John Adam Summer (1779 - 1855)

Born 3 Sep 1779 in South Carolina

Ancestors

Husband of Maria Margaretha (Houseal) Summer — married Jan 1804 in South Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died 12 Oct 1855 at age 76 in South Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Darlene Athey-Hill [send private message]

Biography

John Adam Summer was born on 3 Sep 1779.^[1] He was the son of Nicholas Summer and Eve Margaret, née Sease. He married Mary Margaret Houseal in January 1804. They had several children (see below).

In 1850,^[2] John Summer (age 71, born South Carolina) was living in Newberry County, South Carolina as head of household with his wife, Mary M. Summer (age 63, born South Carolina), and their Summer children, born in South Carolina (age, sex): i) William (33, M), ii) Catherine P. (25, F), iii) Thomas J. (24, M). John's occupation was a farmer; he owned real estate valued at $20,000.

John Summer died on 12 Oct 1855, and he was buried in the Summer Family Cemetery, Pomaria, Newberry County, South Carolina.^[1]

Judging from surviving accounts kept with merchants in Columbia and Charleston (dating from 1839 to 1855), it is evident that John Adam Summer was a successful cotton planter. By the late 1820s he had acquired enough wealth to enable him to send his three eldest sons to South Carolina College in Columbia. Diplomas included in the South Carolina collection indicate that Nicholas (1804-1836), Henry (1809-1869), and John Adam Summer (1812-1836) graduated in 1828, 1831, and 1834 respectively.^[3]

Children

His children include Nicholas (1804-1836), Henry (1809-1869), John Adam (1812-1836), William (1815-1878), Adam (1818-1866), Catherine (1823-1906), and Thomas Jefferson (1826-1852).

Two of these brothers, Nicholas and John Adam, would die in 1836, while fighting in Florida, during the Second Seminole War. Two letters, dated 23 April and 13 May, written by John to the their father in Talladega County, Alabama, describe a skirmish of 30 March during which Nicholas suffered a gunshot wound that resulted in a broken left thigh and his subsequent hospitalization aboard the Vandalia and Concord. In the letter of 13 May, he notes: “Brother Nicholas was suddenly taken very low by a rupture of one of the blood vessels…His wound suppurates freely. The discharge is very offensive….His arms are somewhat paralized from his being forced to lie in the same position….He is fully sensible of the nature of his wound…and has given up every hope of ever more seeing Home.” Writing to the elder John Adam Summer on 17 June 1836 from Fort Brooke, East Florida, Judge Augustus Steele speculated that the cause of Nicholas’ death on 13 June was the “neglect of amputation” and informed him that he had been buried with full military honors. He was then forced to apprise Summer of the death of his other son. Though John had been somewhat “indisposed,” he noted that no one thought the illness serious until the day of Nicholas’ funeral. After that he “sunk rapidly and yesterday about 4 o’clock he joined his brother in the world of spirits.” He assured Summer that “the brothers are placed side by side companions in arms and in death, & both were attended with the same honours and with the same general sentiment of right and respect.”

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/33727418/john-adam-summer : accessed 15 January 2022), memorial page for John Adam Summer (3 Sep 1779–12 Oct 1855), Find A Grave: Memorial #33727418, citing Summer Family Cemetery, Pomaria, Newberry County, South Carolina, USA ; Maintained by Donna Brummett (contributor 46855809) .
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6QCJ-1L?cc=1401638&wc=95RX-YW5%3A1031338001%2C1032027401%2C1032027402 : 9 April 2016), South Carolina > Newberry > Newberry county > image 174 of 178; citing NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3. ↑ Summer Family Papers - https://pascal-usc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01PASCAL_USCCOL/1oceqbt/alma991025540939705618

See also:

• Dutch Fork Chapter - S.C. Genealogy Society
• Copy of Dutch Fork Chapter - S.C. Genealogical Society: John Adam Summer Family
• https://web.archive.org/web/20160406110555/http://www.dutchforkchapter.org/html/houseal.html
• German Settlers in the Dutch Fork of South Carolina. Compiled by Carl W. Nichols and Hannelore Enderle.