Meet Thomas and Luella Redd Adams

Let me introduce you to Grandpa Ray Adams' parents.

Thomas Davenport Adams – son of Charles and Sarah Ann Davenport.  Born 15 Nov. 1870 in Parowan.  Didn’t go to school regularly due to helping his father on the family farm and on the sheep range.  While attending school in Provo at Brigham Young Academy, Pres. Woodruff called him to be a missionary and asked if he had a young lady in mind to marry, and if so, to find out if she would marry him now.  If she would consent to marry him, she would also be called on the mission.  According to Luella Redd, his wife-to-be, he was a shy boy and loved to dance; he was a steady and well-behaved man with no bad habits. His mission call, February 1893, was to the South Sea  Islands.  They decided to marry and had 1 week to make wedding plans and mission plans as well.  They all rose early on Monday, February 20, 1893; were to be married in St. George and then depart  for the Samoan Islands  where Tom served for 3 years.  After the first 2 years, his wife returned home due to poor health.  While building their 2^nd new brick home (currently Aunt Carol’s home in Parowan) they moved in October 29, 1914, Thomas contracted a heavy cold that developed into pneumonia.  His illness was of typhoid type that ran 2 courses.  He lived for 40 days on nothing but liquids.  His life was spared but he was an invalid the remainder of his days on earth.  He passed away on Sept. 2, 1938.  For 17 summers  their home was in the Parowan mountains at Cedar Breaks, Little Ireland, where they homesteaded grazing sheep and making cheese.  Tom filled offices as mayor of Parowan, sat on the school board, and served on the city council, and many others. (Memories; Maria Luella Redd Adams, her autobiography)

Maria Luella Redd Adams – born in the small village of Harmony, Utah on 16^th of June 1875.  One of her childhood memories was the story of her mother’s silver thimble.  She writes:   “One sunny afternoon I ‘borrowed’ it to take it with me to the orchard to make doll clothes.  After gathering up my doll and scraps of calico and returning to the house, the silver thimble was not to be found.  Mother was most upset, and I was heartbroken.  We searched until dark, and I went to bed with swollen, tear-stained eyes.  How I prayed that night, kneeling beside my bed, begging Heavenly Father to help me find the thimble.  I finally slept and dreamed – and saw in my dream exactly where the thimble lay.  I woke up and hurried to my father’s bed to tell him he must come with me to get it.  Father said, “But Louie, it is three o’clock.  Go back to bed, and if you know where the thimble is  we will find it in the morning.”  I simply could not do that, so father got up and lighted a lantern.  We walked the length of the path into the orchard.  I asked father to hold the light underneath a small plank bridge over the irrigation ditch. There in the mud left from yesterday’s watering was the thimble – exactly where I had seen it in  my dream.  What a wonderful answer to prayer!  What an example for me to remember all my life!” ( Memories  p.36-37).

   She married Thomas Adams on  Feb 20, 1893 in St. George Temple “after which we departed for the Samoan Islands on a church mission ; our mission destination: Nukoalofa, Tonga Tabu .   We were taken by a small canoe to our island home located in Muia, a small village.  My mission assignment was to teach the native children mornings and evenings. As the first 2 years drew to a close, I found my health declining.  I had much trouble with swelling feet.  Finally I was released with Sister Maggie Durham (whom we shared our home with as missionary couples) to return home. Our husbands remained to complete their 3 year assignment.”