John Hicks Adams began his life out west as a 49er of the California Gold Rush. He later became Sheriff of Santa Clara County and eventually a Deputy United States Marshal for the Arizona Territory.
He was known in the Wild West for his quick draw and made a name for himself as a gunslinger. He died in 1878, and his killers escaped to Mexico, where they found safety within the Mexican government.
Early Life
John Hicks Adams was born in Edwardsville, Illinois, on June 13, 1820. His father, John Adams Sr., was the Sheriff of Madison County.
His father appointed John as Deputy Sheriff in 1838, and in 1841 he married Mathilda Pomeroy. Their first child was born a year later, and she was named May Hanna.
John Hicks Adams joined Company J, 5th Regiment of the Illinois Volunteers, during the Mexican American War. He would be promoted to Captain after the death of Captain Niles, the commander of his company. Adams would keep his rank of Captain throughout his year and a half of active duty.
During the Mexican-American War, he served in the Southwest, fighting Indians. He was discharged from the service on October 12, 1848.
After his service, he returned home but did not remain in Illinois for too long. Gold had been discovered in California and would give rise to a group of men that became known as the 49ers. He arrived in Hangtown, California, in August of 1849 and began his career as a miner.
He returned home in September 1851 and then returned to California in 1852, accompanied by his family. He and his family settled in Georgetown, where he continued to mine for gold. In 1853, he and his family moved again to Gilroy
Later Years
Having law enforcement and military experience made John an excellent candidate for Western politics. He ran and won the office of Santa Clara County Supervisor for Gilroy and Almaden Township. In 1863, John Hicks Adams was elected Sheriff.
During this time, the nation was embroiled in the Civil War, and although California was further West than most states, it still felt the effects of the war.
A band of Confederate partisan rangers, known as Captain Ingram's Partisan Rangers from the San Jose area, robbed two stagecoaches in the Bullion Bend Robbery near Placerville. The posse gunned down Deputy Sheriff Staples of El Dorado County and was holed up in a shack near Almaden when Sheriff Adams learned about their whereabouts.
Sheriff John Hicks Adams and a posse of Deputies rode out to meet the rangers and ordered them to surrender. The Confederate partisan rangers did not listen to the orders and tried to escape. A shoot-out ensued, which resulted in all the Confederate being captured or killed in a volley of shots. Sheriff Adams was wounded when a bullet struck his pocket watch and glanced into his ribs.
The same year, another gang of partisan rangers known as the Mason Henry Gang became active in Santa Clara County. They were guilty of a long list of crimes that included Stagecoach robberies, theft, and murder.
Sheriff Adams enlisted the help of two companies of Native California Volunteer Cavalry to help pursue the Mason Henry Gang. During the summer of 1865, his pursuit of the gang hit a snag when he could not locate their hideout.
In June of that year, a posse of nine soldiers and five citizens led by Sheriff Adams searched the area around the Panoche Valley in what is now southern San Benito County in search of the gange after receiving a reliable tip that they were planning a raid on the ranches there.
However, a system of spies set up by the secessionists had warned the band of their approach. When Sheriff Adams arrived at Panoche, Mason, and Henry were already retreating towards Corralitos.
The gang was not caught, but due to the heat that was put on them by Sheriff Adams, they left for Southern California. There, Henry was killed by the Sheriff in San Bernardina County, and Mason was killed by Benjamin Mayfield, a miner, near Fort Tejon the following year.
John Hicks Adams developed a good reputation as a lawman and won re-election in 1865 and 1867. He became the first Sheriff in Santa Clara County to be elected to three consecutive terms until he briefly retired in 1870, only to win re-election when he ran again in 1871 and 1873.
It would be his information that led to the capture of notorious outlaw Tiburcio Vasquez, who was hung before a large crowd of men, women, and children in the yard of the Santa Clara County Jail.
Adams lost the 1875 election and finished his last term in March 1876, which ended his time as a Sheriff.
Death
After losing the election of 1875, John Hicks Adams was appointed Deputy United States Marshal for the Arizona Territory. While he had earned an excellent reputation as a lawman, he had also made many enemies.
Ten days after being appointed, he and a fellow officer were ambushed by five Mexican bandits between Washington Mine and Tucson.
He put up a good fight despite being shot, but the bandits overwhelmed him. He was found beaten to death with clubs and rocks.
The murderers escaped to Mexico and were caught by the Mexican government. However, Mexican officials refused to extradite them to the United States for the prosecution of the murders.