ro86
VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
life and traditions of that region, a region
rich in the most thrilling and characteristic
history of the American people, at a time
when our nation was in its making.
His father was Henry Clay Adams, horn in Charles City county, Virginia, who be- came very prominent in the affairs of the city of Richmond during the period immedi- ately following the Civil war. During that sanguinary struggle he served in the marine force of the Confederacy, and upon its close went to Richmond and engaged in the gro- cery business, continuing the same until the time of his death which occurred at the age of fifty-six years. He was extremely active in all matters of public concern, especially in the matter of local politics, and was for m.any years elected and re-elected to a mem- bership on the city council, an office which he filled to the satisfaction of his constitu- ents in particular and the public in general. He married Elizabeth Frances Haynes, a native of Richmond, where she was born in 1848. Mrs. Adams, Sr., was a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Cogdill) Haynes, he a native of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and she of Richmond. Mr. Haynes moved to the latter city while very young and there met his wife and engaged in the grocery business. He died there at the age of six- ty-eight years. To Mr. and Mrs. Henry Clay Adams were born three children, as follows : William Henry, of whom fur- ther; Cary Elizabeth, who lives unmarried with her mother; Hubert Tyler, who mar- ried a Miss Webb, of Prince George county, Virginia. Mr. Adams, Sr., was survived by his wife and three children, Mrs. Adams be- ing still a resident of Richmond.
\\'illiam Henry Adams, the eldest child of Henry Clay and Elizabeth Frances (Haynes) Adams, was born March 23, 1872, in Richmond, Virginia. He passed his child- hood there, and attended the local schools until he was fifteen years of age. He then applied himself to the learning of the book bindery trade, with his usual industry and aptitude, apprenticing himself to the Everett W'addy Company, in whose employ he re- mained for a period of fifteen years. At the expiration of this time, or in the year 1902, Mr. Adams withdrew from his association with the Everett Waddy Company and es- tablished a business on his own account. In his venture he has been eminently suc- cessful, the volume of business which he
has transacted having grown so rapidly
that he has been obliged thrice to change his
location for larger quarters in order to ac-
coinmodate the developing trade. Later he
removed to his present address in Rich-
mond, his success still followed him, so that
his new quarters are operated to their capa-
city. IMr. Adam's rapid rise in the financial
and business world has been so great and
so obviously the result of his own ability
and character, that it was only natural that
these (pialities should have been generally
in demand, and accordingly, his connections
with financial institutions throughout Rich-
mond have grown in both number and im-
portance. Fle is now the president of the
West End Development Corporation and
the Glen Allen Corporation, the vice-presi-
dent of the Richmond Corrugated Paper
Company, the Richmond Bank and Trust
Company and the B. W. Wilson Paper
Company. He is also the secretary and
treasurer of the Virginia Stationan,' Com-
pany and a director in numerous concerns,
his voice in many cases being the control-
ling one in their management. It is not only
in this department of activity that Mr.
Adams is conspicuous. On the contrary he
gives generously of his time and energies to
the conduct of public afifairs, and following
in the footsteps of his father he plays a
conspicuous part in local politics. A staunch
member of the Democratic party, he is a
prominent figure in its councils in that part
of the country. For many j^ears he has
served on the Richmond city council, and at
the present time is the president of that
body. His total term of membership in the
council has been fourteen years, during
which time he has shown a disinterested
interest for the welfare of the city, most
creditable to himself and satisfactory to the
community at large. Nor has his integrity
wanted for guidance from his intelligence,
and he has made an exceptionally high rec-
ord as a legislator during his long term of
office. With youth at his command, and
success already smiling upon him, a bril-
liant future seems to await him, alike in his
private and public careers, nor would it
be prudent to set a limit to the position
held for him by Dame Fortune. Mr. Adams
is prominent in social and fraternal circles
in his community. He is a member of Rich-
mond Lodge, No. 3, Free and Accepted
Masons, of the commandery and of the
