John Adam IV

• from Kent Historical Society - Rufus Fuller & The South Kent Ore Bed

Beginning in 1797 Samuel Forbes of Canaan, the Iron Master of the Northwest Region and of the Canaan and Salisbury Ironworks, had become interested in the Ore Hill operation and started buying up shares. By 1802 he had acquired the major interest in the bed from the first proprietors. In 1816 he sold one sixth interest to Samuel William Johnson who had also inherited some shares from his father William Samuel Johnson, a major owner and director since 1759.

John Adam was a son-in-law of Samuel Forbes and handled much of the business for Forbes. In 1816 Forbes turned over the rest of his shares to Adam. He and Johnson became the proprietors with Adam assuming the active direction of the Ore Hill operation.