George Adair
Encyclopedia
George Washington Adair (March 1, 1823 – September 29, 1899) was an important real-estate developer in post Civil War
Atlanta
.
. John F. Adair, his father, was a wheelwright
by trade, and in 1825, shortly after the birth of the George, the family moved to DeKalb County
, settling about five miles from Decatur
.
Young George remained here, enjoying such meagre educational advantages as the sparsely settled country district afforded, until 1835, when his mother died and his father sent him to Decatur to enter the employ of Green B. Butler as a store clerk. Being possessed of more than usual brightness of intellect, he speedily acquired an intimate knowledge of the business and also gained the good opinion of this employer because of his industrious habits and his proven fidelity to the interest of the establishment. But this wonderful aptitude was likewise apparent to others. Such men as James Calhoun
, William H. Dabney, Charles Murphy and Dr. Ephraim M. Poole became interested in the youthful clerk and together they furnished him with the means for pursuing a course of study at the Decatur Academy. On leaving this institution after two years, he immediately took up the study of law in Covington, Georgia
, and after devoting two years of faithful study to his preparations he was admitted to the bar.
From then until his death, there were comparatively few real estate transactions of any consequence with which the name of Col George W. Adair was not associated, and few enterprises for building up the city in which he had not taken an active and important part, and he lived to see Atlanta grow from an obscure village of less than 2,000 souls into an enterprising metropolis numbering six figures. After giving up his place with the Georgia Railroad, he spent some time at Covington, going from there to Charleston
to work in a wholesale house, but being attracted by the growing fame of the future Gate City of the South, he came to Atlanta in 1854 at the age of 31 and there established his permanent home.
, he embarked in the mercantile business, but after an experience of two years, in which he was not entirely successful, he launched into the general trading, auctioning and real estate business, which continued to engross his activities throughout the remainder of his career. On account of the rapid growth of the city, Col. Adair reaped handsome profits from his business, and at the outbreak of the war was beginning to accumulate an independent fortune. Though bitterly opposed to secession, Col. Adair loyally espoused the cause of his State when the ordinance of secession was adopted, and throughout the was an ardent supporter and champion of the Confederate cause.
During the war, he was a newspaperman who also speculated in cotton. He already owned the Gate City Guardian newspaper when in 1861 he bought the Atlanta Southern Confederacy
and merged the two keeping the name of the latter. There, assisted by J. Henly Smith, he was the editor and participated in all of the live discussions evoked by the turbulent era of hostilities, and undertook to give accurate news from the front as the war advanced. Finally the paper went under, but not until the section was literally overrun with the hordes of the enemy and further publication became impossible. During the last year of the war Col. Adair became an aide on the staff of Gen. N.B. Forrest, serving the cause of the South in this capacity until the close of hostilities in 1865.
with Richard Peters
in 1871 he began to develop areas at the same time they ran new streetcar lines to serve them: including West End
and Adair Park
.
When the panic of 1873
came on he was compelled to make an assignment of all his property, but he faced the situation with characteristic fortitude and bravely made the surrender. And in 1878, he sold his portion of the streetcar business to Peters.
Starting up again, he soon made it apparent that his spirits were not subdued, and as an evidence of his enterprising activity, it is only necessary to say that he has been connected with the Atlanta Cotton Factory (on the site of the current CNN Center
), the Atlanta Cotton Exposition
, director of the Kimball House Company
, president of the Georgia Western Railway, and director of the Piedmont Exposition
.
In the 1880s, property began to boom again and with his sons, he established Adair and Company to develop suburban properties. With John W. Grant
, in 1881 he developed what would become Stockbridge, Georgia
. He also helped raise funds for the rebuilding of the Kimball House
after it burned down and was instrumental in convincing H.I. Kimball to return to Atlanta to lead the effort. Later projects with Kimball failed: the subdivision of Peters Park
in 1887 and the establishment of Kimball, Tennessee
in 1890 both of which he auctioneered.
He died at the age of 76, leaving a wife, whose maiden name was Mary Jane Perry, and six children: Jack, Forrest
, George
, Sallie, Annie and Mary. He was also first cousin to Green B. Adair
, another Atlanta real estate developer. Forrest and George (the son) developed neighborhoods throughout Atlanta including Adair Park
, West End Park (now known as Westview), and, in conjunction with Asa Candler, Druid Hills
.
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
.
Early life
On the first train entering Atlanta over the Georgia Railroad in 1845, the conductor who pulled the bell rope was none other than Col. Adair, whose name in the near future was destined to be linked with many of the public enterprises of the young metropolis. Adair was born of Scots-Irish parentage in rural Morgan County, GeorgiaMorgan County, Georgia
Morgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 15,457. The 2005 Census Estimate shows a population of 17,492. The county seat is Madison, Georgia.-Geography:...
