Alva Adams (governor)

Alva Adams (May 14, 1850 – November 1, 1922) was an American politician. He was born in Adamsville, Wisconsin.[1] John Adams, his father, was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and the Wisconsin State Senate. 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.[2]

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	(1850-05-14)May 14, 1850 Adamsville, Wisconsin
Died	November 1, 1922(1922-11-01) (aged 72) Battle Creek, Michigan
Political party	Democratic

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

Adams died in Battle Creek, Michigan at the age of 72.[2][1]

Adams County, Colorado, is named for Alva Adams,[3] 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. "Ex-Gov. Alva Adams Dead". The New York Times. November 2, 1922. p. 19. Retrieved May 12, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
3. 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

Party political offices
Preceded by James Benton Grant	Democratic nominee for Governor of Colorado 1884, 1886	Succeeded by Thomas M. Patterson
Preceded by Charles S. Thomas	Democratic nominee for Governor of Colorado 1896	Succeeded by Charles S. Thomas
Preceded by E. C. Stimson	Democratic nominee for Governor of Colorado 1904, 1906	Succeeded by John F. Shafroth
Political offices
Preceded by Benjamin Harrison Eaton	Governor of Colorado 1887–1889	Succeeded by Job Adams Cooper
Preceded by Albert Washington McIntire	Governor of Colorado 1897–1899	Succeeded by Charles Spalding Thomas
Preceded by James Hamilton Peabody	Governor of Colorado 1905	Succeeded by James Hamilton Peabody