Captain Francis Adams, Stuart’s Super Patriot

present day American Patriots might be hard pressed to label anyone a super Patriot but more than 40 years ago right along the Treasure Coast in Stewart there did live an authentic super Patriot his contributions as a military veteran a journalist and volunteer were numerous over his very long lifespan this Hometown super Patriot was Stuart's own Captain Francis Al Alexander Adams right at the Gateway to downtown Stewart is a small park across from confusion Corner a majestic United States flag flies from a tall pole in the park at the base of the pole is a small plaque dedicating the park to steuart celebrity Captain Francis Adams this honor was bestowed on Adams to also Mark his

H 100th anniversary birth on May 11th 1974 and for his exercise of good government in St Community by his own personal efforts his life began in New York City on May 11th 1874 the area was called Longacre Square in Manhattan later in 1904 that same area becomes known as Time Square The Adams Family dated back to the 1700s his father was John Quincy Adams named after the former president but not a direct relative related instead to Samuel Adams a signer of the Declaration of Independence who was related to the Father John Quincy Adams young Francis attended public schools in New York City then went to the College of the city of New York and finally

law school at the University of New York in 1897 his aunt was Flora Adams darling of the well-known nationally D Daughters of the American Revolution and also Daughters of 1812 he assisted his aunt as a young man in the 1890s by publishing articles in the family magazine Adams magazine about this new organization francis's Father John Q Adams was also involved in publishing in New York John was a member of the sons of the American Revolution since this beginning in the 189 90s their ancestor was Andrew Adams from Massachusetts who was an officer during the American Revolutionary War lieutenant Andrew Adams was born August 12th 1735 John's son Francis joins that same organization with his father

in 1918 in 1897 young Francis joined the New York National Guard known as the Rainbow division his battery was eventually sent to Fort Hamilton in New York and then he was transferred to company m M of the 14th New York volunteer infantry company M at the outbreak of the war in 1898 the end of the 1890s saw the sinking of the USS main on February 15th 1898 and this contributed to the outbreak of the Spanish American War by April the United States was fighting the control of Cuba by Spain Adams trained in Tampa Florida under col Fredick D Grant who is the son of us Grant Adams served as the colonel Grant's Leon officer and

made second Lieutenant Adams was then sent to Cuba he came in contact with Colonel Theodore Roosevelt in his rough riters as they fought against the Spanish during the war he was also part of the group that uh charged Sam Juan Hill but he walked it the war went from April 21st to 8 of 1898 to August 13 189 8 385 Americans killed in battle thousands wounded and 2,000 died from diseases Adams came down with typhoid fever after returning to the United States in September 1898 but he survived and was able to return to his New York Home in 1900 he and his father were Publishers Francis worked for the New York evening Journal as a

journalist then in 1903 became editor of the New York commercial a daily newspaper by the early 1900s and into the 1910s Francis had written several different books covering topics like Theodore Roosevelt the federal government and big economic trusts some of these books were who Ru rules America uh transgressors Theodore Roosevelt and the American Minutemen of today Adams was with the Wright brothers at Kittyhawk North Carolina December 17th 1903 later he even got the opportunity to fly with them Francis married by 1905 to mini W jeles born 1875 in Virginia this was her second marriage but first for Francis and he also continued to work for the New York commercial newspaper that dealt especially with the

textile industry in New York his mother Mary died in March 1907 and his father in 1911 in September 1908 Francis ran for the legislative seat in Congress as a republican representing the cotton wool silk and Retail trades but was defeated in that election by 1910 he was becoming though a well-known journalist across the country with 1917 the United States entered the Great War and at age 43 Francis joined the US Army again and was signed to the company commander of company n of the 27 second regiment with the motor transport Corps and the military intelligence he served under General John J persing Francis was discharged from the military then March 1919 after World War I

Francis became active in a New Patriotic organization this known as the Minute Men of America serving as their chief officer for years this group participated in every veteran and patriotic parade fundraiser Gathering across the country with their many branches their whole purpose was to sponsor a feeling of patriotism in Americans Francis and his wife Minnie divorced in the early 1920s by 1925 Francis married again this time to marry Gertrude known as trud Barton who was born a April 1879 in Pennsylvania January 1929 Francis traveled to Miami and then boarded his ship back to Cuba for a visit this time during the 1930s he worked to preserve the Betsy Ross house located at 239 Arch Street

in Philadelphia Pennsylvania it had been already open to the public since 1898 originally built in 1740 with many other families who who have lived there besides Betsy Ross and her husband John who lived there from 1773 to 1786 Adams became a charter member of the Betsy Ross Memorial Association during World War II in the 1940s at the age of 68 Francis became a captain in the aviation recruiting service and served under General Eisenhower so after decades in New York and three military conflicts Spanish American War World War I World War II Adams was now drawn to Stuart Florida in 1948 at the age of 74 years old he was helping to bring Grumman aircraft Corporation

