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It has been suggested that John Adams was the son of James Adams (1671-1722) and Esther Allen (1677-1722), a Quaker family from Chester Twp, Burlington, New Jersey. If so, this line may go back to John Adams the immigrant who came to Plymouth, MA in 1621.
Wilmer Kerns, Chapter 17 The Adams Family Intermarried With Early Back Creek Families in the northwest corner of Virginia (now in WV.)
Cartmell stated that William Adams came to Frederick County from West Jersey in 1755. Pollock conducted an intensive investigation of the origins and early generations of the Frederick County Adamses, and found that John Adams (1710-1794) was the patriarchal immigrant to the county before 1752. In that year, John Adams was referred to as a prior owner of land that was reassigned and warranted to Thomas Babb. Adams served as a pilot for Fairfax surveyor John Mauzy. The 400 acre farm was situated west of Babb's Mountain in the Hoge's Creek watershed. Subsequently, John Adams Sr. owned numerous pieces of property in Frederick County. His residence was between White Hall and Gainesboro, Virginia.
John Adams said to have served in the French and Indian War-Frederick Co Militia between 1755 and 1761 when the Indians attacked many settlements in this part of the region. John Adams of Company of Capt. Isaac Parkins was fined 20 shillings for missing 2 private musters. Not known if he was active part of the militia (since he was a Quaker) or reluctant warrior.[1]
Records at Hopwell Meeting show that John Adams and six children, viz, William, Henry, John Jr., Joseph, Mary and Susannah Adams, joined the Quaker Meeting in Frederick County on July 7, 1766. Name of his spouse not given. Another record suggests that a wife was named Hannah, maiden name not known but often claimed to be Pickering.
In 1778, John Adams Sr. was disowned by the Quakers for not attending meetings, and a reference was made in 1777 regarding his remarriage. Pollock has made a case for John Adams Sr. marrying Catherine Wagonner of Hampshire County. After the marriage, they lived near Fort Ashby, VA, in present-day Mineral county, West Virginia.
On June 19, 1790, John Adams Sr. of the town of Frankfort purchased Lot 198 in the Town of Frankfort from the Trustees of Frankfort, Hampshire County, Virginia.[2] On October 6, 1791, John purchased to additional lots in the Town of Frankfort, Lots 9, 10 from John and Ann Keller who were the orginial patentees for all of the lots under a Northern Neck Virginia Land Grant of June 1, 1779.[3]
John Adams may have been married twice: first to Hannah (maiden name unproven though some claim it to be Pickering) and secondly to Catherine Waggoner. In 1778, John Adams Sr. was disowned by the Quakers for not attending meetings, and a reference was made in 1777 regarding his remarriage. Pollock has made a case for John Adams Sr. marrying Catherine Wagonner of Hampshire County. After the marriage, they lived near Fort Ashby (Frankfort), Hampshire County, Virginia, in present-day Mineral County, West Virginia.
John Adams died intestate in late November or early December of 1794 in Frankfort, Hampshire County, Virginia. His intial inventory and appraisal was accepted in the Hampshire County Court on December 10, 1794. Final Sale was approved the same day with a number of items sold to Caty Adams.[4]
Most of the names and dates of this family came from "Frederick Findings", a short lived historic publication that dealt with families and happenings in old Frederick Co, VA. The publisher, Michael Pollard, was an Adams descendant and collected the data on the Adams family. Where possible, I've tried to reconfirm his info using info from the Hopewell Friends Records.
Dates listed in the Hopewell Friends Records are listed numerically rather than monthly (e.g."21st day 3rd month 1723") In the early part of the 1700s, the old calendar was used with March as the 1st month and beginning of the year. At some point toward the middle or end of the 1700s, the calendar changed and January became the first month. Without knowing exactly when this happened, I have translated those dates after the 1750s in modern terms, ie Jan = first month. This may later prove to be incorrect, but it's only a difference of 2 months either way.
From Hopewell Friends History :
Quaker Records p.254 July 18, 1771- Marriage of WILLIAM ADAMS son of JOHN ADAMS of Frederick Co and LYDIA MALIN. JOHN ADAMS, HANNAH ADAMS, HENRY ADAMS listed.
p.502 Jan 6, 1778 JOHN ADAMS SR. disowned for marrying contrary to discipline and conniving son's marriage by hireling teacher.
p.267 Jan 13, 1779- Attendee at marriage of David Berry and Hannah Pickering include JOHN ADAMS, LYDIA ADAMS-probably John Jr. who md Lydia Pickering.
p.280 Jan 16, 1783
p.293 Dec 10 1788 Back Creek
p.308 Dec 10 1794-Back Creek
From Kerns: Frederick Co, VA: Settlement and Some First Families in Back Creek Valley.
Catherine Adams died in 1807, and named Jacob, Catherine and Rachel Adams in her will. (If this is same John Adams, he would have been in his 70s when he fathered Catherine's children. However, he was a disowned Quaker and his son was already married to Lydia Pickering.)
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John is 24 degrees from Herbert Adair, 21 degrees from Richard Adams, 17 degrees from Mel Blanc, 22 degrees from Dick Bruna, 18 degrees from Bunny DeBarge, 30 degrees from Peter Dinklage, 16 degrees from Sam Edwards, 10 degrees from Ginnifer Goodwin, 19 degrees from Marty Krofft, 12 degrees from Junius Matthews, 13 degrees from Rachel Mellon and 17 degrees from Harold Warstler on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
Virginia Land Grant 22 April 1775, Adams, John. grantee, 391 acres on the waters of Back Creek, Frederick Co. Assignee of Benjamin Barrett and Jacob Barrett, Warrant 14 Sept 1752, assignment 10 Oct 1760 Benjamin Barrett to John Adams, both of Frederick County.
Virginia Cert of Impressed Goods for Rev War Forces issued to John Adams, Frederick County
edited by Bob Pickering