Breckenridge Settlers: The Adams Family

I've written about the Adams Family before. I've been intrigued by the residents buried in the Valley Brook Cemetery for some time, and I recently discovered a new resource, and a genealogical gem. Women As Tall As Our Mountains: Mini-Biographies of Summit County Women, a project of P.E.O., Chapter FU, originally published in 1976 (my copy is copyright 2003). There are several authors involved in the project, and they interviewed numerous women, all residents of Summit County, and the stories are amazing to read. (Copies can be purchased through the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance.)

From the story of Clara Adams Tillett, who was little Josie's sister, we have learned that Phillip Adams, came from Germany, and helped survey the route for the railroad from Denver to Leadville over Boreas Pass outside of Breckenridge. After the completion of that project, he mined.

According to the text, the family lived in the red house on the west side of the Blue River near the smelter, and that house was still standing at the first publication in 1976. The site is unfamiliar to me, but I have decided to try to find out where that was, to see if there is anything still there. Should be an interesting little side trip of discovery in my own town.

Also included is the cause of death for both Phillip and Theresa Adams, Josie and Clara's parents. Since the year of death is the same, 1927, there was some question there.

"Clara's parents both died in 1927. Her mother, Theresa, died February 9 of pneumonia and her father lived until October 16 and died of a heart attack. They are both buried at Valley Brook Cemetery."

Finding this new resource has provided a personal and in depth look at day to day life in Summit County, during the "early years." If you are researching in this area, I highly recommend you try to find a copy. And no, you can't borrow mine. I'm not done with it yet.