Updated: 26 December 2009
Lillie, daughter of John Douglass and Nancy LeBarr was born 14 December 1874 in Porter, Van Buren County, MI and married Archie Leonard (Laurence) Adams on 21 January 1897.
Lillie was adopted at some time by James & Nellie Lubins. The 1880 census (Antwerp, Van Buren, MI) state Lillie's parents came from Pennsylvania, but it is not known if that is her parents or the adoptive parents. To our knowledge Lillie never used the Lubins name. They have her recorded as Lillie Douglass, but does say "daughter, adopted." A Lilly Douglas was adopted by the Lubins family according to the 1880 census in Van Buren. She was born about 1875, and Lillie''s birth is 14 December 1874.
The following was taken from the Matheson Nursing Home newsletter:
Lily Adams to Observe Her 99th Birthday
Lily Adams, a resident of Matheson Nursing Home, 1080 N. 35th St., will be 99 years old on Friday, Dec. 14.
Mrs. Adams, who has been at Matheson since March 12, 1969, was born in 1874 in Porter Township, Van Buren County, Mich. Her parents were John and Nancy Douglas.
Mrs. Adams lived with her daughter, Mrs. Clare Price of Q Avenue for 23 years.
She has a son, Carl Adams, who lives west of Schoolcraft. She has six grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.
Mrs. Adams formerly attended Harmony Chapel in Porter Township.
When Mrs. Adams was born, invention of the telephone was still two years in the future, and she was 10 years old when the first successful fountain pen was invented by Lewis E. Waterman.
Lily was almost through her teen years (19) when silent motion pictures were invented in 1893 by Thomas A. Edison, but she was only three years old when he invented the phonograph.
From the funeral memory card:
IN MEMORY OF
LILY L. ADAMS
BORN
December 14, 1974
DATE OF DEATH
March 31, 1974
SERVICES FROM
Romig Funeral Home
2:00 P.M., Wednesday, April 13, 1974
CLERGYMAN OFFICIATING
Rev. Darrell Engle, pastor
Harmony Chapel Missionary Church
FINAL RESTING PLACE
Marcellus Cemetery
PALLBEARERS
Douglas Adams Gerald C. Adams
Uriah Adams Philip Powell
Francis Morse David Munson
God hath not promised
Skies always blue,
Flower strewn pathways
All our lives through;
God hath not promised
Sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow,
Peace without pain.
But God hath promised
Strength for the day,
Rest for the labor,
Light for the way.
Grace for the trials,
Help from above,
Unfailing sympathy
Undying love...