McAdams Family - Allegheny County, PA - Trying to Locate Descendants of Otto McAdams

George and Elizabeth's Grandson,
James Dorsey McAdams


Sometimes I think that genealogy is not for the faint-hearted. Take, for example, the obituary of Jack McAdams, James Dorsey's grandson:

McADAMS Jack, age 66, Jefferson, Feb. 11, 1993; father of Jacqueline Schade, Norman, Jeffery McAdams; step-father of Rowland, Henry Crookham, Albert Divirgilio, Denise Chornak, Mary Dayton, Linda Borriggine, Nancy Hunnel, Faith Murphy; brother of James, Anna Mae; step-brother of Harry Bon; 33 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren, half-brother of George, Al Colbert, Robert, Eugene McAdams. Friends received HUNTER-EDMUNDSON-STRIFFLER, McKEESPORT Sat. 7-9; Sun. 2-4. 7-9. Service Mon 9:30 a.m.

Source: Pittsburgh Post Gazette, February 12, 1993, Page B-6
Brothers? Step-brothers? Half brothers? I wasn't going to try to unravel this one. Mike McAdams, who would be Jack's second cousin once removed, has been wonderfully generous with his information. Mike and I have had several telephone conversations trying to figure out the descendants of James Dorsey McAdams, the seventh child of William C. McAdams Sr. and Margaret Porter. When Mike told me that he could figure out these relationships I thought to myself, [or maybe I said aloud,] "Well, God bless you!" In a later conversation, Mike had unwound a complicated knot of family history. For these reasons, James Dorsey's descendants deserve their own page.


James Dorsey McAdams [May 1873 - March 18, 1947] was married to Carrie McMillen who was born in Pennsylvania in March 1873. Dorsey and Carrie had eight children.

  1. Dorsey and Carrie's oldest child was Otto Dorsey McAdams [May 17, 1893 - March 6, 1972]. Otto had six children. Otto's four oldest children were by his first wife, Sarah "Sadie" Marshall, daughter of Nathan Marshall, born November, 1880. Sadie was married in 1899 to Edward Colbert. Sadie and Edward's Marriage License is found in Volume 49 of the Allegheny County Marriage License Docket. Otto had two more children by his second wife, Virginia Mary Haube [January 16, 1906 - December 11, 1979], daughter of Paul Haube and Katherine Barbiaux. Karen Ronfeldt, [email protected], is a great-great niece of Paul and Catherine Haube.

    Otto's children by Sadie were:

    1. James Lewis McAdams, born May 13, 1920. "I was named after my grandpappy," he explained. James L. McAdams, Sr. married Dorothy A. Lawler. Dorothy's obituary was published after her death in August, 1965.
    2. Anna Mae born in 1923.
    3. Otto Jr., [February 15, 1924 - December 1956].
      In Dec. 1956 Otto McAdams Jr. died in the crash of a KB-29 in Alaska, along with SSgt. John B. Pylant and six other members of the crew. There is to be a memorial dedicated in Aug. 2006 in Alaska to this crew.

      John B. Pylant Jr., [email protected], is interested in locating Otto's descendants.

    4. Jack [January 20, 1926 - February 11, 1993].

      George and Al Colbert were Sadie's sons by a previous marriage.

      George died in 2002. His obituary appeared in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

      George E. "Red" Colbert, 95, on Saturday, June 29, 2002. He was a retired milk man for the former Menzie Dairy Co. in McKeesport. Husband of the late Ann (Koluezez) Colbert. Father of Joseph B. Colbert of Connecticut and Carol C. Odrey of Penn Twp. Grandfather of Joseph G. Colbert of Connecticut. Great-grandfather of Alyssa and Christopher. Brother of James McAdams of Glenshaw. Also survived by nieces and nephews. Friends may call Tuesday 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the PATRICK T. LANIGAN FUNERAL HOME, Turtle Creek/Monroeville Chapel, 1111 Monroeville Ave., Turtle Creek (412-823-9350). A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday at 10 a.m. in St. Colman's Church. Interment in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Penn Hills. www.laniganfuneralhome.com.
      The Allegheny County Marriage License Docket lists Virginia Haube's 1925 marriage to Jacob J. Bon in Volume 114, page 764. Virginia and Jacob had two sons, Harry and Jacob Bon, Jr.

      Otto's younger children were by Virginia Haube.
    5. Eugene
    6. Robert [March 26, 1938 - November 16, 1992].

