Born: July 22, 1900
Died: April 25, 1994
Ohio connection: Birth
Cincinnati
John R. Adams was born July 22, 1900, in Cincinnati, son of Thomas (an engraver) and Margaret (Morse) Adams. Adams graduated from high school at age 15. He earned a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Michigan in 1920 and 1922 respectively. While attending the University of Michigan, he met Jane Ford (a free-lance writer); they married on June 26, 1923. In 1925 they moved to Seattle, Washington, where Adams had secured a teaching position at the University of Washington. While in Seattle, Adams contracted a mild case of tuberculosis. To improve his health, the couple moved to San Diego, California. Adams earned his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California in 1940. He became a professor at California Statue University in San Diego where, during his career there of more than 40 years, he also served as Chairman of Division of Languages and Literature (1946-56) and Division of Humanities (1956-68); he retired in 1968 and served as University Archivist. His books include Edward Everett Hale; Harriet Beecher Stowe.
John R. Adams died April 25, 1994, in Chula Vista, CA.
Additional Resources:
John R. Adams was a faculty member at San Diego State University (SDSU) for over 40 years. Listen to a series of interviews with Adams, conducted on August 7 and August 14, 1973, as part of SDSU’s digital Special Collections & Archives Faculty Oral Histories. Click here to listen; there are links to download the interview transcripts in pdf format.