Childhood and career [ edit ]

Adams was born  in Philadelphia . In 1981, he  enlisted in the Pennsylvania Regiment of the US Army before the minimum age for enlistment , and served there for 3 months before returning to school life. ^[1] In 1863 when Robert E. He rejoined the army just as Lee's army invaded Pennsylvania and served as quartermaster until 1871. ^[1] [2] He then worked in business for a few years. He later studied law and established himself as a lawyer in Philadelphia in 1878. ^[1] He then practiced law privately in the New York firm of Judge Baby and Wilkes from 1883 to 1901 as a specialist in maritime law.After Judge Baby's death in 1884, he became a partner in the firm and renamed it Wilkes, Adams & Greene. do ^[1] [2]  There he handled maritime law cases for the United States Supreme Court. ^[3]  Adams served as secretary of the Union League Club of New York from 1894 to 1895. ^{[4] [5] [6]}