Adair County Genealogical Society

01/16/2026

01/16/2026

Country Stores Historic Calendar, 2026--A limited supply is back in stock, but they will not last long!. The third printing is here and this will be the last ones printed for 2026. So...if you didn't get one the first two offerings, this is your chance...

01/15/2026

Vintage Valentine Cards will be on display at the Adair Genealogy & History Research Center during the month of February. The exhibit is sponsored by the Adair County Genealogical Society, Adair Arts Council, and the Research Center.

Come by during the month of February to see how some of us "older" citizens celebrated card-giving in the twentieth century and enjoy some humorous ephemera of the past.

Adair Genealogy & History Research Center, 307 Greensburg Street, Columbia, KY.

01/15/2026

America250! in Adair County.

News for Columbia, KY 42728, and Adair County, Kentcky, updated all day every day.

01/10/2026

My Adair Progress article from 8 January 2026:

LOOKING BACK

Michael C. Watson, Columbia, KY

Texas Was Their Goal—

In honor of Veterans Day 2025, I resurrected an obscure piece of Adair County Military History as a mere sampling of the eagerness of our native sons to go to the aid of those in need, thus placing themselves harm's way.

The State of Tennessee may have taken her nickname "Volunteer State" in part from the numerous volunteers she gave to the Mexican War and others, but Kentucky has always given her all as well.

At a convention held on 2 March 1836, Texans declared themselves independent of Mexico and thus began the Republic of Texas. There was considerable fighting and bloodshed at Goliad, the Alamo, and in May 1836 at San Jacinto, where Gen. Sam Houston captured Mexico's General and President, Santa Anna.

Throughout the United States citizens followed the progress of Texas' struggle in newspapers. Kentucky, Tennessee and other states prepared to send volunteer companies of men to help in the fight. Adair County and her men were ready to go to the aid of Texas in her time of need!

A call was made for volunteers to go to Texas in Adair County on 29 July 1836. Seventy-eight men answered that call. Allen D. Patterson was elected captain of the company, Henry Moore was to act as First Lieutenant, and Hiram K. Turk was Ensign. “The company is very desirous to be received into service and have sent a message [to the Governor of Kentucky] and will expect on the return of said message to receive commissions and directions...”

Listed here are the names of forty-eight of the number who volunteered, the other names are lost.

Zachariah Holladay, John Holladay, John Hamilton, Charles T--?--, John Hood, Joseph Grider, Samuel Hancock, James Ingram, Joseph W. Barbee, Levi Turner, William Willis, Little Berry Janes, Green B. Waggoner, John C. Waggoner, John Crotian, L.B. Hill, Austin Hancock, Alford G. Bagwell, Burkett Watson, Randolph Gifford, Jefferson Chambers, Samuel Stewart, Benoni Rogers, Obediah P. Reams, James Gifford, John S. Neat, Francis Ross, Milton Pile, Robert O. Field, Oliver Walkup, John Lain, William C. Ragle, Hiram Turner, Thomas M. Waggoner, Benjamin Monroe, Jr., Edward Mills, Samuel Reede, William C. Skaggs, Nathan Montgomery, Philip P. Frogge, Joseph O. Nelson, William F. Grady, Thomas B. Johnston, Jr., Green Goode, James Hutchison and John Hays.

These men did not have the opportunity to go to fight in and for Texas. The struggle came to an end with the capture of Gen. Santa Anna, too soon for Adair County boys to even embark on the trek.

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01/06/2026

Cemeteries: With the recent high wind issues, please check your cemeteries for floral tributes blown into fence rows and ditches, and fallen trees or limbs.

01/05/2026

Reminder of the regularly scheduled meeting of the Adair County Genealogical Society on Monday, January 5, at 5pm CT. No speaker, this is a planning meeting for the year 2026. Everyone welcome.

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01/04/2026

January 4, 1815 - Led by Major General John Thomas, 2,500 members of the Kentucky Militia arrived in New Orleans for the impending Battle of New Orleans that would end the War of 1812 (military leaders didn’t yet know that the Treaty of Ghent ending the war had been signed in Belgium on Christmas Eve 1814). Maj. Gen. Thomas, Gen. Joseph Desha (later Governor of Kentucky), Gen. William Henry, and Gen. William Henry Harrison (later President of the United States) were all on the scene with Thomas holding the rank of Major General, the same rank as Andrew Jackson.

Thomas was second in command under Jackson but fate caused his role to change and leave him largely forgotten in history. Thomas’ staff consisted of Adj. Gen. John Adair (future Governor of Kentucky), Maj. James Crutcher, and George Helm (father of future Kentucky Governor John LaRue Helm). Upon arrival in New Orleans, Thomas became seriously ill and when the battle occurred on January 8, he was in bed in his tent.

Adair assumed active command of the Kentucky troops. One company of the Kentucky troops was on the right bank of the Mississippi River to aid other units in stopping the advancement of British troops. The company was not successful because they had been issued ammunition that could not be used in their guns and more than 1,000 solders were not issued guns thanks to the Quartermaster opting to send the munitions by flatboat rather than steamboat (the flatboat was at the mouth of the Ohio River when the battle occurred). Andrew Jackson harshly and unfairly criticized the Kentucky troops in public for their performance, calling them cowards.

Adair defended the Kentuckians so vigorously that he became a hero in the eyes of Kentucky citizens and Jackson more of a villain. Informed with the truth, Jackson reluctantly and half-heartedly admitted he was wrong. When Jackson first ran for President in 1824, Kentuckians reminded him of his faux pas and cast their votes for Henry Clay. Meanwhile, Adair's popularity in the matter helped him become Kentucky's Governor in 1820.

Featured photo of John Adair, future Governor of Kentucky. Portrait by Nicola Marschall; courtesy of the Kentucky Historical Society.

01/03/2026