Lee, thank you for replying, no I do not know location in Va, if I did I wouldn't have my nose pressed against this brick wall.

There were several Adams families in the Saline/White counties IL area, I sort of doubt they were related to mine.

John was in TN ca 1830 to about 1838-40 then in Ky, family has it that they were in Christian Co Ky, but I haven't been able to prove that. They hit Saline Co Il just after last child was born as she is 1/12 old in 16 Oct 1850, date census was taken.

Family lore is that John left home, was gone about 5 years and when he returned home the family had left. (Nobody seems to know where he left home from.) My great uncle said, that they lived in So and No Carolina either before or after John was born- lore is also that he hunted all over and never found the family.
Two of his sons served in the CW, brought along their own horses, one son Stephen served to the end and died in Phillipstown White Co Il soon after ,1865. The other son Alexander left the service too soon, seems as tho he thought he was let go because of lung problems, well the Army was working on the release, but it hadn't reached him yet so, technically he deserted, and was caught up with near Vicksburg-I think. Don't know what happen to him.
I know there were several Va families in Humpreys and Dickson Co TN, from Halifax Co VA Adamses, and in 1888 (?) there was an old John Adams from the Halifax bunch that came to Williamson Co Il (published b-day picnic)where my Adamses were and told of having 3 wives and think 27 children, and he had lived in TN for a while, this old guy was b ca 1790's too young to be my John's father. I pursued this for awhile, but didn't quite pan out. He died in Perry Co IL.
I don't know where to go from here other than doing the census' and taxlists for TN & KY, and just keep looking for him. Any ideas?