Robert Adams Research Notes

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]

Robert Adams (abt.1600-1682)

from SAVAGE:

"ROBERT, Salem 1638, a tailor, by one tradit. brot. from DeFonsh. by ano. prob. of equal value, from the far distant Holderness in Co. York, had first liv. two or three yrs. at Ipswich, says Coffin, and had bef. com. over two ch. John and Joanna, and at Salem had Abraham, b. 1639, rem. to Newbury 1640, and had Isaac, a. 1648; Jacob, 23 Apr. 1649, wh. d. soon; and Hannah, 25 June 1650; Jacob, again, 13 Sept. 1651; beside, Elizabeth Mary, and youngest Archelaus, of wh. some were b. bef. 1648. His w. Elinor d. 12 June 1677; and he m. 6 Feb. 1678, Sarah, wid. of Henry Short, wh. surv. to 24 Oct. 1697, he d. 12 Oct. 1682, aged 80. Joanna m. 4 Jan. 1654, Launcelot Granger; Elizabeth m. Edward Phelps, of Andover; Mary m. 15 Nov. 1660, Jeremiah Goodrich; and Hannah m. 10 Feb. 1682, William Warham. His will of 7 Mar. 1681, with confirmat. of 27 June 1682, pro. 28 Nov. next, calls John eldest, but declares Abraham Excor. and names other ch. Isaac, Jacob, Hannah, Joanna, Elizabeth and Mary, the three last being m. beside the gr.ch. viz. three s. of Abraham, and his d. Mary. He left good est. See Geneal. Reg. IX. 126."

from ADAMS (1900):

"Born in England in 1602, Robert Adams came first to Ipswich in Massachusetts Bay in A. D. 1635, bringing with him his wife Eleanor (Wilmot?) and his first two children. He was a tailor by trade, resided in Salem in 1638-9 and removed to Newbury in 1640, where he acquired a large farm and valuable property, and died October 12, 1682, aged 81 years. His will was made at Newbury, March 7, 1680-1, and probated Nov. 27, 1682. His wife Eleanor died June 12, 1677, and he married 2nd, Feb. 6, 1678, Sarah (Glover) Short, the widow of Henry Short. She died in Newbury, Oct. 24, 1697.

from NEHGR Vol. 11, p. 1 (Jan 1857) "Descendants of Robert Adams" by Joshua Coffin

ROBERT ADAMS was, according to uniform tradition, a native of Devonshire, England. The Adams family in that County claims, according to Burke's Commoners, to be lineally descended "from John Ap Adam of Charlton Adam in Somersetshire, who married Elizabeth, daughter and heiress to John Lord Gourney of Beverston and Tidenham, County of Gloucester, and who was summoned to Parliament, as a Baron of the Realm, from 1296 to 1307. After residing for several generations at Charlton they subsequently removed to Devonshire." From the above mentioned John Ap Adam descended Richard Adams, who married Margaret, a daughter of ___ Armager. This Richard had two sons, viz. Robert, who married Elizabeth Shirland, and William, who married a daughter of ___ ___, Barrington. Henry, one of the sons of William, came to New England in 1630, and died in Braintree in 1646. Henry was the ancestor of John Adams, the second President of the United States. Robert and Elizabeth Adams had a son Robert, who is supposed [This supposition, if not well founded, does not affect the following pedigree, as far as the descendants of Robert Adams are concerned -- Editor], but not certainly known, to be the Robert Adams who came to Ipswich, New England, in 1635, with his wife Eleanor, thence to Salem as early as 1638, and finally settled in Newbury in 1640, on land still [i.e., in 1857] in possession of his descendants of the same name. He died, 12 Oct 1682, aged 81. Eleanor his widow [first wife], died, 12 Jun 1677. His second wife, Sara, widow of Henry Short, and whose maiden name was Glover, he married 6 Feb 1678. She died 24 Oct 1697.

from Cutter's NEW ENGLAND FAMILIES:

Robert Adams, immigrant ancestor of this branch of the family in America, was born in England in 1602. He came first to Ipswich, MA in 1635, with his wife and two children. He was a tailor by trade and resided in Salem, MA in 1638/39. He removed to Newbury in 1640, where he acquired a large farm and valuable property. He is believed by some to have come from Devonshire, England, and by others from Holderness, county York, England. There is a tradition, also, that he was of Scotch origin. The large, hand-made shears which he brought from England, and which he used in his trade, are now [1913] owned by Stephen P. Hale, of Newbury, a descendant. His will was dated 7 Mar 1680/81, proved 27 Nov 1682. He died 12 Oct 1682, aged eighty-one. He married (first) Eleanor Wilmot, who died 12 June 1677. He married (second) 6 Feb 1678, Sarah (Glover) Short, widow of Henry Short. She died in Newbury, 24 Oct 1697. Children: John, born in England; Joanna, England, about 1633-34; Sergeant Abraham, 1639; Elizabeth, Newbury, about 1641-42; Mary, about 1644-45; Isaac, 1647-48; Jacob, April 23, 1649, died August 12, 1649; Hannah, June 25, 1650; Jacob, Newbury, 1651.

from COLKET:

Adams, Robert. Born ca 1601. Ipswich, MA, 1635, Salem 1638, Newbury 1640. d. Newbury 12 Oct 1682. Tailor. Yeoman. Robert Adams and Descendants 1900; "Essex Antiquarian" 2:17 (descendants); Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey 11:50 (son John's descendants). Emigration: 1635 Devon, England, UK Immigration: 1635 Ipswich, Essex, MA U. S. A. Residence: AFT 1638 Salem, Essex, MA U. S. A. Residence: AFT 1640 Newbury, Newburyport, Essex, MA U. S. A. Will: 7 MAR 1679/80 Newbury, Newburyport, Essex, MA U. S. A. Note: At the time of his will he was living with his second wife, who was the widow of another early settler. He wishes the agreement made with her at the time of marriage carried out: - that she shall enjoy the annuity left her by her former husband without let or hinderance, as she always has done. He gives her certain rights in the house, giving her the exclusive right to the parlor for one year; also gives her all the money he leaves and she not to be accountable for it to anyone, also the great chest and the highest chair in the room where we live but these are to be restored at her death, or if she marries again, these go to a granddaughter. To son Jacob, he gives the house he lives in and land adjoining as now fenced, also salt marsh. To the three sons of my son Abraham, Robert, Abraham and Isaac, each a gun and to each of the two oldest a sword. They were at the time 2, 4, and six years old. He gives bequests to sons John and Isaac and an unmarried daughter. To each of his three married daughters, a cow and to one of them in addition, "my pewtr tankard and a pewter bowl." To Mary, daughter of son Abraham, a box with lock and key and six diaper napkins. All the rest of his effects go to his son Abraham, and after his death go to his oldest son Robert to be joint executors, son Abraham to have full power to act until his son be of age (he was six at date.) Care was taken that if this grandson [Robert] came into possession before the death of his mother she should not be debarred of her just rights (meaning dower, it is presumed) and also when coming into possession is to give his two brothers £20 each. He closed his will by appointing his "Loving friends" John Woodbridge and Nicholas Noyes, Overseers. His estate was appraised at £916 17s. Of this his real estate consisting of house, barn and orchard, 80 acres of upland, 80 acres of meadow and freehold was valued at £600: live stock at £90; furniture at £222 17s, which is rather out of proportion, but probably good furniture was disproportionately high and scarce and land plenty.