. John F. Adair, his father, was a wheelwright
Wheelwright
A wheelwright is a person who builds or repairs wheels. The word is the combination of "wheel" and the archaic word "wright", which comes from the Old English word "wryhta", meaning a worker or maker...
by trade, and in 1825, shortly after the birth of the George, the family moved to DeKalb County
DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta...
, settling about five miles from Decatur
Decatur, Georgia
Decatur is a city in, and county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. With a population of 19,335 in the 2010 census, the city is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple zip codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear the Decatur name...
.
Young George remained here, enjoying such meagre educational advantages as the sparsely settled country district afforded, until 1835, when his mother died and his father sent him to Decatur to enter the employ of Green B. Butler as a store clerk. Being possessed of more than usual brightness of intellect, he speedily acquired an intimate knowledge of the business and also gained the good opinion of this employer because of his industrious habits and his proven fidelity to the interest of the establishment. But this wonderful aptitude was likewise apparent to others. Such men as James Calhoun
James Calhoun
James M. Calhoun was the 16th Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia during the Civil War.Calhoun was born in South Carolina and his parents died when he was 18....
, William H. Dabney, Charles Murphy and Dr. Ephraim M. Poole became interested in the youthful clerk and together they furnished him with the means for pursuing a course of study at the Decatur Academy. On leaving this institution after two years, he immediately took up the study of law in Covington, Georgia
Covington, Georgia
Covington is a city in Newton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 13,118. The city is the county seat of Newton County...
, and after devoting two years of faithful study to his preparations he was admitted to the bar.
Railroads
Finding his professional revenues too meager to satisfy his debts which he was anxious to liquidate, he accepted a position as conductor on the Georgia Railroad, the place being tendered him by J. Edgar Thomson, chief engineer of the line, and in this capacity he made his first appearance upon the local stage in the early pioneer days of Atlanta. He was a conductor for four years.From then until his death, there were comparatively few real estate transactions of any consequence with which the name of Col George W. Adair was not associated, and few enterprises for building up the city in which he had not taken an active and important part, and he lived to see Atlanta grow from an obscure village of less than 2,000 souls into an enterprising metropolis numbering six figures. After giving up his place with the Georgia Railroad, he spent some time at Covington, going from there to Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
to work in a wholesale house, but being attracted by the growing fame of the future Gate City of the South, he came to Atlanta in 1854 at the age of 31 and there established his permanent home.
Atlanta
Under the firm name of Adair and EzzardWilliam Ezzard
William E. Ezzard was a Southern United States politician who served as the 11th, 13th and 19th Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, in the 19th century....
, he embarked in the mercantile business, but after an experience of two years, in which he was not entirely successful, he launched into the general trading, auctioning and real estate business, which continued to engross his activities throughout the remainder of his career. On account of the rapid growth of the city, Col. Adair reaped handsome profits from his business, and at the outbreak of the war was beginning to accumulate an independent fortune. Though bitterly opposed to secession, Col. Adair loyally espoused the cause of his State when the ordinance of secession was adopted, and throughout the was an ardent supporter and champion of the Confederate cause.
During the war, he was a newspaperman who also speculated in cotton. He already owned the Gate City Guardian newspaper when in 1861 he bought the Atlanta Southern Confederacy
Atlanta Southern Confederacy
The Atlanta Southern Confederacy was a strongly Democratic Southern newspaper during the American Civil War.The first issue was February 15, 1859, by Dr. James P. Hambleton...
and merged the two keeping the name of the latter. There, assisted by J. Henly Smith, he was the editor and participated in all of the live discussions evoked by the turbulent era of hostilities, and undertook to give accurate news from the front as the war advanced. Finally the paper went under, but not until the section was literally overrun with the hordes of the enemy and further publication became impossible. During the last year of the war Col. Adair became an aide on the staff of Gen. N.B. Forrest, serving the cause of the South in this capacity until the close of hostilities in 1865.
Post war
He returned to Atlanta while the ashes still smoldered and applied himself with renewed zeal to his old business, and though real estate transactions were few and far between at first, they soon became more numerous as the city began to pick up and the signs of prosperity commenced to appear. During this time he began a political career which included city council and various committee boards. After co-founding the Atlanta Street Railway CompanyAtlanta Street Railway Company
The Atlanta Street Railway was the first streetcar system in Atlanta.Originally chartered by the state of Georgia on February 23, 1866 by George Hillyer, Dr...
with Richard Peters
Richard Peters (Atlanta)
Richard Peters was an American railroad man and a founder of Atlanta.Grandson of Judge Richard Peters, Jr...
in 1871 he began to develop areas at the same time they ran new streetcar lines to serve them: including West End
West End (Atlanta)
The West End neighborhood of Atlanta is on the National Register of Historic Places and can be found southwest of Castleberry Hill, east of Westview, west of Adair Park Historic District, and just north of Oakland City...
and Adair Park
Adair Park
This article includes information collected from the National Park Service website, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.Adair Park is a residential neighborhood located southwest of downtown Atlanta...
