LAYTON City used to have a modern day "Jim Bridger," who was also often heralded as a "mighty hunter, a sheepman and a civic leader. Dell (Delbert) H. Adams (1890-1971) was one of the most unique of persons in Layton's past. Sadly, he is often unheralded in Layton's history.
The Salt Lake Telegram of March 8, 1934 carried the headline, "Layton man mighty hunter of big game; Bagging mountain sheep biggest thrill." He also bagged deer, wild goats, cougars, plus wild hogs in Mexico.
He also shot a hug bull moose in the wilds of Wyoming and it took him two days to get it back to civilization.
Adams lived at 600 West Gentile Street and was a lifelong resident of Layton. He married Sarah Kershaw in 1914 in the Salt Lake Temple and the couple had two sons and five daughters.
When the 1923 "Covered Wagon" movie was filmed on Antelope Island in 1922, Adams was the one in charge of buffalo herd on the isle.
He also came across the skeleton of a giant moose in Montana next to a hunter, who had likely died in a battle with the animal years earlier
His closed call while hunting was when a rat saved his life. Adams and friend were hunting in the wilderness of central Idaho and had to take shelter in an abandoned cabin. The exhausted hunters were annoyed by a rat in the cabin and they were about to shoot it, when they noticed the stove had set the cabin on fire. The rat had kept them awake, or they'd likely have perished in the blaze.
"We got the fire out before much damage was done," Adams told the Salt Lake Telegram newspaper in a March 8, 1934 article. "No, I never shot the rat. He proved about the timeliest pal I ever had."
With Jim Bridger as his favorite mountain, Adams portrayed
Bridger in every Pioneer Days Parade in Ogden for 25 straight years, from 1934 to 1959. He also rode as Jim Bridger in the Pioneer Days Parade in Salt Lake City prior to that, with a pack team of pack mules carrying furs and himself all adorned in period authentic dress.
The Ogden Standard-Examiner of July 21, 1943 described Adams as "a virtual reincarnation of Jim Bridger."
"Modern-day 'Jim Bridger' abandons rile for Pioneers Day celebration" was am Aug. 19, 1959 headline in the Ogden Standard-Examiner. "But I can't keep doing this forever," he told the newspaper. "After all, I am pushing 70."
He was a born story-teller and often traveled with his wife, from St. George to Logan to share his outdoor exploits. He had an extensive collection of pioneer relics and had been a long-time member of the Sons of Utah Pioneers.
According to Logan's Cache-American newspaper of Dec. 20, 1938, he also served wild meat at the big barbecue in Kaysville to 825 boys from the North and South Davis stakes of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Adams was a well-known Utah sheepman and a past president of the Utah Wool Growers Association and also former leader of the Davis County Wildlife Federation. His sheep often won awards in livestock shows.
He received a community service award from the Layton Chamber of Commerce.
From 1920-1921, Adams was a member of the first town board in Layton City, after it became its own registered community in 1920.
L.W. Ellison. R. Adams, Francis Bone and Leonard Sandall were the other first Layton leaders after incorporation.
(NOTE that Adams was often referred to as "Del Adams.")
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