Joshua Adams (1780 - 1863)

Born 5 May 1780 in Rutland, Rutland County, Vermont, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Chipman) Adams — married 15 Mar 1803 in Elizabethtown, Leeds, Ontario, Canada

Descendants

Died 23 Apr 1863 at age 82 in Perth, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada West

Problems/Questions Profile manager: John Rounds [send private message]

Biography

Joshua Adams was a United Empire Loyalist.
UEL Status:Expunged
Date: 1798

Capt Joshua Adams served in the Canadian Militia in the War of 1812
Service started:
Unit(s): 2nd Regiment of Leeds County Militia
Service ended:

Joshua Adams was born on 05 May 1780 in Rutland County, Vermont and his parents were Lucy (Matson) and Richard Saxton Adams (d: 23 Dec 1810 CT).

In 1798 his parents moved the family to Canada with other United Empire Loyalist families and they settled in Bastard Township, Leeds County. ^[1] His brothers, Daniel and Richard Saxton Adams had died and he, Joshua, had their widows and children placed in his care, making his situation one of much care and responsibility, made the more onerous by their location in a new country, sparsely settled and far from mills and markets, the nearest stores being 20 miles south in the village of Brockville, Upper Canada.

On 15 Mar 1803 in Elizabethtown, Leeds, Upper Canada, Joshua Adams married Elizabeth Chipman. She was born on 28 Feb 1786 in Salisbury, Addison County, Vermont and her parents were Beulah (Evarts) and Barnabas Chipman who were also of UEL stock. The couple had nine sons and four daughters ^[1] who were all born in Upper Canada and included ...

1. Arza Adams b: 22 Jan 1804 Beverly, Leeds County; d: 15 Apr 1889 Bloomfield, Ontario County, New York
2. Alvah Adams b: 03 Nov 1805 Bastard Twp, Leeds County; d: 17 Jun 1884 Brooke, Lanark County; m: 09 Sep 1835 Leeds County to Hester Bailey
3. Richard Adams b: 06 Feb 1808 Bastard Twp, Leeds County
4. Beulah Adams b: 26 Jan 1810 Bastard Twp, Leeds County; d: 05 Aug 1890 Ontario, Canada
5. Barnabas Adams b: 28 Aug 1812 Bathurst, Lanark County; d: 02 Jun 1869 Salt Lake, Salt Lake County, Utah
6. Joshua Adams b: 1815 Beverly, Bastard Twp, Leeds County; d: 1819 Perth, Drummond Twp, Lanark County
7. Lucy Adams b: 05 Dec 1817 Perth, Lanark County; d: 15 Jan 1862 Prescott, Leeds County
8. James Adams b: 1819 Perth, Drummond Twp, Lanark County; d: 1820 Perth, Drummond Twp Lanark County
9. Daniel Adams b: 1820 Perth, Drummond Twp, Lanark County; d: 1894
10. Franklin Adams b: 1823 d: 1913
11. Lydia Adams b: 1828 Adamsville, Lanark County; d: 19 Feb 1914 North Grimsby, Lincoln County, Ontario, Canada; m: 02 Dec 1856 Adamsville, Lanark County to James Armstrong
12. Elizabeth Adams b: 03 May 1828 Adamsville, Lanark County; d: 26 Jan 1892 Ontario, Canada
13. Lydia Adams b: 22 Jan 1839 Adamsville, Lanark County.

Joshua Adams built the Glen Tay mills that were situated on the Tay River in Glen Tay, Ontario, Canada. ^{[1] [2]}

When the War of 1812 broke out between Great Britain and the United States, he received a Captain’s commission with the Second Regiment of the Leeds County militia. ^[3] This militia consisted of 336 men, and were organized into 8 companies each under a captain. He also acted as Adjutant under Colonel Stone, throughout the conflict. ^[1] For his service he obtained a certificate from his Colonel and a grant of 800 acres of land.

In 1816 he was about the first to draw an acre town lot, where he erected a tavern. ^[4]

From 1820 until his death, he was in commission as a Justice of the Peace, a Crown appointment. After the creation of Canada's municipal system, he was long a township councillor and Warden of the County, often acting as Associate Judge in the highest County courts.

