He was born in Lancashire, England, in 1839/40. [sources: date: 3 (18 in 1861), 7 (30 in 1870), 8 (40 in 1880). place: 3, 7, 8]
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 8 inches tall, and had a light complexion, blue eyes, and light hair. [source: 3]
He enlisted and was mustered into service on 9 September 1861. He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Captain McAuther. He was a private in company G. [sources: 1, 3, 11, 15]
He was discharged on 8 August 1862, at Alexandria, Virginia, by the surgeon in charge of Fairfax Seminary Hospital, on surgeon's certificate of disability. He was a private, in company G. [sources: 1, 2, 3, 15]
He married Mary E [unknown family name]. She was born in New Jersey, in 1834/35. They apparently had at least these children:
[sources: 7, 8, 13]
From about 1865 through 1870, he was a painter, at 2215 F Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 12]
On 3 May 1869, his child James Thomas Adamson died. He was stillborn. He died at, or was buried from, 2215 F Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On 3 May 1869, he was buried, at Mount Moriah Cemetery. [source: 13]
In 1870, he was living in the 8th ward of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was living with his wife Mary. He was a house and sign painter, and owned $2,400 in real estate and $300 in personal property. [source: 7]
In 1880, he was living in Mendocino Township, Sonoma County, California. He was living with his wife Mary and children Mary, James, and Bertha. He was a house painter, and had been unemployed for ten months in the previous year. [source: 8]
He was buried in Oakmound Cemetery, Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California, perhaps about 1888. [sources: 5, 6 (probably Healdsburg, Sonoma, CA; cem. not named), 10 (no dates), 11 (headstone contract dated 1888)]
On 30 September 1890, his widow, Mary E Adamson [?], applied unsuccessfully from California for a pension. [sources: 4, 9]
1 Bates, Samuel Penniman. History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5. Harrisburg: B. Singerly, state printer, 1869-71. 5 volumes. 'Ninety-first regiment', volume 3, pages 186-233. (In the roster)
2 company G, register of men discharged, #13 (James Adamson)
3 company G, descriptive roll, entry 18 (James Adamson)
4 pension index, by name (James Adamson)
5 'Oakmound Cemetery, Sonoma County, California', in USGenWeb, (viewed April 2007) (James Adamson)
6 'Pacific Northwest necrology', a gedcom available on Rootsweb WorldConnect (viewed June 2007,last updated 5 January 2007, contact Loretta-Marie Dimond) [cites: "M1845 Card record of headstones provided for deceased Union Civil War Veterans, ca 1879-ca 1903"] (James Adamson)
7 1870 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, Philadelphia, ward 8, microfilm series M593, film 1393, page 233 = 88 handwritten (James Adamson)
8 1880 US census, California, Sonoma County, Mendocino Township, supervisor's district 3, enumeration district 128, microfilm series T9, film 84, page 196 = 26 C handwritten (Jas Adamson)
9 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company G (James Adamson)
10 Find a grave, memorial 36203239, created by Susan Faught 22 April 2009, accessed 7 March 2012
(James Adamson)
[identity is confirmed by the tombstone inscription: "JAMES ADAMSON CO. G, 91st PA. INF."]
11 records of headstones of deceased Union veterans, 1879-1903 (James Adamson)
12 select Philadelphia city directories
13 death certificate, James Thomas Adamson, 3 May 1869 (James Thomas Adamson)
14 IGI records (of children's births)
15 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (James Adamson)
| line | 33 | 34 |
| Dwelling-house number | 557 | |
| Family number | 624 | |
| Name | Adamson James | - Mary |
| Age | 30 | 35 |
| Sex | M | F |
| Color | W | W |
| Occupation | House and Sign Painter | Keeping house |
| Real estate value | 2400 | |
| Personal estate value | 300 | |
| Birthplace | England | New Jersey |
| Father foreign born | 1 | |
| Mother foreign born | 1 | |
| Birth month if born within year | ||
| Marriage month if married within year | ||
| Attended school past year | ||
| Can't read | ||
| Can't write | ||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. | ||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old | 1 | |
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old who can't vote ... |
| line | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| street name | |||||
| house number | |||||
| dwelling visit # | 299 | ||||
| family visit # | 299 | ||||
| name | Adamson, Jas | -, Mary | -, Mary E | -, Jas T | - Bertha |
| color | W | W | W | W | W |
| sex | M | F | F | M | F |
| age | 40 | 45 [?] | 8 | 6 | 3 |
| [Mary's age could be '40'] | |||||
| month born if born in year | |||||
| relationship | Wife | Daughter | Son | Daughter | |
| single | |||||
| married | 1 | 1 | |||
| widowed/divorced | |||||
| married during year | |||||
| occupation | House Painter | Keeping house | |||
| months unemployed | 10 | ||||
| currently ill? | |||||
| blind | |||||
| deaf/dumb | |||||
| idiotic | |||||
| insane | |||||
| disabled | |||||
| school this year | |||||
| can't read | |||||
| can't write | |||||
| birthplace | England | New Jersey | Penn | " | " |
| father's birthplace | England | Penn | England | " | " |
| mother's birthplace | England | New Jersey | " " | " " | " " |