Robert Adams (abt. 1600 - 1682)

Born about 1600 in England or Scotland [uncertain]

Husband of Sarah (Glover) Adams — married 6 Feb 1678 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts

Descendants

Died 12 Oct 1682 at about age 82 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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

Biography

Robert married Eleanor (possibly Wilmot) in England and they emigrated to Massachusetts with their children. It is said in some secondary sources that they arrived in 1635, settling first in Ipswich; then Salem 1638-39; and moved to Newbury in 1640 where they acquired a large farm and valuable property. Anderson in the Great Migration Directory,^[1] and Savage's Genealogical Dictionary^[2] set their arrival in 1638 settling first in Salem. The Ipswich Land records should be checked for definitive proof, but Early inhabitants of Ipswich, Mass. 1633-1700^[3] has a short sketch on Robert Addams, "an inhabitant of Ipswich in 1635, when he had a house lot granted him "in town, near ye river side." He probably removed from Ipswich soon afterwards." and this statement about Thomas Hardye: "In 1636 he had a house lot near the river adjoining Robert Adams and Thomas Howlett."

They had at least ten children.

They were members of the First Congregational Church. However, "in 1658, Robert Adams, of Newbury, was indicted for attending a friends' [Quaker] meeting, in Salem, at the house of Nicholas Phelps, to hear William Brend and William Leddra."

After Eleanor passed away, Robert married Sarah Glover on February 6, 1678 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts.

Robert was a farmer with many estates in the area. The book, Robert Adams of Newbury, MA claims he was a tailor by trade. According to another article,^{[citation needed]} Robert came to America as a rich man who invested in property and was never a tailor.

His move to Newbury is recorded in a deed dated 22 May 1651 from Edmond Greenleafe wherein Robert received, "his farm in Newbury over the Litle River with all the house, barne, Hovills, fences, timber & p'veleges of commons, profitts and hereditaments therunto belonging, with both uplands and meadows, containing about 150 acres of upland, also 50 acres of meadow....."

The home was on a bend of road still known as Hay Street, a mile and a half west of Newbury. His name still appears with other first settlers on a monument at Newbury's Old Town common. Sargent Abraham seems to have helped his father in the care of his widespread estate.Robert gave him a large farm in Newbury and had the pleasant habit of providing farms for sons and grandsons. Maps and records of 32 Adams farms and homesteads within a radius of 14 miles of the Highfields exsists on records for the area.

He died 12 October 1682 aged 81 years. His will was probated 27 November 1682.

Wife's Uncertain Maiden Name

According to Andrew Adams, A Genealogical History of Robert Adams of Newbury, Mass. and His Descendants 1635-1900, the maiden name of Robert Adams may have been Wilmot. Nothing further is known of her origin.

Will

Abstract of the Will of Robert Adams of Newbury:

To be buried according to the disposing of Executors. Loving wife Sarah confirmed in the agreement I made with her before marriage, and having allowed her the annuity belonging to her by the will of her former husband [Henry Short] which she hath reserved to her own proper use, I do allow it to her, and her right not to be questioned; also I give her my great chest, and the highest chair in the room wherein we live; both which she is to restore again at her death, or if she shall marry again; also all the money I leave, and not to be accountable to any one; to live and dwell in the house, enjoying the parlor wholly for one year. To eldest son John Adams (besides what has been giuen him) ú20, to be paid by Executor within twelve months. To son Isaac Adams ú5 by the year during life, in good merchantable pay; as English corn, pork, beef and such like; also my wearing clothes, and the bed in the north garret, and all the furniture belonging to it, and the least brass pot and bothooks, and liberty to make use of the said garret during life, unless he marry, then he shall leave it. To son Jacob Adams the house he lives in and the land adjoining to it as now fenced in; also all my meadow in the Neck on the south side of Newbury river. To daughter Hannah Adams, ú20 within a year. To Joanna her child the bed and furniture to it in the parlor, and the bigger brass pot, and the chest and chair which is formerly mentioned, when returned-- to have said legacy when full eighteen years of age or be married. To daughter Elizabeth, wife of Edward Phelps, one cow. To daughter Joanna, wife of Launcelott Granger, one cow. To daughter Mary, wife of Jeremiah Goodridge, one cow. To the three sons of my son Abraham, viz.: Robert, Abraham and Isaac, each a gun, and to the two elder, each a sword. All the rest of effects to son Abraham Adams. Lands after his death to go to his eldest son Robert, also the great brass kettle, tables, andirons, and spit. Son Abraham and his son Robert to be joint Executors of will. Son Abraham to have full power to act alone as Executor till his son Robert be of age. And though I appoint Robt. Adams my heir after his father, Mary wife of said Abraham not t o be debarred any just claim if left a widow. Further: To daughter Joanna Granger my pewter tankard, and a pewter bowl. To Mary daughter of son Abraham, a box with a lock and key, and six diaper knapkins. If Robert, son of son Abraham come into possession by reversion of my lands, he shall giue to either of his two brothers now in being, viz: Abraham and Isaac, ú20 apiece. Loving friends Mr. John Woodbridge and Mr. Nicolas Noyes, both of Newbury to be overseers of this my will, and I give them two of the best wethers I have, to either of them one. Signed and sealed the 7th of March, 1680 ROBERT ADAMS In presence of John Woodbridge, Nicholas Noyes. On review of this my will, do ratify and confirm it, with that little addition in the article to my son Isaac. This 27th of June 1682. Witness Jno. Woodbridge, Nicholas Noyes. ROBERT ADAMS 19 20 Death: 12 OCT 1682 in Newbury, Newburyport, Essex, MA U. S. A. 21 16 11 19 1 13 17 Probate: 28 NOV 1682 Salem, Essex, MA U. S. A. Note: Proved at Salem, 28; 9mo. '82

