William Adams (abt. 1594 - 1661)

Born about 1594 in England [uncertain]

Husband of Unknown (Unknown) Adams — married before 1620 in England

Descendants

Died 4 Jan 1661 at about age 67 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Chris Hoyt [send private message], Puritan Great Migration Project WikiTree [send private message], John Putnam [send private message], and Barbara M [send private message]

William Adams migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Great Migration (Series 2), by R. C. Anderson, vol. 1, p. 13) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

The origins of William Adams remain uncertain. See research notes, below.

William Adams, at Cambridge 1635,^[1] or earlier, Freeman 22 May 1639: removed probably prior to 1642, to Ipswich, but at Cambridge had William, Nathaniel, and Samuel; prob. b. in Eng. and he d. 1661.

The first certain knowledge we have of William Adams is as a commoner of Ipswich, where he is found 31 January 1642; but he was very probably made Freeman of Massachusetts 22 May, 1639. He was a Selectman in 1646. He died in 1661; his widow was living in 1681. He probably lived in or near what is now Hamilton. ^[2]

His son by the same name predeceased him in 1658/9.^{[3] [4]} William and his son John administered his estate.

Children

Children:

1. William b. ___; married Elizabeth, daughter of Simon Stacy of Ipswich; died at Ipswich 18 January, 1659; she died in 1655.^[5][6]
2. John, b. about 1631; married Rebecca ___ who died with her child 31 December, 1666; he married secondly Sarah ___ who died 31 May, 1676, and he married thirdly, 8 May, 1677, Dorothy/ Dorcas (Watson) Dewitt (wid. of Timothy Dwight) dau. of John Watson; was Lieutenant; died at Ipswich in 1703; she died 9 November, 1707, aged 68.^[5][6]
3. Samuel b. ___; married 20 December 1664, Mehitable, probably daughter of George Norton of Ipswich.^[5][6][6]
4. Hannah, b___ ; m. 6 December, 1659, Francis Muncy of Ipswich, and probably secondly John Kimball.^[2][6]
5. Mary, b. ; m. 29 February, 1659/60, Thomas French of Ipswich.^[2][6]
6. Nathaniel, born about 1641; married 30 June, 1668, Mercy, daughter of Thomas Dickinson of Rowley; he died at Ipswich 11 April, 1715; she died 12(?) December, 1735.^[5][6]
7. possibly Elizabeth, born about 1643, m 10 Feb 1662[/3?] James Moulton at Wenham-d 14 Feb 1705^[6]

Last Will & Testament

The will of William Addams proved Mar. 25, 1662, and inventory received. Ipswich Quarterly Court Records, vol. 1, page 104.

An agreement made Apr. 24, 1668, between Nathaniell Addams of Ipswich and Samuell Addams his brother; that all the lands and goods which William Addams their father had bequeathed to them should be equally divided between them according to the true meaning of the will, allowing convenient maintenance unto his wife during her life, and paying such portions as their father had bequeathed unto his daughters. The house and barn and all the land about the house wherein the said Nathaniell now dwelleth containing about 16 acres, also another division of land lying between the land of Samuell Addams, brother to Nathaniell and the land of Thomas Stace, bounded by a long hill running down from the thick woods to a piece of meadow appertaining to John Addams, our brother, that he bought of Anthony Potter, also another piece of meadow being upon the Black brooke, bounded northwest by a point of upland running down to the brook & southeast by the land of Symon Stacy, shall belong unto Nathaniell and his heirs forever. All the land that is now in the occupation of Samuell Adams, being an entire parcell of land joining to Mr. SaltonstalFs farm shall belong to him and his heirs forever.

And all the goods and chattells that are at present in the possession of either of them shall so continue to them and their heirs. Signed and sealed Apr. 24, 1668 by Samuell Addams. Witness: William White, Thomas Waite.

Acknowledged June 30, 1668 by Samuell Addams. Ipswich Deeds, vol. 3, page 79. (p. 366-367) ^[7]

Estate of William Adams, Jr. of Ipswich.

Administration on the estate of William Addams, jr. of Ipswich, granted Mar. 29, 1659, to William Addams, his father, and John Addams, his brother. (p. 278-280)^[8]

Temporary Needs

14 April 2023--A duplicate biography was created in "Research Notes" as part of the last merge. The duplicated information has been moved to a space page, William Adams Duplicate Bio and added "Needs Merge Cleanup."

