Architect, City of Seattle, Building Department, c. 1908-1912; Architect, Seattle School Board, Seattle, WA, 1912-1916; Inspector, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Seattle, WA, 1916-1918; Designer, John Graham and Company, Seattle, WA, 1918-1924; in 1918, Graham's office was located at 411 Occidental Avenue in Seattle's Pioneer Square neighborhood. During World War II, he worked at the Siems-Drake-Puget Sound Construction Company, 2929 16th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA; Designer, Henry W. Bittman, Architect, Seattle, WA, 1924-c. 1942, 1946-1953. (The 1940 US Census recorded that Adams operated his "own office" at that time.) Partner, Bittman, Adams and Sanders, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1954.

Member, Seattle Architectural Club, Seattle, WA, 1910; Adams worked for much of his career as a trusted designer for Henry W. Bittman.

Coursework, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL, 1904-1907.

Born in the small town of Paris, IL, Harold lived with his parents in Danville, IL, in 1900, residing at 105 Vermillion Street. In 1900, Myranda Wallace (born c. 09/1947 in IL), Elizabeth's elder sister, lived with the family. He attended the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL, between 1904-1907, but does not seem to have graduated. When he first moved to Seattle, Henry lived with the MacLean Family in 1910 at 2447 10th Avenue North. Angus MacLean, Sr., (born c. 1867 in Scotland) worked as a carpenter, and his wife, Christie (born c. 1869 in Scotland) minded their two sons. From at least 1914-1916, he and Elizabeth lived at 706 1/2 3rd Avenue, Seattle, WA, and also maintained a permanent residence at Rolling Bay, Bainbridge Island, WA. The 1920 US Census placed the Adams's permanent address at Rolling Bay, in a house they owned. Ten years later, they lived in a house at 4840 East 40th Street in 1930; they did not own the residence, but paid $60 per month in rent, suggesting that they also might have maintained their permanent place on Bainbridge. In 1940, the US Census indicated that they lived with son, John, at 2628 10th Avenue North, Seattle, and had resided there at least since 1935. At age 56, he listed a Seattle address when he filled out his World War II Draft Registration Form; on 04/27/1942, he lived at 2608 Boyer Avenue, Seattle.

His father was Henry B. Adams (born 02/1854 in IL), his mother, Margaret Wallace (born 11/1852 in IL). According to the sometimes reliable US Census (1900), Henry's parents had come from PA (mother) and OH (father), and Margaret's from OH (mother) and PA (father). Henry worked as a china merchant in 1900, and he had married Margaret c. 1881. Harold's family developed roots on Bainbridge Island, WA; his parents lived across from the Manitou Beach Dock there.

Harold married Elizabeth H. Adams (born 03/14/1884 in SD). Her parents, according to the 1930 US Census, were from England, probably Wales (father) and WI (mother). They were married before 08/14/1914, when they returned from a trip to Europe. On that date, they took the S.S. Andania from Liverpool, Scotland to Quebec, arriving on 08/26/1914. This was just after Great Britain declared war on Germany, 08/04/1914, and crossing the Atlantic may have been viewed as hazardous, as Germany had 29 submarines at the beginning of the war. The Germans would later establish a blockade around the British Isles on 02/04/1915, and the Cunard passenger liner, R.M.S. Lusitania, was sunk on 05/07/1915 by one torpedo from SM U-20, killing 1,198.

Elizabeth had at least two children, Maragaret (born c. 1916 in Seattle) and John Wallace Adams (1919-2002). Like his father, John became an architect and also chose to reside on Bainbridge Island.

In 1942, Adams stood 5-foot 7-inches tall and weighted about 150 pounds. He had gray hair, brown eyes and a light complexion according to his World War II draft card. The card also noted that the tip of the third finger on his right hand was gone.

• Paris, IL (Architect's Birth)
  Paris, IL

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