Boundary County IDGenWeb Project

ADAM HAWTHORN

     Among the very first to locate in the section of the country now known as
Naples, Kootenai county, our subject has the distinction of being a true pioneer and his faithful labors have always been for the upbuilding and improvement of the country while he is one of the well-to-do and leading farmers and stockmen located in these regions.

     Adam Hawthorne was born in Lockport, New York, on February 27, 1830, being the son of Adam and Elizabeth (McMollon) Hawthorne, natives of Scotland. The father of our subject had married a lady contrary to her parents' wishes and therefore he came to America in 1822, and his wife followed him the next year. Not knowing that she was coming so soon, Mr. Hawthorne had gone to Quebec to make arrangements to meet her when she did come and there they happily met by accident. They lived in Maryland, in New York, and finally died in Port Hope, Canada The father was a blacksmith. Two uncles of our subject on his mother's side were owners of vessels that did a silk trade with the Indias. Adam was educated in the common schools and when fourteen went to riding with a circus. He rode for the noted Dan Rice, and also for Barnum, being seven years with the former and also some time with North & Orton, and in all these years he was known as one of the best bareback riders in the ring. In 1858 Mr. Hawthorne went to buying grain for a Chicago firm and in the time of the war he was purchasing agent for the government, handling mules mostly. One item we would mention in the circus career of Mr. Hawthorne was that in 1855, he had his skull fractured, but he held to the ring for three years after that. After the war he went to Michigan and remained until 1888, when he came to his present location about one mile west of Naples, where he has a fine farm, one hundred and twenty acres of which are devoted to hay.

     In 1862 Mr. Hawthorne married' Miss Jane daughter of William and Sarah Bemrose, natives of Lincolnshire, England. Mrs. Hawthorne was brought to America when six years of age by her parents. The father died in England, having returned there, and the mother died in Michigan. To our subject and his wife there have been born two children, Wilber A. Hamilton, a timber inspector on the Northern Pacific ; Sarah J. Hamilton. both living with their parents. Politically, Mr. Hawthorne is a Democrat and is active in local matters. His people were all adherents of the Presbyterian church.

– Page 876 “An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903 “