Date Died: July 13, 1861

Place Buried: St. John's Episcopal Churchyard, Congaree, SC

Occupation: Planter, Brigadier General in SC Militia

Yale College - graduated 1831

South Carolina House of Representatives, 1834-1837, 1840-1841, 1848-1849
South Carolina Senate, 1850-1853

Adams signed the Ordinance of Secession in 1860 - the first official act of the Civil War.
Adams was one of three delegates sent to Washington, DC to avert war with the Union and arrange for the transfer of federal property in South Carolina to the control of the state government, 1861

James H. Adams, died in the Fork of Richland District So. Ca. July 14, 1861, from chronic piles, which had sorely afflicted him for several years. In life he had been a man of mark and note. He had been General of Cavalry, Senator in the General Assembly of South Carolina, and Governor of the State. He was a member from Richland District, in the South Carolina Convention of 1860 (which passed the Ordinance of Secession) and one of the Commissioners from the State, to the Government at Washington to adjust the great question of Southern Rights and Independence. In all these varied and distinguished positions, Gen'l Adams was energetic and faithful, acquitting himself in each, and all, to the satisfaction of his fellow citizens, and for the welfare of his State.

His highest political ambition, he however, never attained. It is well known that his strong desire, for the dignified position of a seat in the United States Senate, was not gratified. In his first message as Governor of the State, he strongly advocated the re-opening of the African slave trade, which sentiment, was repudiated by the Legislature and the people of the State. It was disposed of by an adverse report (very strong) from a special committee appointed on that portion of the message. Having received its quietus so decidedly, it was not adverted to in his message of the second year of his gubernatorial term.

The sentiment and measure, created an unpleasant savour against him, and altho' there were several vacancies in the United States Senate, after his term of office as Governor, and his friends introduced his name; yet in no one instance, and success at all prominent. He was at last defeated by the friends of Governor Hammond, who was elected (although not a candidate) to the distinguished position, over all opposition, and thus was closed all hope of General Adams for this distinction.

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