Connections to be corrected/severed: Children: Sarah, Thomas, and Elizabeth probably don't belong. Currently, all the children (except William) are still attached to Frances Waldron (who was previously disconnected). Son William is connected to Elizabeth Kemp, and should be disconnected when she is removed. An new profile for wife Unknown Unknown should probably replace Frances & Elizabeth to make sure they don't reappear. Cole-12288 15:08, 15 April 2023 (UTC)

Research Notes

Disputed Origins

A prior version of this profile originally associated parents Henry Adams (1583-1646) and Edith (Squire) Adams (1587-1672), however, no other external records support that relationship. These relationships were severed.

Still later, he was associated as the son of Thomas Adams Sr. (1558-1607) and Margaret (Erpe) Adams (abt.1560-aft.1595), reporting Willim's birth 3 February 1594 in Shropshire. These associations are also in the process of being, as the claims have been found to be highly speculative and unproven. See Herbert Seversmith discussion in "The Alleged English Ancestry of William Adams of Ipswich, Mass." in his entry for William in Colonial Families of of Long Island, New York, and Connecticut.^[9] That author quoted from a letter Winifred Lovering Holman wrote to him, 20 November 1933,

Page 4 of my 1933 report cites ... A statement has been made that this particular William Adams was born in Wem, in Salop, England, 3 February 1594," and that he married in 1619. But as no proof was offered in this connection the statement alone means nothing ... See typed statement pasted on page 41, Volume 8, New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Refernce shelves, Library of the New England Historic-Genealogical Society ... signed 1 March 1933 by F. L. Moore.

Disputed Spouses

There does not seem to be any reference to William's wife in the records of Cambridge or Ipswich. Appleton in 1881 offers no name, and even Tingley-Meyers (1935) only says she was living in 1681 (but without any evidence to support this claim). Several wives have been proposed, but disputed by Wikitree contributors for lack of evidence connecting them to William Adams the immigrant:

• Margaret Gittoes: married a William Adams 28 February 1619 Ludlow, Shropshire, England.^[10] Ludlow Parish records suggest that this couple was still in England, when William Adams the immigrant was already in New England. (See Disputed immigration, below)
• Elizabeth Kemp: Supposedly married 7 Jul 1625 in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. There is indeed such a marriage record for Elizabeth Kemp, but the transcription does not include the name of a groom. Possibly the original is probably illegible or torn.^[11]
• Frances Waldron : of Wem, Shropshire. Source seems to be: Manuscript, [ Hugh D. Miller, comp. ], Genealogy: Ethel P. Miller/Hugh D. Miller, 1985, copy in possession of Barbara M
• Mary Walford, daughter of Thomas Walford and wife Jane/Joan: If Jane/Joan was actually born abt 1598, it is uncertain that dau. Mary Walford was the wife of this William Adams.
• Elizabeth Savage and Mehitabell Stacy. These names appear in the FamilySearch Pedigree Resource File/Ancestral File, but with less frequency that the other names above.

Unproven Children

Children not named in Appleton or any sources other than Tingley-Meyers, and are not supported by original documents have been detached. If new evidence comes to light, they can always be reconnected:

• Sarah Adams (b 1627 in Shropshire -3 Dec 1643 in Wenham, MA)
• Thomas Adams (1629 in Shropshire-d 10 Jul 1649)
• Elizabeth (Adams) Moulton (b 1643-d 14 Feb 1705, Wenham, MA), wife of James Moulton.

Disputed Migration

Ludlow Parish Church Records:

1619: Feb. the last: William Adams and Margaret Gittoes. Marriage License. (p. 31)

1620: March 1st, Elizabeth daughter of William Adams. Christening (p. 162) mother not listed

1623: Aug. 12: William, son of William Adams and Margaret. Christening (p. 167) did not find death.

1637: Feb. 18: William, son of William Adams and Margaret. Christening (p. 199)

1638: Jan. 13: Margaret, w. of William Adams. Burial. (p. 363)

If Margaret, wife of William died in 1638, then he would have emigrated after this date, with infant son William b. 1637? ^[12]

Other sources indicate he migrated to Cambridge, Massachusetts, circa 1628, then moved to Ipswich 1642.^[13][14][15]

