192-year tradition continues for Adams family

By Thomas Clapper

CCM Reporter

Adams Tree Farms in Malvern is wrapping up another year of holiday sales in its 192-year, multi-generational legacy in the timber and pine tree selling business. 

John and his wife, Irene (Savona), Adams are the latest in a line of family tree farmers since 1832. Growing up in Carroll County, John graduated from Carrollton High School and Irene is a Malvern graduate. 

“The original John Adams of the family was a sailor from England,” John explained during an interview with The Messenger. “He started as a cabin boy which was the custom at the time. He was on a boat that wrecked in Jamaica and from there he made his way into New England.”

How or why the boat crashed is lost to history, but Adams eventually made it to Carroll County where the original tree farm remains to this day five miles outside of Bergholz in Fox and Lee townships. The farm is currently 220 acres, and the old farmhouse is still standing and has been kept up to date, but that part was sold off and is not a part of the farm anymore. John Adams was married to Elizabeth McKay.

“John Adams is listed in ‘A History of Carroll County’ and ‘A History of Harrison County’ books,” said John. “It has John Adams listed as one who helped build a school in Bergholz. It noted 25 gallons of whiskey was consumed.”

CC Adams was the eldest son of John Adams, and therefore inherited the tree farm. He was a judge and blacksmith as well as a tree farmer. He married Tamaro Lewton. 

“Every Adams has had a second job, and it was always the oldest son who inherited the farm,” said John. 

After CC Adams, John Quincy Adams, who was a lamb dyer and worked with animals, took over. He provided lambs for local nativity scenes. He was married to Minnie Wiggins. 

“Minnie Wiggins had several sisters and each one married locally,” said John. “I am related to a lot of people as a result of this. There is a reccurring theme here, all Adams men married well to strong independent type women.”

The Adams family farm supplied timber for railroad ties and the roofs of coal mines in the Bergholz area during World War I and World War II. 

Irl Adams and wife, Lorena John, were next in line. This was the current John Adams’ father and John inherited the farm from him.

John and Irene have three children including CC (Carl Cirt) (Jessica) Adams, Lloyd Irl (Cindy) Adams and Debbie Adams-Walker.

“The original CC Adams stood for Christopher Columbus, but I didn’t want to put that name on my boy,” said John with a laugh. “We came up with Carl Cirt. There has always been a John, a CC and an Irl. My first-born grandson is Jack Q. Adams.”

The present-day farm is a wooded area of tall timber where primarily Fraser fir trees are grown. 

“Fraser fir trees are the Cadillac of Christmas trees,” said Irene. “It is a very house friendly tree and popular for Christmas trees. It also lasts a long time.”

Irene enjoys making grave blankets, grave pillows, natural pine roping and natural pine wreaths that are sold along with Christmas trees at their home along SR 43 in Malvern. Two fields are set aside exclusively to grow Fraser firs for greens and grave decorations. Approximately 1,000 feet of heavy roping is made to sell each year in 10-foot sections. 

Adams said they previously sold thousands of trees to Colorado to make housing projects, but now it is only hundreds of trees a year. A neighbor cuts hay and helps clear the land to give to his cattle. 

“For the projects we sell in Malvern, all of our trees are selective cut, we kill vines and weeds and everything the forester recommends to get good timber,” said John. “It is a lot of work. Deer just love to eat a Fraser fir.”

He explained deer is the primary animal that is the most destructive to the trees. There is a 10-foot high electric fence to keep the deer out and the trees are sprayed in the winter with liquid fence, which causes a deer to spit it out and feel like that tree isn’t worth eating. 

The Adams’ said their Malvern Christmas tree, greens and gravestone item location opens around mid-November or the week before Thanksgiving and ends around Dec. 20. This year is the earliest they are running out of Christmas trees. There have been 110 trees sold to date this year and there will be about the same amount next year. In 2026 there will be over 300 trees available. 

“My grandfather planted trees for me and my father to harvest, my father planted trees for me to harvest and I planted trees for my son to harvest if they decide to take over,” said John. “Christmas trees take approximately 10 to 15 years to grow and must be planted in advance for the future.”

“On the bright side, we enjoy this business, people come and bring their kids and are very happy,” said Irene. “They want the perfect Christmas tree. Kids pick an ornament off the kid tree and enjoy that. We hope to make life a little bit better for the holidays.”

“It has been a very rewarding way of life,” said John. “I enjoy hardwork and I like challenges. Farming is a challenge. I hope we can see the 200th anniversary of the Adams family owning the farm, but that will be in eight years and a lot can happen before then.”

After 192 years in operation thus far, the legacy of Adams Tree Farms Christmas trees, gravestone products and more have touched thousands of families in and around Carroll County and will continue to do so for years to come.