"[1] An Ohio native and musical child prodigy who performed in concert for the first time at age seven,[2] she spent much of her life in Indiana, where she was a choral conductor and organist.

[4] As the American Civil War was waged across a major portion of the United States during the early 1860s, Carrie Wilson was studying music with her father.

[4] In addition, she served as conductor of The Choral, Rose Polytechnic Glee and Treble Clef clubs and The Terre Haute Oratorio Society.

In addition to playing the pipe organ for the First Congregational Church (Portland, Oregon), she became an associate editor with The Choir Herald, and continued to compose music into her early 80s.

According to a 1936 article in Time magazine, "In Portland, Ore. last week Mrs. Adams sent off to her publishers four new anthems, baked a jelly cake, [and] celebrated her 77th birthday.

[1] Suffering from a heart condition, Carrie Belle (Wilson) Adams was admitted to a private hospital in Portland, Oregon, for treatment sometime in late November or early December 1940.