Sources

1. ↑ The Records of the Town of Cambridge (formerly Newtowne) Massachusetts, 1630-1703 (Cambridge, Mass., 1901) Page 19.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} W.S. Appleton, Some descendants of William Adams of Ipswich, Mass., Boston, MA: David Clapp & Son (1881), p 1. Internet Archive
3. ↑ Cambridge Town Records, p. 477: Ipswich Deaths: "ADDAMS, William, ––– ––, 1661. CTR (p. 477); Addams, William, Jan. 18, 1658. CTR (p. 477)
4. ↑ Vital Records of Ispwich Massachusetts to the Year 1850, page #?
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} Appleton, Some Descendants of William Adams... (1881), pp 1-2. Internet Archive.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7} Perley, Sidney. "The Descendants of William Adams of Ipswich." The Essex Antiquarian Vol. II No 6. (1898). Pg 87.. HathiTrust
7. ↑ Probate Records of Essex County, MA Vol. I 1635-1664 The Essex Institute Salem, MA 1916, pages 366-7. Internet Archive.
8. ↑ 1659: Case number 338 Probate record of Ipswich, MA In : Probate Records of Essex County, MA Vol. I 1635-1664 The Essex Institute Salem, MA 1916. pages 278-80. Internet Archive.
9. ↑ Herbert Furman Seversmith, Colonial Families of Long Island, New York and Connecticut, (Washington, D.C.: s.p., 1939), 5 vols., 1:100-102; images, Hathitrust, (https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/005756269 : accessed 29 Jan 2023).
10. ↑ Marriage: "England Marriages, 1538–1973"
    FamilySearch Record: NL98-RMY (accessed 15 April 2023)
    Margaret Gittos marriage to William Adams on 28 Feb 1619 in Ludlow, Shropshire, England.
11. ↑ Buckinghamshire : High Wycombe : All Saints : Phillimore's Transcripts : "Parish Register" database, FreeREG (https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5817ad6de93790eb7f5f255e : viewed 14 Apr 2023) marriage * * to Eliz. Kempe 07 Jul 1625. A search in FreeRegUK for William Adams, 1625, in the same parish yielded no results.
12. ↑ Shropshire Parish Registers, Hereford Diocese, Vol. XIII, Issued by the Shropshire Parish Register Society, Private Print, 1912
13. ↑ Some of the Descendants of William Adams of Ipswich MA, by W.S. Appleton 1881
14. ↑ Adams database [where?] from Norman Wheeler for much more information.
15. ↑ Manuscript, [ Hugh D. Miller, comp. ], Genealogy: Ethel P. Miller/Hugh D. Miller, 1985, copy in possession of Barbara M ]

See also:

• FamilySearch Person: LBBK-FYH

• Appleton, W.S., Some Descendants of William Adams of Ipswich, Mass. (Boston, MA, 1881), Page 1 (accessed 30 Mar 2023).
• Strong, Robert. “Two Seventeenth-Century Conversion Narratives from Ipswich, Massachusetts Bay Colony.” The New England Quarterly 82, no. 1 (2009): 136–69. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20474710.
• Anderson, Robert C, George F. Sanborn, and Melinde L. Sanborn. The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England 1634-1635 Vol.1: A-B (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Great Migration Study Project, Boston, 1999). Pages 13-14]. AmericanAncestors.org (by subscription). Note: the Great Migration Directory suggests there has been more recent research.
• Anderson, Robert C. The Great Migration Directory: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1640: A Concise Compendium (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Great Migration Study Project, Boston, 2015). :"Adams, William: Unknown; 1635; Cambridge, Ipswich [GM 2:1:13-14; MBCR 1:375; NEQ 82:136-69; Essex Ant 2:87]. (His son William came to New England in 1635 on the Elizabeth & Ann [GM 2:1:13]. The New England Quarterly article cited here connects, corrects and amplifies these two Great Migration sketches.)"
• The Register Book of the Lands and Houses in the "New towne" and the town of Cambridge (Cambridge, Mass., 1896) page 44. Internet Archive.
• Torrey Clarence Almon and New England Historic Genealogical Society. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011, v 1, page 11. :ADAMS, William (-1661) & ____ ____; ca 1620/4; Cambridge/Ipswich {Dayton 3; Harvey 604; Tingley-Meyers 37; Sv. 1:16-17; Holman Ms: Adams; Towne Anc. 48; Essex Ant. 2:87; Cross Anc. 59; Reg. 18:244; Warner-Baker 43; Bridges Anc. 11}

Use with caution:

• Tingley, Raymon. Some Ancestral Lines, Being a Record of Some of the Ancestors of Guilford Solon Tingley and His Wife, Martha Pamelia Meyers (The Tuttle Publishing Co., Inc., Rutland, Vermont, 1935) Page 7