George J. Adams

George Jones Adams was the leader of a schismatic Latter Day Saint sect who led an illfated effort to establish a colony of Americans in Palestine. Adams was also briefly a member of the First Presidency in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints . In preparation for colonizing Palestine, he changed his name to George Washington Joshua Adams, to tie himself to two wellknown country builders George Washington of the United States and Joshua of ancient Israel.

Adams was born in Oxford, New Jersey of Welsh descent. By the 1830s, he had been trained as a Methodist preacher and was a merchant tailor. He was also an aspiring Shakespearean actor, but had little success in being cast in roles.

Source: Wikipedia