John Adair

The Adairs are among the oldest families of Graves County. They came originally from Ireland, and settled in one of the Atlantic States a number of years before the war of the Revolution. The family originally settled in South Carolina, where James Adair, grandfather of Turner Adair, distinguished himself in the war of Independence as a member of the celebrated Marion's band . Late in life he settled in Alabama, where he died about the year 1839 or 1840. His son John Adair, abt. 1796 was left an orphan, when but three weeks old, by the death of his mother. He made his home with the families of his aunt and grandfather, and at an early age was apprenticed to the blacksmith trade, which he followed all his life. He was married in 1820 to Margaret Wilson, b. abt. 1803 daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth Wilson, by whom he had thirteen children, whose names are as follows: James McConathy, Elizabeth Jane, Turner, Martha C., Sarah A, James H.,Spencer Boyd, John P., Joseph B., Margaret P., Mary P. and Virginia P.. In the year of 1830 Mr. Adair came to Graves County, Kentucky, and settled in Lynnville Precinct on the place where his  widow now resides. He died June 4, 1878. Turner Adair, third, child of John Adair, the eldest member of the family now living, was born in September 1825 in Lawrence District, South Carolina. He remained with his parents until twenty-two years of age, when he engaged in farming for himself, which occupation he continued until 1849, when he joined a company of young men as daring as himself, and made an overland trip to California for the purpose of engaging in mining. He participated in all the active scenes of that exciting period, and was fairly successful in his quest of fortune. He returned home in 1858, and at once resumed farming, which he still follows. Mr Adair has never married, and lived with his mother on the old homestead until her death