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THE name of Adams is variously spelled in the early Essex county records, appearing as Adam, Adams, Addam, Addams, Addom, Addoms, Addum, Addums, Adom, Adoms, Adum, Adums, etc.

Among the several early New England immigrants by the name of Adams, ROBERT ADAMS', born in 1601, a native of Devonshire, England, is at the head of a numerous and prominent family. He was living in Ipswich, Mass., in 1635,

*The Adams family may rightly claim the oldest individual name on record, the word being derived from Adamah—“red earth." The first man was called Adam, from the earth of which he was created. Adams, in its early form Ap Adam, meaning "son of Adam," was first assumed, probably during the Crusades, when surnames came into general use throughout Europe.

The earliest yet known of the line was a John Ap Adam, "who came out of the Marches of Wales." He married Elizabeth, daughter of John Lord Gourney of Tidenham and Beviston, county of Gloucester, and was called to Parliament as Baron of the Realm from 1296 to 1307. This was under Edward I., called Longshanks. These arms were granted him: Ar., on a cross gu., five mullets or. In the upper part of a

Gothic window on the southeast side of Tidenham church, near Chopstow, there is the name "Johes Ab Adams, 1310," and beneath it the above-named arms. This glass-work is finely executed, and both it and the church are in good preservation. This building was originally in Wales, but came within the limits of England later by a change in the boundary line. The crest, not on this window, but borne later by the family, is "a demi-lion out of a ducal coronet," with the motto Loyal au mort. Two other mottoes commonly used by this branch of the family are Aspire, persevere and indulge not, and Sub cruce veritas, the first being preferred by the descendants of Henry of Braintree.

The following is claimed as the English ancestry. 1. John Ap Adam, Baron of the Realm, 1296 to 1307; married Elizabeth Gourney.

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X.

IX. Roger Adams; married Jane Eliott. Thomas Adams; married Maria Upton. XI. John Adams; married Jane Benneleigh. XII. John Adams; married Catharine Stebling. XIII. Nicholas (or John) Adams; married Margaret Squire.

XIV. Richard Adams; married Margaret Armager. This Richard had two sons, Robert and William. William married Barrington, and had two children, Sir Thomas and Henry, who came to New England in 1634, and settled in Braintree, becoming the ancestor of the presidents.

XV. Robert Adams; married Elizabeth Shirland.

XVI. Robert Adams; married Eleanor came to New England, and settled as above, becoming the head of this family.

The important facts and all dates in the above outline are taken from printed works, Much information was derived from Henry Whittemore's book, published by William McDonald, N. Y., 1893; The Book of Dignities, compiled by Joseph Hayden; and Maitland's History of London, London, 1756.

-Raymond M. Adams.

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3-II. JOANNA, b. in 1634; m. Launcelot Granger Jan. 4, 1654; and removed to Suffield, Conn.

4-III. ABRAHAM2, b. in 1639, in Salem. See below (4):

5-IV. ROBERT, b. about 1641; was living in 1651.

6-v.

ELIZABETH'; m. Edward Phelps of Andover before 1681. 7-VI. MARY2; m. Jeremiah Goodridge Nov. 15, 1660; and lived in Newbury. 8-VII. ISAAC, b. in 1648; d., unmarried, after 1681.

9-VIII. JACOB2, b. April 23, 1649, in Newbury; d. Aug. 12, 1649.

10-IX. HANNah2, b. June 25, 1650, in Newbury; m. William Warham Feb. 10, 1682. She had by Joseph Mayo a daughter named Hannah, or Joanna, born in Newbury Oct. 12, 1678, who probably married Joseph Lunt of Newbury (published Dec. 4, 1708). JACOB, b. Sept. 13, 1654, in Newbury. See below (11). 4

II-X.

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below (18).

RICHARD3, b. Nov. 22, 1693. See below (21).

I I

JACOB ADAMS', born in Newbury Sept. 13, 1654, lived there until about 1686, when he removed to Suffield, Conn. He was representative from Suffield, 17111714, 1717, and died at the General Court in Boston in November, 1717. He was a cordwainer by trade. He married Anna Allen April 7, 1677, and she was living in 1686.

Children :

22-I. DOROTHY3, b. July 26, 1679, in Newbury.

23-11. REBECCA3, b. Aug. 26, 1680, in Newbury. DANIEL'.

24-III. 25-IV.

26-v.

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JACOB3, b. Jan. 27, 1685, in Newbury; m. Mercy Gillet Dec. 24, 1702; and d. Oct. 28, 1756.

ABRAHAM3, b. Nov. 10, 1687; m., first, Joanna Norton of Suffield April 7, 1713; second, Anne Heiden July 25, 1733; and d. Feb. 12, 1769, aged eighty-one.

27-VI. JOHN3, d. Nov. 9, 1690. 28-VII. ANN".

