Azubah (Zu) W Adams
Zu Adams was born in Atchison, Kansas, in January 13, 1859, to Franklin George and Harriet (Clark) Adams. Named Azubah for her father’s mother, she was always known as Zu. As a child she lived in various Kansas towns including Waterville, Wichita, and Topeka. In 1876, when Zu was 17, her father became secretary of the new Kansas State Historical Society in Topeka, and she became his unpaid assistant. Later she was given a salary and the title of librarian. At the time of her father’s death in 1899, both she and he hoped that she would succeed him as Secretary. When George Martin emerged as a candidate for that position, however, Zu reluctantly withdrew her own candidacy. She worked as Martin’s assistant until her own death on April 12, 1911. Zu never married, remaining in the family home and raising her younger brothers and sisters. In addition she adopted a daughter of her own in 1896.
Because of the role which Zu played in the development of the Kansas State Historical Society, her papers are a major resource for anyone researching that institution or any of the individuals involved in its development. Perpetual struggles over funding and space are documented in the collection, along with day-to-day activities such as cataloging, indexing and proofreading. Zu and her father often did Society work at home, involving various other family members, and, throughout the collection, information about her family and the Society are interwoven.
Entry: Adams, Azubah (Zu)
Author: Kansas Historical Society
Author information: The Kansas Historical Society is a state agency charged with actively safeguarding and sharing the state's history.
Date Created: December 2017
Date Modified: January 2024
The author of this article is solely responsible for its content.