.
When the panic of 1873
Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 triggered a severe international economic depression in both Europe and the United States that lasted until 1879, and even longer in some countries. The depression was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s, but is now known as the Long Depression...
came on he was compelled to make an assignment of all his property, but he faced the situation with characteristic fortitude and bravely made the surrender. And in 1878, he sold his portion of the streetcar business to Peters.
Starting up again, he soon made it apparent that his spirits were not subdued, and as an evidence of his enterprising activity, it is only necessary to say that he has been connected with the Atlanta Cotton Factory (on the site of the current CNN Center
CNN Center
The CNN Center is the world headquarters of the Cable News Network . The main newsrooms and studios for several of CNN's news channels are located in the building...
), the Atlanta Cotton Exposition
International Cotton Exposition (1881)
International Cotton Exposition was a World's Fair held in Atlanta, Georgia from October 5 to December 3 of 1881.hThe location was along the Western & Atlantic Railroad tracks near the present day King Plow development...
, director of the Kimball House Company
Kimball House
The Kimball House was the name of two historical hotels in Atlanta, Georgia. Both were constructed on an entire city block at the south-southeast corner of Five Points, bounded by Whitehall Street , Decatur Street, Pryor Street, and Wall Street.-First Kimball House:-Design and construction:In 1870...
, president of the Georgia Western Railway, and director of the Piedmont Exposition
Piedmont Exposition
The Piedmont Exposition of 1887 was the first exposition ever held in Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia.-Founding of the Piedmont Exposition Company:...
.
In the 1880s, property began to boom again and with his sons, he established Adair and Company to develop suburban properties. With John W. Grant
John W. Grant
John W. Grant was a member of the Georgia School of Technology board of trustees and a well-known Atlanta merchant sometime around the 1880s.He was the grandson of John T. Grant and the son of William D...
, in 1881 he developed what would become Stockbridge, Georgia
Stockbridge, Georgia
Stockbridge is a city in Henry County, Georgia, United States with a population of 25,636 as of the 2010 census. It is the hometown of the multi-platinum selling alternative rock/post-grunge band Collective Soul and home to one of the youngest starting pitchers ever to play for the Atlanta Braves,...
. He also helped raise funds for the rebuilding of the Kimball House
Kimball House
The Kimball House was the name of two historical hotels in Atlanta, Georgia. Both were constructed on an entire city block at the south-southeast corner of Five Points, bounded by Whitehall Street , Decatur Street, Pryor Street, and Wall Street.-First Kimball House:-Design and construction:In 1870...
after it burned down and was instrumental in convincing H.I. Kimball to return to Atlanta to lead the effort. Later projects with Kimball failed: the subdivision of Peters Park
Peters Park
Peters Park is a small community park located in the South End neighborhood of Boston, MA. Its boundaries are Shawmut Avenue, Watham Street, Washington Street and East Berkley. The park provides roughly of multiuse activity spaces, including a baseball field, basketball courts, a children's...
in 1887 and the establishment of Kimball, Tennessee
Kimball, Tennessee
Kimball is a town in Marion County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,312 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Kimball is located at ....
in 1890 both of which he auctioneered.
He died at the age of 76, leaving a wife, whose maiden name was Mary Jane Perry, and six children: Jack, Forrest
Forrest Adair
Forrest Adair was a real estate dealer. He was the son of real-estate and streetcar developer Col. George Washington Adair and lived in Atlanta, Georgia He served as Fulton County Commissioner from 1895 until 1903...
, George
George W. Adair, Jr.
George Washington Adair, Jr. was the son of Col. George Washington Adair, an important developer of real estate in Atlanta and of the Atlanta streetcar system. George, Jr...
, Sallie, Annie and Mary. He was also first cousin to Green B. Adair
Green B. Adair
Green Buron Adair was a prominent Atlanta cotton merchant who conducted business in Atlanta from the Civil War until the turn of the 20th century. Green B...
, another Atlanta real estate developer. Forrest and George (the son) developed neighborhoods throughout Atlanta including Adair Park
Adair Park
This article includes information collected from the National Park Service website, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.Adair Park is a residential neighborhood located southwest of downtown Atlanta...
, West End Park (now known as Westview), and, in conjunction with Asa Candler, Druid Hills
Druid Hills, Georgia
Druid Hills is a community which includes both a census-designated place in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, as well as a neighborhood of the city of Atlanta. The CDP's population was 14,568 at the 2010 census...
.