In 1910, the Joplin Daily Globe began a series of short features on the “live wires” of Southwest Missouri, men whom the paper decided were the up and coming members of the community. The short articles featured a caricature of the individual (usually in a work related setting), plus some biographical information. Below, we offer A.F. Adams, the first of a number of these “live wires” we’ll be sharing to offer a glimpse of what Joplin once considered her leading members of community.
Note the "Hello Girls" in the background.
A.F. Adams began his career in the telephone business in Wisconsin as a constructing engineer with a telephone company. From there he successfully managed independent telephone properties in both Wisconsin and Illinois. Adams arrived in Joplin in August, 1905, presumably to work with the Home Telephone Company. The Globe noted that since his connection with the company, subscribers had jumped from 2,500 to nearly 7,000. In addition to being a successful member of Joplin’s business community, Adams also had time to join the International Order of Odd Fellows and the Elks. The paper also offered Adams home address at the time, a common element to articles in the time period, as being 1615 Pearl Street.
The Home Telephone Company was incorporated in 1902, and Adams was at least still an officer of the company five years later in 1915. Adam’s success, however, led to his move to Kansas City to oversee a larger telephone conglomeration in 1912. Further success led to Adams sharing his time between Kansas City and New York City.
