John Adams (June 1, 1819 – October 18, 1908) was an American businessman, Democratic politician, and Wisconsin pioneer.

He served three years each in the Wisconsin Senate and State Assembly, representing western Dane County.

[1][2][3] At age 13, in 1832, he and a half-brother ventured to Rush County, Indiana, where they remained with family for two years before moving to Illinois.

John Adams moved into the Wisconsin Territory in 1840, settling in Dodgeville, where he went to work in the booming lead mining industry.

After ten years living and laboring in the Dodgeville region, he moved to what is now Blue Mounds, Wisconsin.

After a few years, he entered into a partnership with John Bonner, and they established a caravan for a commissioning business to bring merchandise to the lumbering communities of northern Wisconsin.

[9] After serving as sheriff, Adams spent several years out of public office, but remained active with civic affairs and with the state and local Democratic Party.

[10] Adams election coincided with the ratification of an amendment to the state constitution which doubled the length of legislative terms.

In December 1890, Adams moved to Pasadena, California, with his wife and adult daughter, where they remained for the rest of their lives.

[2] Eliza was the daughter of pioneer Asahel Blanchard, and had arrived in the Wisconsin Territory two years earlier.

Eliza returned to Wisconsin with most of the children, but their eldest surviving son, Alva, decided to remain in Colorado.