He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

In 1861 he was an 81 year old widower residing in Bathurst, Lanark County, Canada West. ^[5]

He died on 23 Apr 1863 as the result of a fall on the linoleum of the hall floor, with complications of a broken leg. His last utterance to his surrounding children and friends were: "All is well ... I am going home". He was interred at Wesleyan Burying Grounds (aka: Old Methodist Burying Ground on Robinson Street, now plot#OGS-54 in St.Paul's United Church Cemetery in Perth, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada). ^[6] On 01 May 1863 his obituary was published in the "Perth Courier" and read ...

"ADAMS - We have to record the death of Captain J. Adams, who expired on Tuesday the 13th last, at the house of his son-in-law, Lt. Morehouse, Esq., Perth, from the effects of an accident.

The funeral started from his residence in Adamsville, where his remains had been removed, and was joined at the late residence of Captain Leslie(?), by the volunteer companies of Perth, and a large number of citizens, ranking one of the largest funeral processions of Perth.

The volunteers took the lead in the procession, Captain Fraser's Company reversing arms, and the whole proceeded to the Wesleyan Burying Grounds, where after the funeral service was read by the Rev. Mr. Ross, three volleys were fired in his memory by the firing party. The deceased Captain was a gentleman very much respected and esteemed by all who knew him and especially by the poorer classes whom he materially assisted as far as he was able, in the hard times some years ago. He died at the advanced age of 84 years."

Canada was formed by confederation on 01 July 1867.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} "The Family of the Late Joshua Adams, J. P., late of Glen Tay, near Perth" drawn up by his son, Rev. Alvah Adams, in his 75th year on 01 Jan 188O; p4.
2. ↑ "Drummond Street" by Perth Museum & published in the "Perth Courier" on 05 Jan 1934; Text: #19 - "At Glen Tay, Capt. Joshua Adams, a veteran who had served through the recent American War, had the first saw and grist mill in the vicinity of Perth and also erected a tavern in the village which may possibly have been the building shown on the Foster Street side of what was then or afterwards the aforementioned Bell Property, for Capt. Joshua Adams' name appears thereon."
3. ↑ Veteran Joshua Adams, 2nd Regiment Grenville Militia.
4. ↑ "Centennial of the Perth Settlement" published on 22 Dec 1916 in the "Perth Courier" being a reprint of the original 1877 article; Text: "In 1816 Captain Joshua Adams, a veteran who served in the American War of 1812-13, in the Canadian Militia, was about the first to draw a town lot of an acre, and he erected a tavern thereon."
5. ↑ 1861 Census of Bathurst, Lanark, Ontario, Canada; database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ7F-2JY : 8 Nov 2014), citing Public Archives, Toronto; Library and Archives Canada film#C-1041, FHL#2,435,861; p28 line#50 for Joshua Adams @81yrs widower.
6. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial #33243032 for Capt. Joshua Adams

See Also:

• "Canada Census, 1851," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWT4-867 : 3 August 2016), Joshua Adams, Perth, Lanark County, Canada West (Ontario), Canada; citing p. 41, line 2; Library and Archives Canada film number C_11732, Public Archives, Ontario.

• http://captainjoshuaadams.blogspot.com/2013_09_01_archive.html?view=magazine&m=1

• Geni Family Tree

• St.Paul’s United Church, Perth, Ontario, Canada

• Royal Canadian Legion, Branch#244, Perth, Ontario, Canada

• Perth Historical Society, Perth, Ontario, Canada (a not-for-profit community association documenting the history of the Town of Perth and local municipalities)

• "Glimpses of an Ontario County", "Lanark Legacy: Nineteenth Century" by Howard Morton Brown c2OO7

• "Ontario Deaths 1869-1937 and Overseas Deaths, 1939-1947," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JDP8-FXW : 11 Dec 2014), citing Archives of Ontario, Toronto; yr=1913 cn#19051, FHL#1,854,934 for Joshua Adams in entry of Franklin Metcalfe Adams, d: 21 Oct 1913 Glen Tay, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada.

• "Ontario Deaths 1869-1937 and Overseas Deaths, 1939-1947," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JXLP-T9R : 11 Dec 2014), citing Archives of Ontario, Toronto; yr=1914 cn#19563, FHL#1,861,976 for Lydia A. Adams Armstrong, d: 19 Feb 1914 North Grimsby, Lincoln County, Ontario, Canada.

• https://familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/19055744

• https://www.geni.com/people/Elizabeth-Adams/6000000002916743497

• https://www.geni.com/people/Lydia-Adams/6000000002174799927

Acknowledgements

• Adams-1537 was created through the import of grant2.ged on 07 Feb 2011.
• Adams-16261 was created by John Rounds on 27 Jun 2014.