Alva Adams (governor)

Alva Adams (May 14, 1850 – November 1, 1922) was an American politician.

Alva Adams
5th, 10th & 14th Governor of Colorado
In office January 10, 1905 – March 17, 1905
Lieutenant	Arthur Cornforth
Preceded by	James H. Peabody
Succeeded by	James H. Peabody
In office January 12, 1897 – January 10, 1899
Lieutenant	Jared L. Brush
Preceded by	Albert W. McIntire
Succeeded by	Charles S. Thomas
In office January 11, 1887 – January 8, 1889
Lieutenant	Norman H. Meldrum
Preceded by	Benjamin H. Eaton
Succeeded by	Job A. Cooper
Personal details
Born	May 14, 1850 Adamsville, Wisconsin
Died	November 1, 1922 (aged 72) Battle Creek, Michigan
Political party	Democratic
Mother	Eliza Blanchard
Father	John Adams

For the United States Senator, his son, see Alva B. Adams.

Early life

Adams was born in Adamsville, Wisconsin on May 14, 1850.[1] He was son of John Adams and Eliza Blanchard.[2] His father, was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and the Wisconsin State Senate. Adams was educated in the public schools of Wisconsin, and in 1871 went to Colorado.[2]

Career

Adams was a member of the first Colorado legislature in 1876.[2] He served four years and two months as the fifth, tenth and 14th Governor of Colorado from 1887 to 1889, 1897 to 1899, and briefly in 1905. His last tenure as Governor lasted a little over two months. He and previous Governor James Peabody each declared the other an illegitimate Governor, even though both were involved in illegal electoral practices. Eventually the Republican legislature removed Adams, installed Peabody, who immediately abdicated for his Lt. Governor Jesse Fuller McDonald, and the issue ended.[3]

On November 1, 1922, Adams died in Battle Creek, Michigan at the age of 72.[3][1]

Adams County, Colorado, is named for Alva Adams,[4] and it is believed the city of Alva, Oklahoma is as well. Alva Adams' younger brother, William Herbert "Billy" Adams also served as Governor of Colorado from 1927 to 1933. Alva Adams' son, Alva Blanchard Adams, served as United States Senator from Colorado from 1923 to 1925 and from 1933 to 1941.

References

1. "Alva Adams, Former Dane County Man, Dies in West [sic]". Wisconsin State Journal. November 7, 1922. p. 7. Retrieved May 12, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
2. Johnson, Rossiter, ed. (1906). "Adams, Alva". The Biographical Dictionary of America. 1. Boston: American Biographical Society. p. 35. Retrieved October 21, 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
3. "Ex-Gov. Alva Adams Dead". The New York Times. November 2, 1922. p. 19. Retrieved May 12, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
4. Dawson, John Frank (1954). Place names in Colorado: why 700 communities were so named, 150 of Spanish or Indian origin. Denver, CO: The J. Frank Dawson Publishing Co. p. 5. Archived from the original on 2019-12-08.

External links

• The Governor Alva Adams Collection at the Colorado State Archives