29-VIII. SARAH3.

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ROBERT ADAMS3, born in Newbury May 12, 1674, and resided there. He was a yeoman; and died in Newbury Feb. 3, 1769, aged ninety-four. He married Rebecca Knight Aug., 1695.

Children, born in Newbury:

ABRAHAM, b. July 3, 1696. See below (32).

REBECCA, b. Jan. 28, 1697-8; m. Joseph Morse, 3d, of Newbury Dec. 22, 1721; and d. before 1765.

13-11.

ROBERT, b. May 12, 1674.

(13).

14-III. ABRAHAM3, b. May 2, 1676.

See below See below

(14).

ISAAC3, b. Feb. 26, 1678-9. See below (15):

32-1.

33-11.

34-III.

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15-IV. 16-v. SARAH3,b. April 15,1681. See below(16). 17-VI. JOHN3, b. March 7, 1684. See below(17). 18-VII. MATTHEW3, b. May 25, 1686. See

19-VIII. ISRAEL, b. Dec. 25, 1688; lived in Newbury; m. Rebecca Atkinson Oct. 15, 1714; and d., childless, in Waltham, Dec. 12, 1714, aged twentysix. His widow, Rebecca, m., second, Ens. Joseph Hilton of Exeter Oct. 10, 1716.

* Savage says that the youngest son was one named Archelaus.

MARY, b. March 5, 1700; m. James

Merrill Nov. 23, 1724.

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CAPT. ABRAHAM ADAMS3, born in Newbury May 2, 1676. He went to sea in early life, sailing first to the West Indies. He soon rose to the command of a vessel, and made fourteen trips to England, besides many trading voyages coastwise. He married Anne Longfellow, a niece of Judge Samuel Sewall, of Newbury, Dec. —, 1793. At that time his father gave him the "highfields," land just above the falls in Byfield, though the deed was not passed for two years; and Abraham became a farmer. Upon this land Capt. Abraham built his residence. This house, as it now appears, is shown in the frontispiece. In it are the original deeds of the estate and two chairs which were brought to her new home by the bride. Many other relics, desks, tables, spinningwheels, chairs, warming-pans, china, pewter, a tall clock, a sword used in the battle of Bunker Hill, deeds, wills, the diary of Josiah Adams, silhouettes of colonial men and maids,--are now counted among the treasures of the place. Some of the original shingles and clapboards (covering a solid wall of home-made bricks) are yet in a good state of preservation on the west end of the house. But the diamondpaned windows, imported from England, have been removed. The smoothly finished beams, the great fire-places with their paneled sides, the heavy doors, the broad low stairs, the fine work in stairway and mantel, all speak of former pride and prosperity. The old house is now owned and occupied by Mr. George W. Adams, a direct descendant of the builder, who

* On returning from one of his voyages, Capt. Abraham Adams brought some apple trees, one shoot of which is still growing where he planted it. Tradition says that his oxen stopped in the ford at cart creek, while on his way with seed and plants from his father's farm, and he said, "I'd rather dump these seeds in the creek than put them in the ground." He became, however, in time, a successful farmer.

continues to till the acres that have been in the family possession so long.

Captain Adams died on this old place April 8, 1763, at the age of eighty-six. His wife was alive in 1739, but the date of her death is unknown.

Children, born in Newbury:

41-1.

42—II.

43-III.

ANNE, b. April 29, 1705; m. Robert
Steward of Rowley Dec. 11, 1727.
WILLIAM', b. May 8, 1706. See below
(42).

MARY, b. Sept. 26, 1707; m. Thomas
Poor of Andover Sept. 30, 1728; and
lived in Andover.

44-IV. STEPHEN', b. April 16, 1712; d. young.

45-v.

46-vI.

47-VII.

48-vIII. 49-IX. 50-x.

SARAH, b. Sept. 29, 1713; m. Dea. Samuel Somerby of Newbury Sept. 29, 1735.

ABRAHAM, b. Aug. 24, 1715. See below (46).

SAMUEL, b. June 6, 1717. See below (47).

JOSEPH' (twin), b. May 8, 1719. See
below (48).

BENJAMIN (twin), b. May 8, 1719.
See below (49).

NATHAN, b. Jan. 17, 1720-1; was a joiner by trade; m. Mary Trumbull of Charlestown Feb. 17, 1757, and removed thither. He served as captain in the French war, and was afterward an innkeeper in Charlestown, his hotel being burned by the British in 1775. They had children. 51-XI. HENRY, b. Nov. 18, 1722. See below (51).

15

ISAAC ADAMS3, born in Newbury Feb. 26, 1678-9. He was living in Bradford in

*Many stories of the old home are told.

