John Hicks Adams (1820–1878) was an American 49er of the California Gold Rush and sheriff of Santa Clara County between 1864 and 1870, and again between 1871 and 1875.
John Jr., was appointed deputy sheriff; his duties included collecting taxes and taking care of court business.
[1] When word spread East that gold had been discovered in California, John went across country, arriving in Hangtown in August 1849.
John started his political career by running for and winning the office of Santa Clara County Supervisor for Gilroy and Almaden Township in the September election of 1861.
During the pursuit Deputy Sheriff Staples of El Dorado County was gunned down when he surprised them at a rooming house the next day.
Adams pursued the gang with the help of two companies of Native California Volunteer Cavalry from Camp Low during the summer of 1865.
However a system of spies set up by the secessionists had warned the band of their approach, when Sheriff Adams arrived at Panoche, Mason and Henry were already retreating towards Corralitos.
There Henry was killed by the sheriff in San Bernardino County in September 1865 and Mason by Benjamin Mayfield a miner, near Fort Tejon in 1866.
Ten days later, he and a fellow officer were ambushed by five Mexican bandits between the Washington Mine and Tucson.