In Valparaiso he was employed to manage Lord Cochrane's estate, for a salary of £200 per year. In 1821 he had a son, William Alexander Adams (de), later to become a mechanical engineer in his own right. The family survived the earthquake in Valparaiso of 19 November 1822.
Lord Cochrane employed him to manage his estate in Valparaiso for £200 per year. In 1821, he had a son named William Alexander Adams (de), who later became a mechanical engineer. The family survived the earthquake that struck Valparaiso on November 19, 1822.