from The History of Hendricks County (Indianapolis: B.F. Bowen & Co., 1914)----pages 344-346
Enjoying distinctive prestige in a profession which requires of those who adopt it a strong mentality and painstaking preparation, together with a natural aptitude for its duties and responsibilities, Thad S. Adams is one of the essentially representative lawyers of Danville. He has built up a lucrative clientele and a wide reputation as an able and successful lawyer and has been connected with some of the most important cases in the local courts. As a public-spirited citizen he readily lends his aid to every cause having for its object the moral and material advancement of his community.
Thad S. Adams is a native of Hendricks County, born in Union Township November 6, 1853, the son of Solomon and Nancy (Griffith) Adams. Solomon Adams was born in Nicholas County, Kentucky, in 1799, a son of Thomas Adams. He grew up in Kentucky and there married Nancy Griffith, who was born in Bath County, Kentucky, in 1811, a daughter of Jackson Griffith. While she was a child her parents removed to Switzerland County, Indiana, where she grew up. Solomon Adams and wife came to Hendricks County in an early day, and he entered government land in Marion Township, where they lived for some years and then removed to Union Township and entered other land and established their permanent home. He was a life-long farmer and for many years was assessor of Union Township. He was originally a Douglas Democrat, but from the opening of the war he was a Republican. He and his wife were charter members of the Christian Church at Lizton. Solomon Adams died in 1863 and two weeks later his wife followed him in death. Of the eleven children born to Solomon and Nancy Adams four were in the Union Army during our great civil conflict. Gabriel H. Adams and Joshua G. Adams were in the Fifty-first Indiana Volunteers. Dr. Thomas J. Adams and Hiram F. Adams were members of the Ninth Indiana Cavalry. Hiram was killed in Mississippi while in the service. Dr. Thomas J. was in active service until the close of the war, after which he located in North Salem, Hendricks County, and is mentioned at length elsewhere in this volume.
Thad S. Adams was but ten years old when death deprived him of his parents. For the following two years he lived with a brother in the state of Illinois, and then came to North Salem, Hendricks County, and made his home with another brother, Dr. Thomas J. Adams. During these years he attended the public schools and worked by the month on a farm until he was seventeen years of age, when he began teaching school, which enabled him to attend Northwestern University in Indianapolis. After leaving the university, he came to Danville in 1875 and took up the study of law in the office of Adams & Cooper, the senior member of this firm being his brother, Joshua G. Adams. While reading law he also taught school for two or three years. About 1878 he was admitted to the bar on motion of the late Leander M. Campbell, who afterwards became his father-in-law. He has been engaged in the practice of law in Danville since that time, and during these years has attained to distinctive prominence and success as an able advocate and well fortified counselor at law. His course has been such as to retain to him at all times the unqualified respect and esteem of his professional brethren, as well as the public at large. In 1889 he was appointed by Governor Hovey prosecuting attorney, and his fitness for the place was so readily recognized that he was, in 1890, nominated and elected for the regular term, thus serving in all four years.
On May 6, 1880, Mr. Adams was married to Effie A. Campbell, a daughter of Leander M. and Matilda (Hammond) Campbell. A sketch of Leander M. Campbell appears elsewhere in this work. Mrs. Adams was born and reared in Danville, graduating from the Central Normal College with the class of 1879. To this marriage were born three children, Ruth Adams, L.M. Campbell Adams and Donald Griffith Adams, the two sons residing in New York City where they are associated with the National Surety Company. Miss Ruth is at home. All three of the children are graduates of Indiana University.
Mrs. Adams was called by death May 14, 1913. She was a woman of rare culture, active in civic and church affairs, and of wonderful executive ability. She took a broad and kindly interest in the community welfare, and she was beloved by everybody in the community who had known her since girlhood. She was a life-long member of the Christian Church and active in many departments of church labor.
Thad S. Adams is a prominent Mason, being identified with the Scottish Rite and the Mystic Shrine. He is a man who has always shown a deep and abiding interest in all that concerns the welfare and progress of his native county, and here he maintains a secure hold upon popular confidence and esteem.