William McAdam, retired farmer, of Effingham, Kan., was born February 6, 1861, in Stirlingshire, Scotland, and is a son of James and Helen (Macnee) McAdam, who, with their children emigrated from their native country in 1882 and settled on a farm near Effingham in Atchison county, Kansas.
They reared a family of five children, of whom William is the oldest, the others being as follows: Mrs. Jane Drummond, of Ellenville, Kan.; George, of Holton, Kan.; Mrs. Nellie Drummond, residing in Cottonwood Falls, Kan.; and James, living at Holton, Kan. The father of these children was born in 1820, and died in 1885, just three years after coming to America. He was a hard-working, industrious farmer. The mother was born in 1839 and departed this life in May 1899.
William McAdam was twenty-one years of age when the family came to Atchison County and for three years after his arrival here he assisted his parents in the operation of the home farm. He then worked out for one year and began renting land on his own account, renting twelve years in all, five of which were in Jackson County, Kansas. His first purchase of land was a tract of ninety-six acres in Jackson County, which he improved and resided upon until 1907 when he moved to Effingham, where he and his family reside in one of the most attractive homes in the city, located on a tract of ten acres. Mr. McAdam is now the owner of 160 acres of good land south of Effingham, over which he has supervision.
He was married in 1888 to Miss Augusta Sutter, a daughter of Frederick Sutter, now deceased, who was one of the earliest settlers in Atchison County, and who became one of the wealthy landowners of the county. (See sketch of Fred Sutter.) Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. McAdam, Fannie, and Mabel, both of whom are at home with their parents. The mother of these children was born in Atchison County in 1861.
Mr. McAdam is an independent Democrat, who votes as his conscience dictates, and prefers to support the man rather than any one political party or creed, believing in this manner that better government will result. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and is fraternally connected with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.