pontoc, Mississippi.