James Adair
James Adair was an Irish-born trader and writer, likely born in County Antrim around 1709, who migrated to South Carolina in 1735. His early life remains largely unrecorded, but he is believed to have had some formal education. Adair established his career by trading with Native American tribes, including the Cherokee and Catawba, before moving west to live among the Chickasaw in present-day Mississippi. He was involved in significant events of the time, such as the Choctaw revolt against French colonial authority in 1746.
Adair's most notable work, *History of the American Indians*, published in 1775, was informed by his extensive interactions with Native Americans and colonial officials. The book reflects his observations and the cultural changes he witnessed due to European contact, though it also shows his romanticized perspective on Indigenous peoples. Adair's writing became an important reference on Southeastern tribes, with a German edition released in 1782. He spent time seeking support for his publication in both New York City and England before returning to America around 1778. Adair is believed to have died in 1783, leaving a legacy as a unique voice on the Native American experience during his time.
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James Adair
- Born: c. 1709
- Birthplace: County Antrim, Ireland (now in Northern Ireland)
- Died: c. 1783
Biography
James Adair was probably born in County Antrim, Ireland about the year 1709. Nothing is known of his life until he migrated to South Carolina in 1735, though his writings seem to indicate at least secondary school education. There is evidence of three sons—John, Edward, and James—who were born in the 1750’s, and his will mentions two grown daughters, Saraanna and Elizabeth, and six grandchildren. He may have married an unknown Cherokee woman, though John and Edward were said to have had an English mother. After arriving in Charleston, Adair began trading with Cherokee and Catawba natives in western South Carolina. By 1744, he had migrated west to modern-day Mississippi and was living among the Chickasaw. He may have played a part in instigating the Choctaw revolt against the French colonial government in 1746. From 1751 to 1759, he traded among the South Carolina Cherokees.
His experiences among the Native Americans and clashes with colonial authorities prompted him to begin writing his History of the American Indians (1775) in the 1760’s, while living among the Chickasaw. The work was nearly complete in 1768 when he appeared in New York City. While there, he unsuccessfully urged General Thomas Gage to send a party of Chickasaws to England to impress upon them England’s power. He also began the process of gaining subscribers to support the publication of his book. By the early 1770’s, he was in South Carolina seeking subscribers, and in 1775 went to England to oversee its publication. He returned to America by 1778, when he wrote his will, in which he mentions owning some one hundred acres in Wilkinsons Swamp, Bladen County, North Carolina. He is supposed to have died in 1783.
Adair’s sole literary achievement was the History, which was based on his own observations and discussions with colonial authorities and Native Americans. Though he tended to romanticize the Indians, he also noted the changes that occurred within their cultures—generally for the worse—following contact with Europeans. The History was without peer in its day as the book of reference on the Southeastern tribes north of Florida, with a German edition (Breslau) appearing in 1782.