Elias Adams, father of Eva Jane Adams Lewallen

Elias Adams is the father to Eva Jane Adams Lewallen.
Elias was born July 14, 1855, born in Illinois. His life was surely filled with sorrow and grief.
He married Jennie (Nancy) Dunn, age seventeen, in Mitchell County, Kansas on February 22, 1887. She was always referred to as 'Nancy', so she much have used that name. A letter from a relative gives her name as 'Nancy Kelly Dunn.' Their first child was born in Missouri in 1878 and their second child was born in Idaho in 1879. They married and left Kansas, going first to Missouri and then to Idaho. They may well have been the first of our Adams to arrive in Idaho.
When they first came to Idaho, they lived in Lower Weiser Valley, according to the Federal Census for Idaho. In 1884, Elias filed for a one-hundred sixty acre homestead on Hornet Creek, north of Council, Idaho, lying between the L. Lakey and John Thompson's farms. Elias and Nancy had ten children. They were: Louella; Thomas; Nora; Jessie; Charley; William; Ida May; Eva Jane; Mamie Nancy; and George.
In April of 1884, four of the Adams children died within the week. A story of the deaths in the 'Idaho World' is a totally inaccurate report. The story of the tragedy gave medical reasons for the deaths. A true account was given to me by my father, John E. Lewallen, the son of Eva Jane Adams Lewallen' and confirmed by other members of the family. The four children died from eating wild parsnips. The research reveals that water hemlock, which is deadly, is often mistaken for wild parsnips. The four children were Louella, Nora, Charley and William. They are buried in the Hornet Creek Cemetery. Thomas was also deceased by 1900 and it must be assumed that is he is also buried there. Don't know how he died.
Shortly after Nancy died, Elias employed a woman from a neighboring ranch to care for his family. She was Emma Van Dyke Thompson, wife of John Thompson, also of Hornet Creek. Emma left her husband and seven chldren and stayed with Elias. She divorced John Thompson on March 18, 1902 and she married Elias on March 24, 1902. Elias and Emma had four children.
They are: Dolly M. Adams; Iva Adams; Earl Elias 'Pete' Adams; and Josephine Adams.
Elias sold his homestead on Hornet Creek in January 1904 to M.B. Lane of Council. They moved to Midvale, Idaho where he owned and operated a blacksmith shop. They were still living there in 1917 when Pete died. In 1921 he was living in Elmira, Oregon ( near Eugene) and in 1923 he was in Oregon City, living with his daughter, Josie McLarty. He died at her home on May 27, 1923 and is buried in the Mountain View Cemetery there. Elias and Emma were divorced sometime in the period between 1917 and 1923.
Emma was born February 12, 1861 in Michigan to Peter Van Dyke and Mariah Bartlett. She crossed the plains with her family in 1873.
After her divorce from Elias, she married Roy McManus, and then a Mr. Abernathy (his first name is unknown). She died in Boise Dec. 3, 1939 and is buried at Morris Hill Cemetery.

Elias' great grand-daughter, Carol, supplied this story. Thank you, Carol.