Kazoo Gazette 2004

History of the Adams-McKain Family Reunion

From the Kalamazoo Gazette

It's 85 reunions in a row for Adams/McKain bunch
Sunday, August 15, 2004

Special to the Gazette

Some 369 years ago, Robert Adams sailed from England to Massachusetts to start a new life in America.
Now descendants from all over the United States meet each year in Southwest Michigan for a family reunion that brings together multiple branches of the family tree. Saturday, the 85th straight Adams/McKain reunion was held at the Clarion Hotel in Kalamazoo.

"A lot of families probably get together and have family reunions, but this is the only one I've ever known of that's gone so long," said Charlotte Adams of Kalamazoo.

Family members' hard work and devotion have kept the tradition going, she said.

A family newsletter is sent to as many members as have been located, and Jim Adams of Sturgeon Bay, Wis., maintains a Web site about the family's history.

"For people at this table, this is probably the first time all of us have been together for 45 years, because we all live in different parts of the country now," said family member Bob Brown of South Bend. "We have a lot to talk about, both current stuff and things we can remember from years ago when we were kids."
Brown, Bill Wheaton of North Carolina, Nancy Hume of Holland, Sally Boldman of Maryland and Muriel Hurt of North Dakota grew up in Battle Creek, Holland and Buchanan. They are descendants of Horace Hale Adams' daughter, Sarah Lucina Adams.

Horace Hale Adams brought his family to Michigan from Ohio in 1837. That first winter, they lived in an abandoned log cabin west of Schoolcraft, then built their own place that spring.

Horace Hale Adams was one of the first elected justices of the peace and later served as supervisor and clerk. His son, Franklin B. Adams, ancestor to several of those at the reunion, was a supervisor in 1865 and a prominent businessman in Lawton, where he was president of the Toledo & South Haven Railroad Co.
Another of Horace Hale Adams' children and ancestor to many at the reunion, Uriah Adams, owned a farm in Porter Township in Van Buren County. Now a centennial farm, the property remains in the family, said Barbara Gale of Coloma.

Marrying into a family that can tentatively trace its roots as far back as Charlemagne, the eighth-century king of the Franks, has been an experience, said Charlotte Adams.

"It was real interesting to have (the family history extend) from today way back," she said. "I remember one of the first (reunions) I went to. They had that family tree spread out over several picnic tables, from one to the other to the other. It was so long."

There is a great deal of history at the reunions, with books and photographs assembled by various members of the family, scrapbooks of early reunions, and other memorabilia.

"It's nice to come to knowing that there is a connection with the old presidents of the United States," said Rod Adams. "Robert Adams of England was directly connected to the president (John Adams)."
Rod Adams can recall when the family received a letter from President Richard Nixon at the time of the 50th reunion.

Sorting out all the various relationships through history can be fascinating, said Hurt.

There are always surprises, too, said Brown. Family members occasionally learn they are related to someone they didn't realize was part of the family.