Inventory:--Orchard, dwelling-house, barn, &c., with 80 acres upland, 60 acres meadow and freehold ú600. Live stock ú94. Furniture, &c., ú222, 17s. -- total ú916, 17s. 19

The shears with which Robert Adams wrought and which he brought with him from England - a large pair, hand-made - are now in the possession of his descendant, Stephen P. Hale of Newbury.

The will of Robert Adams alludes to and confirms an agreement made with his loving wife, Sarah, before marriage, - gives her "my great chest and the highest chair in the room wherein we live," both of which she is to restore at her death, or if she shall marry again, "also all the money I have," she not to be accountable to any one, and "to enjoy the parlor wholly for one year." To his eldest son, John, he gives 20 pounds to be paid by his executors within twelve months after his decease; to his son Isaac he bequeaths 5 pounds yearly during life "in English corn, pork, beef, and such like, also my wearing apparel, and the bed in the north garret and all the furniture belonging to it, and the least, brass pot and pot hooks, etc." To Jacob he gives the house he lives in and the land adjoining to it as now fenced in, and the meadow on the neck or south side of Newbury River. To his daughter Hannah he gives 20 pounds to be paid within one year; to Joanna, or her children, the bed and furniture belonging to it in the parlor, and the biggest brass pot, and the chest and chair previously mentioned when they are returned, to have them when 18 years of age or when she marries; to daughter Elizabeth, wife of Edward Phelps, he gives one cow; to daughter Joanna, wife of Launcelot Granger, one cow; to daughter Mary, wife of Jeremiah Goodrich, one cow. To the three sons of Abraham, then born - Robert, Abraham, Isaac -he gives each a gun, and to the two older each a sword. All the rest of his effects he gives to Abraham.

He provides that his lands shall go to Robert, the eldest son of Abraham, also the great brass kettle, table, and irons and spit; Abraham and his son Robert to be joint executors, but Abraham to have power to act alone till Robert should become of age. "And though I appoint Robert Adams my heir after his father, Mary, the wife of said Abraham, is not to be debarred of any just claim if left a widow." Further, to Joanna Granger he bequeaths his pewter tankard and a pewter bowl, and to Mary, daughter of Abraham, a box with lock and key and six diaper knapkins." If Robert come into possession of the lands by reversion he is to give to either of his two brothers "now in being" - Abraham and Isaac - 20 pounds a piece. His loving friends, Mr. John Woodbridge and Mr. Nichols Noyes, were to be overseers of the will, and to them, each one, was bequeathed one of his best wethers. Signed and sealed March 7, 1680.

Needs (temporary)

Have added maintenance categories for needs research and needs inline citations. See the profile flags for citation needed; also the 2022 profile comments here, here (Ann Browning) and here (Merry Ann Palmer).

