His exact origins, including the names of his parents have not been proven.
Jeremy Adams was born 1604 in England-date is calculated from a deposition in 1664 where Jeremy gave his age as 60., and died 11 Aug 1683 in Ancient Burying Grounds, Hartford, Ct.. He married Rebecca Taylor Baseden Greenhill on Abt. 1637 in Hartford, CT.
The name Adams is said to be of Welsh origin as per Edwin Salter in his history of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Jeremy's 1st wife's name is unknown but by her he had 2 children: (US & International Marriage Records have Jeremy married to Ann Plampin abt 1625) 1) Ann b circa 1629 in England, d 7/12/1682 in Hartford, CT m. Robert Sanford 1643 in Hartford. 2) Hannah b circa 1629 in England, d 1670 in Hartford m Nathaniel Willett 1652.
Jeremy Adams came from England (according to "Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-33 puts the date of arrival at 1633 but he appears earlier in 1632 land records) with the company brought over to America by Rev. Mr. Hooker, and settled first at Braintree, Mass, then soon removed to Cambridge, then called Newtown, where Jeremy appears as early as 1632. Some of the land Jeremy owned in Cambridge became occupied by buildings of Harvard University. In 1636 he removed with the company which became the original proprietors of the new settlement in Hartford, CT. Jeremy's name is found among the list of names that were engraved on the original Founders Monument in the Ancient Burying Ground, also sometimes referred to at the "Old" or "Center" Cemetery. The cemetery is located at the rear of the First Congregational ("Center") Church at the corner of Main and Gold Streets in Hartford. The original brownstone Monument erected in 1837 was replaced by one of pink Connecticut granite in 1986.
In Yearbooks of the Atlantic County Historical Society in 1950 thru 1952 Arthur Adams states he had searched for 40 years for Jeremy's parents with no success. There are hundreds of Trees that have Jeremy the son of John Adams b 1555 and Agnes Stone, John Adams b 1577 and Katherine Stone, a Richard Adams and Samuel Adams. None however provided documented proof of his parentage. A likely possibility is that he was the son of John Adams b 1577 and Katherine Stone. This John was the brother of Henry Adams. Henry was also found in Braintree at the same time as Jeremy, but the Will of Henry does not mention a son Jeremy. Henry's father John 1555-1604 (married to Agnes Stone) left an unrecorded Will referring to his sons, Henry and John and John's children John and Katherine, no mention of a Jeremy but this John died in 1603/4 before the birth of Jeremy who may have been born right after. Henry was called "immigrant ancestor" of President John Adams when he erected a monument to Henry in Quincy CT, the inscription stating that he "took Flight from the Dragon Persecution in Devonshire England". Henry Adams, called the founder of the Braintree family, came from Barton St. David, County of Somerset where at least 4 generations of his ancestors resided and the Adams name is found on records in the immediate vicinity of that parish as far back as 1327. Henry's ancestors, and if Jeremy is his nephew, his ancestors also, married into the Gournay family who's blood line can be traced back to Hugh De Gournay b 945 of Normandy France and thru the De Gournay line all the way back, supposedly, to Charlemagne.
On April 5, 1638 he was sent with Captain Mason and 5 others to treat with the Warranocke Indians and trade with them for corn. This was said to be an armed expedition, though there was no war at the time, and this service makes Jeremy a qualifying ancestor for the Society of Colonial Wars.
Jeremy was made official inn-keeper for the Colony. His inn was on what became Main Street in Hartford; the site eventually occupied by the Main Office of The Travelers Ins Co. Jeremy kept the inn until his death. It was used for the meetings of the General Court and for other public purposes. Another tract of land owned by Jeremy became a part of the Campus of Trinity College. On 3/5/1644 the general court ordered Jeremy to appear before the next session of that body in order to receive censure for "adhering to Thomas Asmor, encouraging him to resist an officer, and especially for his passionate distempered speeches, lowd language and unmannerly caredge in the face of the court." Jeremy Adams' wife Rebecca Baseden Greenhill died in 1678 and he married Rebecca, widow of Andrew Warner Jr., who was a daughter of John Fletcher. He died August 11, 1683. His widow moved to Middletown, where she lived with a son, and died January 25, 1715, aged 77." Although she survived Jeremy, he did not mention her in his Will. Other children of Jeremy Adams: Hester, died young; Sarah, b abt 1641; Samuel baptised 11/23/1645, died about 1661 When Jeremy died in 1683 he received a public funeral. The Colony paid for three gallons and three quarts of wine consumed on the occasion. From a court record dated 4/21/1691 we learn that all the books and papers of Jeremy were burned when his Executor and son-in-law Nathaniel Willett's house was destroyed by fire.
Will of Jeremy Adams of Hartford dated 4 Aug 1683. "I Jeremy Adams of Hartford do make this my last Will & Testament:Whereas, I have formerly given to my gr. son Zarchary Sandford my Oxpasture Lott in the way to Wethersfield, & put him in possession thereof before witnesses, I do herby confirm the same to him & his heirs forever; & the Lott that I have at the Wolfe Pound by Mrs. Webster's I do Will and Bequeath it to my gr. son Zachary, he paying the value of it, as it shall be prized in the Inventory, towards the payment of my Just Debts or to my gr. Children as I shall hereafter expresse; & the remaynder of my Estate, when my debts are paid, shall be equally divided to my gr. Children, the 1/2 to my sonn John Adams his Children, and the other halfe to my sonn Willett's Children. And I doe appoint Nath. Willett to be the Executor to this my Will, & Major John Tallcott & Capt. John Allyn to be my Overseers." Pvd 6 Sept 1683.18 Dec 1683: Whereas, Jeremy Adams his Estate stand Indebted to Mr.Richard Lord in the Full Sum of L117-05-08, for which there is Mortgaged all that Parcell of Land in Hoccanum Meadow which the sayd Jeremy bought of Widdow Lattimore of Wethersfield, the sd. Mortgage dated 6 Dec 1674, INathaniel Willett of Hartford, executor to the Will of Jeremy Adams, not being capacitated to redeem sd. Mortgage, now acknowledge Judgement &the Mortgage is forfeited, and doe Quitt Claim the sayd Land to the Use of Richard Lord.21 Apr 1691: Nathaniel Willett, being aged and having lost Jeremy Addams his books and Accounts when his House was burnt, This Court desire and appoint Capt. Jonathan Bull to be adms. with sayd Nathaniel Willett to the sayd Estate of Jeremey Addams, who are appointed to Issue so far as they are capable as soon as may be and to make Return to this Court.
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