Edgar J. Adams Edgar J. Adams, an attorney at law at Grand Rapids, Mich., and the present speaker of the Michigan house of representatives, was born in Branch county, Michigan, August 6, 1866, and is the eldest son of George O. and Margaret C. (Miller) Adams, the former a native of New York, and the latter of Ohio. George O., the father, is a merchant of comfortable means in Isabella county, this state, and came to Michigan early in the fifties. He is a stanch republican in politics and a distant relative of ex-presidents John and John Quincy Adams. Edgar J. Adams acquired his education by attending a district school in Monroe county, Mich., from the time he was seven until twelve years of age, and later a couple of terms at a district school in Gratiot county. At the age of seventeen he taught one term in Isabella county, at the close of which he engaged as clerk in a real estate and insurance office in Mt. Pleasant, Mich., where he remained for four years, and then entered the same line of business at the same place himself. Prevented by circumstance from taking a college course, be determined upon the practice of law as his life’s work, and in 1888 began the study of law at home evenings and spare moments. January 1, 1892, he moved to Grand Rapids and engaged in office work still continuing the study of law. In March, 1894, he was examined before Judge Grove, and was admitted to the bar, since which time he has devoted himself to the practice of his chosen profession, in which he has met with flattering success. In politics he is a republican. At the age of twenty-one years he was elected the first justice of the peace under the city charter of Mt. Pleasant, Mich., which office he held for two years, but declined a re-election. In the fall of 1896, he was elected on the republican ticket, one of the three representatives for the First district of Kent county, comprised of the city of Grand Rapids. He served during the regular session of 1897 and the special session of 1898, during which time he won the distinction of being one of the leaders of the house on the republican side. In the fall of 1898 he was re-elected to the house by a handsome majority, against open and bitter opposition from members of his own party against the strong and determined opposition of the state administration and the governor personally; he was elected speaker of the house of 1899 in one of the most bitter and determined fights ever witnessed in the state over this position. In the republican caucus for the nomination for a speaker, the first ballot was a tie--a thing never heard of before in the state--and on the second ballot he was nominated by a majority of four, and was duly installed. He filled the office with grace, dignity and ability, and although party feeling and strife ran high, he was never overruled in a single decision during the entire session of almost six months duration. It is said of him the house was never called to order a minute before or after the time fixed for convening. By his marvelously rapid dispatch of the routine business of the house, he saved the state thousands of dollars. He broke all records on the last day for introducing bills, by recognizing the introducer, receiving, having read by title a first and second time and referring to the proper standing committee, 368 bills in 110 minutes. Mr. Adams was married March 15, 1888, to Miss Alta Roop. To this union has been born one child, Pauline H., who came to add happiness to the household, October 21, 1892, and the happy little family live in a modest home at 243 Woodmere court. Mr. Adams is a member of Valley City lodge, K. of P., and as a gentleman, lawyer and politician can count as his strongest friends the best business people of Grand Rapids, and is most highly esteemed throughout Kent county.