Research Notes

Disputed Parents / Origins:

"He is believed by many to have come from Devonshire, and to have been a son of Robert Adams and Elizabeth Sharlon or Sharland, connected with the Ap Adam pedigree, and through that connection to have been a cousin of Henry Adams of Braintree (afterward Quincy, Mass.), the ancestor of the presidents, John and John Quincy Adams. This famous Welsh pedigree, beginning with Ap Adam in the time of Edward the First, about the close of the 13th century, and changing to the name of Adams in the eighth generation, runs through thirteen generations down to Nicholas, who married and had no issue. To this pedigree has been appended by a later hand, according to competent judges, a brother of Nicholas, named John, who married Margaret Squier, and had Richard, who married and had Robert, the father of Robert of Newbury. There is no evidence whatever to sustain this pleasing belief. His origin is not positively known.^[4]

"Robert Adams, tailor, in Salem, 1638, by one tradition came from Devonshire, by another of equal value was from Holderness, County of York."^[5]

According to Joshua Coffin, the historian of Newbury (1845), Robert Adams "was two or three years in Ipswich, and had before coming over, two children, John and Joanna, and at Salem, Abraham, born 1639; he removed to Newbury 1640, and had Isaac, 1648, and youngest Archelaus." He is believed to have resided within a few rods of the spot where his descendants, Col. Daniel Adams and Robert Adams, afterward lived. Mr. Coffin was mistaken in naming Archelaus among his sons. The Archelaus who has been classed as such, was a son of Lieut. John Adams, who was a son of "William of Ipswich." That he was equally mistaken in assuming that Robert Adams came from Devonshire, there is fair ground for belief.

"If coming from Holderness it is not impossible that he was of Scotch origin and blood. There is a tradition among some of the descendants that he was a Scotchman."^{[citation needed]}

Unproved possible Baptism 22 DEC 1602, Ottery St. Mary, Co. Devonshire, England

In the parochial records of baptisms at Ottery St. Mary, Devonshire, I [who is "I"?] found the following: "1602 - December - Robert Adams the sone of Peter Adams was baptised the xxii th day". This would agree with the probable date of his birth. Savage says he died Oct. 12, 1682, aged 80 years.^[6]

• See Research Notes - Robert Adams-1343 for text that used to be here previously, and see also see Robert Adams Research Notes for some extractions that had appeared in the narrative.
  

Sources

1. ↑ https://archive.org/details/earlyinhabitants13hamm/page/252 p. 2
2. ↑ Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692. Vol. I-IV. (Boston, MA, USA: 1860-1862).
3. ↑ Hammatt, Abraham. Early Inhabitants of Ipswich, Mass. 1633-1700 (Ipswich, Mass. : Antiquarian Papers Press 1880.) p. 9 p. 128
4. ↑ Andrew Adams, A Genealogical History of Robert Adams and His Descendants (1900); Richard A Manion Family Tree; Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex Museum
5. ↑ "Dr. James Savage, Genealogical Dictionary of all the earliest or first-comers in New England
6. ↑ Fairbanks, Rev. Hiram Francis. "English Ancestry of Henry Adams of Braintree," New England Historical and Genealogical Register, v. 59 (July 1905), p. 322.

• Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County Massachusetts. Essex Institute, Salem, MA, 1911
• Essex Antiquarian, Essex Institute, Salem, MA
• Coffin,Joshua. History of Newbury MA 1635-1845. 1845.
• Banks, Charles Edward. Topographical Dictionary of 2885 English Emigrants to New England. Southern Book Co, Baltimore, 1957
• Adams, Andrew. Genealogical History of Robert Adams & His Descendants 1635-1900, The Tuttle co., printers, Rutland, Vt, 1900, Second Date, 1635-1900
• Essex Institute Historical Collections, Essex Institute, Salem, MA, various
• Griffith, Dorothy Amburgey, and Ruth Robinson Seibel. Adams addenda. Saint Louis, Missouri : [St. Louis Genelogical Society],
• Pope, Pioneers of Massachusetts 1900
• Burke, Sir Bernard. Burke's genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry, including American families with British ancestry Burke's Peerage, limited, London, England, 1939.
• Colket, Meredith B. Founders of Early American Families - Emigrants from Europe 1607-1657. General Court of the Order of Founders and Patriots of America, Cleveland, OH, 1975
• Find A Grave: Memorial #6881617
• Jordan, John W. Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania (Lewis Historical Pub. Co., New York, 1915, Vol 1, p. 361-364)