    Otto died on March 6, 1972. His obituary appeared in the Pittsburgh Press:
    McADAMS

    On Monday, March 6, 1972, Otto D. of Rankin, husband of Virginia Haube; father of James, Jack, Robert, Eugene and Anna Mae McAdams, Stepfather of Jacob and Harry Bon; brother of Twila Gordon, Clarence and Ralph McAdams; sixteen grandchildren; four great-grandchildren. Friends received at the ZORN-LUCAS FUNERAL HOME, 445 Fourth St. Braddock where services will be held on Thursday, March 9, at 11 a.m.

    Source: Pittsburgh Press Tuesday, March 7, 1972 Page 37
    Otto was buried in Section 8 of Monongahela Cemetery, North Braddock. His marker lists his military service as "PVT CO B 1 BN CWS, WWI."

    Virginia died in 1979, Her obituary appeared in the Pittsburgh Press: Haube Family, 1902, Click on Picture to See Larger Image

    McADAMS

    On Tuesday, Dec. 11, 1979, Virginia Haube, of Rankin; wife of the late Otto D.; mother of Jacob and Harry Bon, Robert, Eugene, James, Jack, and Anna Mae McAdams; sister of Martha Beckler; also 16 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Friends received 2-4 and 6-9 p.m. at the RONALD V. LUCAS FUNERAL HOME, 445 Forth St., Braddock, where services will be held on Friday at 10 a.m.

    Source: Pittsburgh Press, December 12, 1979 Page D-6
This picture of the Haube family in 1902 was sent by Karen Ronfeldt.
  1. Dorsey and Carrie's second child was Ruth [August 31, 1896 - December 1905].

  2. Dorsey and Carrie's third child was William, born in November 1898 .

  3. Dorsey and Carrie's fourth child was Henrietta who married George Galbraith on June 10, 1925. Their Marriage License was recorded in the Allegheny County Marriage License Docket.

  4. Dorsey and Carrie's fifth child was John Huber "Curly" McAdams [October 9, 1903 - 1966]. Curly's tombstone is next to that of his grandparents, William and Margaret McAdams, in Monongahela Cemetery, Section 5.

  5. Dorsey and Carrie's sixth child was Twila who married Paul Gordon. Twila and Paul's daughter was Doris A. Gordon and their granddaughter is Carrie (Sadvary) Ruffolo.

  6. Dorsey and Carrie's seventh child was Clarence who was born on December 1, 1910. Clarence married Susan Sabol.

    Clarence died in 1997. His obituary appeared in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette:
    CLARENCE E. McADAMS

    On Tuesday, Jan. 21, 1997, husband of Susan D. (Sabol); brother of Ralph; brother-in-law of Edna; also survived by nieces and nephews. Friends may call Wednesday 2-4 & 7-9 pm at MAURICE L. KNEE LTC., 7663 Saltsburg Rd., Plum, (across from People's Bank). Graveside service Thurs. 12:30 pm in Plum Creek Cemetery.

    Source: Pittsburgh Post Gazette Wednesday, January 22, 1997.
    Susan Sabol McAdams died in June, 2000. Her obituary read:
    MC ADAMS
    SUSAN D. (SABOL)
    Age 89, of Plum on Friday, June 9, 2000; wife of the late Clarence E. MCADAMS. Friends received on Monday from noon till time of Blessing Service at 1 pm in MAURICE L. KNEE LTD., FUNERAL HOME, 7663 Saltsburg Rd., (Across from S & T Bank) Plum. Interment at Plum Creek Cemetery.
  7. Dorsey and Carrie's eighth and youngest child was Thomas Ralph McAdams who married Edna R. McConnell. Their son is Thomas Ralph McAdams, Jr.
Dorsey died in 1947. His obituary read:
McADAMS - On Tuesday, March 18 at 12:05 a.m., James Dorsey, father of Otto, Mrs. Paul Gordon and Thomas, all of Braddock, John and Clarence, both of Murrysville and brother of Mrs. Emma Lewis of Mt Lebanon, Mrs. Elizabeth Shutterly of Lincoln. Funeral services at the Zorn Funeral Home 445 4th St. in Braddock on Friday at 2 p.m. Friends invited.

Source: The Pittsburgh Press, Wednesday, March 19, 1947, Page 27

Thanks to Mike McAdams and his father's cousin, James Francis McAdams for the information about their family.


Dorsey's Grandfather, George McAdams.

Dorsey's Father, William C. McAdams, Sr.


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April 2, 2000
Last update January 1, 2008

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