to Stuart to planning to lease with a field that company was accomplished and had flourished for decades in New York Grumman started back in 1929 and were known for building aircraft aircraft Parts and Equipment search and navigation equipment he moved permanently to Stuart in 1948 with his second wife Mary they lived at 935 Riverside Drive in Hilder Brad Park Adams became involved in all local flag Memorial and Veterans Day programs immediately Adams became very active in Civic and charitable organizations throughout Martin County especially those concerning veterans in September 1953 Ralph Johnson and Captain Francis Adams were appointed the 1954 chairman for the Red Cross fund drive he helped increase Red Cross membership and raise monies

tremendously over the next several years always looking into new ideas and concepts for Stuart in 1956 Adams suggested to the city that a helicopter Bilingual School and a helicopter Port be built for Stewart to be very close to the airport and Fairgrounds he worked with the National Association of Aviation industrialists to have a helicopter Port built they were willing to do it the city was behind the idea but getting a suitable Helicopter Company then to eventually come into the area proved very difficult it never was activated by 1958 the new Bridges going from Stuart to Hutchinson Island were to be dedicated and it was Captain Adams who was named the chairman of the citizens committee

for the bridge dedication and that started work on November 1957 the Evans crer bridge and the Ernie Lions Bridge which ran west to east east to west were originally first called 10-cent bridge and 25 cent Bridge because of the tolls April 1959 Captain Adams was one of the speakers at the big dedication of the new US Post Office on West 7th Street now known as Martin Luther King Boulevard his second wife died in June 1960 and from both of his marriage he never had any children Adams continued during the 1960s being very active at Stuart City Hall meetings and as a guest speaker at many Civic organiz ations he lived during the 1960s in the

Atlantic pork apartments at East Ocean Boulevard very close to Stuart Middle School in 1970 he suggested a non-traffic mall to be placed in downtown Stewart the idea was to improve storefronts and attract more customers downtown it was though unfortunately not approved by City Hall it would actually be years before major Renovations really improved the downtown Stewart area he was always a very popular speaker over the years he'd quote from Shakespeare or he'd tell stories of his Many Adventures over the last 70 years he spoke about also respecting Americans veterans and especially the US flag he was well known for handing out small flags to people and having one always in his coat jacket he eventually

became known as Martin County's flag man he said I've enjoyed every minute of my life when he could no longer safely drive a car at age 95 he would be seen waving a hanky to hitch a ride from a passing Vehicles along East Ocean and especially getting a ride from the Stewart police officers he ate his meals at the Stuart Holiday Inn on US1 had his own table and booth and he loved to finish his dinner with a Manhattan cocktail but he could walk as he did especially for any of the steuart parades Memorial Day veterans day and the 4th of July it was May 28th 1972 Adams developed a museum for the city of

Stewart at the age of 98 he had the use of a small cottage with three small rooms in it on East 7th Street behind where the Stewart police and ambulance was located at that time he named it Museum of the city of Stewart he had collected 300,000 pieces of memorabilia to add to this new Museum all of it approved by the city mayor and the city commission he worked on that project every day October 1972 he was named the chairman of the United Nations Day celebration for Martin County in December 19 1973 Adam suffered a minor stroke spent a short time in the hospital and then was released but he had this advice at age

99 don't get sick and don't take medicine plus it's a good idea to stay away from doctors he was still continuing making suggestions for Stuart in January of 1974 he thought thought there should be some major docks built or even a Port of Entry the idea did not stay very well with the Commissioners but he was always trying he was also still very active with the local Dar organization he was asked for May 1974 to open up the sailfish Riata and of course with a US flag in hand the city of Stewart marked Captain Adam's 100th birthday on May 11th with several parties and a special dedication by the city Adams was one of the

most active concerned citizens of Stewart always continuing the challenge of good citizenship a park by confusion Corner was dedicated to Captain Adams for his exercise of good government by his own personal efforts this was named the Captain Adams park because it was a gateway to downtown Stewart also the flag poll at the new city hall was dedicated in his honor he was referred to happily as as the George Washington of Stewart an original Patriot a man of the people for his birthday he was honored by 14 different Civic organizations throughout the county he was at 100 years old the oldest licensed associate in the real estate business in the United States he was especially looking

forward to America's Bicentennial in July 1976 he was even asked to lead the Pledge of Allegiance on July 4th in Philadelphia for the bicentennial suffering some medical setbacks a hip injury and some Falls in mid 1975 almost became too much for Captain Adams and he died at the age of 101 on September 24th 1975 not making the bicentennial the next year to mark his passing flags were flown at City Hall and throughout Martin County at half Mass his service was at St Mary's Episcopal church and burial with full military honors at All Saints Church in Jensen Beach the Martin County High School students in October 1975 dedicated their homecoming parade and the football game in

his honor Captain Adams was one of the last survivors of the Spanish American War as of 1975 his collection of Stuart memorabilia later becomes part of the Stuart Heritage Museum which is at the old feed store right on Flagler Avenue and Adams was Stuart's own remarkable us veteran and super Patriot