H., by David Adams; and once when sick, and A slave was brought on a visit from Derry, N. no regular physician would attend him, a cowdoctor was called. He advised a hot bath; but as nothing large enough could be found, an old filled with boiling water. The negro was uncerdug-out was dragged from the river, pitched and emoniously thrust therein, but escaped with his life. A fire once broke out in the attic, and the ' slave rushed up stairs with a hatchet to cut a hole in the roof. But the hatchet being dull and the roof high, he made use of his head and battered at the roof until the sun shone through.

The last Indian of the neighborhood died on the doorstone of this house. One Indian was held as a slave by Samuel Adams (son of the builder), and his bunk is still to be seen in the old attic.

1713. He died May 8, 1750, aged sixtysix; and his widow, Sarah, died Dec. 10, 1754.

Children, born in Rowley :

60-1.

1707; but afterward lived in Rowley. In his early manhood he was a weaver by trade, but spent the remainder of his life as a farmer. He married Hannah Spofford of Rowley (published Feb. 20, 17078). His will is dated Jan. 24, 1737-8, and it was proved March 27, 1738. He had bought a farm of his wife's father and grandfather in Boxford in 1716, to which she removed upon her husband's death; and died there Sept. 3, 1775, at the age of ninety- 63-IV. JOHN, b. April 12, 1721. See below (63).

six. The farm is now owned by James Whitney, and is commonly known as the Thwing place.

Children, born in Rowley :

52-1.

53-11.

See below
See below

HANNAH, b. June 15, 1709; m. Daniel Burbank of Bradford (pub. Jan. 15, 1730-1); and d. Aug. 20, 1744. SAMUEL', b. Feb. 9, 1710-1. See below (53). 54-III. ISAAC, b. May 25, 1713. See below (54). 55-IV. ISRAEL', b. April 25, 1716. (55). 56-v. DAVID', b. June 15, 1720. (56). 57-VI. ABIGAIL, b. June 28, 1722; d. Nov. 24, 1737. 58-VII. MARY', b. Oct. 12, 1724; probably d. young, as she is not mentioned in her father's will, in 1738. 16

61-11.

62-111.

64-v.

65-vI.

SARAH', b. Oct. 11, 1714; m. Jeremiah
Hazen of Rowley Oct. 13, 1737.
ELIZABETH', b. June 18, 1717; m.
Reuben Hardy of Bradford March
21, 1742-3.

MEHITABLE, b. June 21, 1719; d.
July 17, 1736.

MARY", b. Feb. 11, 1722-3; d. Aug.
6, 1736.

BENJAMIN, b. Dec. 8, 1724; probably d. young, as he is not mentioned in his father's will, 1746.

66-VII. HANNAH', b. Aug. 11, 1727; m. John Woodman of Newbury Dec. 12, 1751. 67-VIII. MOSES', b. Nov. 7, 1730; d. July 26, 1736.

68-ix. Jane', bapt. Oct. 21, 1733, in Second church in Rowley.

18

DR. MATTHEW ADAMS3, born in Newbury May 25, 1686. He was at first a cordwainer by trade, then cultivated a farm in Byfield parish, in his native town, and also practised physic from 1726 until his death, which occurred Nov. 24, 1755, at the age of sixty-nine. He married Sarah Knight April 4, 1707. She died

SARAH ADAMS3, born in Newbury April Oct. 29, 1778, at the age of ninety-one.

15, 1681. She lived in Newbury until she married John Hutchinson of Andover, Jan. 28, 1714-5, where she afterward lived. Before her marriage was born the following

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JOHN ADAMS3, born March 7, 1684, in Newbury. He was a farmer, and lived in that part of Rowley which is now Georgetown, on the north side of Pentucket pond. The house, one story high, was removed about 1840, and is now part of the Aaron Pillsbury house on North street. He married, first, Elizabeth Noyes Jan. 22, 1707-8, in Newbury. She died in Newbury Dec. 23, 1708, childless. He married, second, Sarah Pearson Nov. 17,

Children, born in Newbury :69-1. MATTHEW', b. July 19, 1707; d. July

70-11.

27, 1707.

MATTHEW', b. May 19, 1709. See below (70).

71-III. SARAH', b. Sept. 5, 1711; m. Joseph Bartlett of Newbury Jan. 5, 1735-6; and d. before 1753.

72—IV. ABRAHAM', b. May 10, 1713. See below (72).

73-v.

JUDITH, b. April 2, 1716; m. Capt.
Edmund Little of Newbury March 18,

1735-6; and was living in 1753. He
d. Aug. 29, 1803.

74-VI. EUNICE, b. April 7, 1719; probably d. young, as she is not mentioned in the settlement of her father's estate, in 1755.

75-VII. JOSEPH, bapt. July 29, 1722, in Byfield church; probably d. young, as he is not mentioned in the settlement of his father's estate, in 1755.

76-VIII. ELIZABETH', b. April 28, 1728; probably d. young, as she is not mentioned in the settlement of her father's estate, in 1755.

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