William Parker Adams was born July 19, 1872, in Saybrook, Illinois, the fourth son of Robert and Martha Lyon Adams.  His father was a frontier preacher who moved frequently; according to William’s memoir, "Before he was one year old his parents brought him to Kansas. As a minister's son, he shared the many hardships common to all the early settlers." He converted to the Christian faith and united with the United Brethren Church in 1890.  On January 29, 1896, he married Margaret Ellen Johnston at Pawnee in the Oklahoma Indian Territory; their only child, Alta Tryon Adams, was born the following November.  In 1901 he and his wife dedicated their lives to the full-time ministry.  Rev. Adams was baptized in 1903 by J. C. Wingard; he was admitted to the Kansas Conference and licensed to preach on October 2, 1910, by Bishop W. M. Weekley. Rev. Adams was ordained September 3, 1917 in Topeka, Kansas, by Bishop C. J. Kephart. He transferred to the Colorado Conference in 1925.  His wife Margaret died on May 22, 1925, in Eads, Colorado; he remarried on May 12 1928, to a widow, Minnie Gunther Pettit (1882-1966). Rev. Adams continued serving in Colorado but was re-admitted to the Kansas Conference by transfer from the Colorado Conference in 1930. Rev. Adams' service record included the following charges: Norcatur; Esbon; Smith Center; Womer; Ionia; Bird City; Eads (Colorado); Joes Yuma (Colorado), McDonald (Kan.); Clayton; Agra; Niles; Corning; Bird City. Rev. Adams retired in 1948.  He died on April 29, 1961, in Colorado.  His memoir can be found in the Kansas Conference Journal for 1961, page 69.

Note written by Sarah St. John