Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

ably born in England. William Adams
came from Massachusetts, was in Hart-
ford as early as 1640, soon removed to
Farmington, where he died July 18, 1655.
He married, Elizabeth, widow of William
Heacock, of that town. The widow died
the third of August following, leaving
two orphan children to the care of the
town. The authorities ordered that they
be put out to the best advantage possible.
Benjamin Adams was born about 1649,
and was undoubtedly the Benjamin who
appears in Hartford. He testified, January
26, 1676, at Hartford, that he had
served under Captain John Edwards, of
Wethersfield, in the Indian War the pre-
vious year. He was baptized and admitted
to full communion in the Second
Church of Hartford, March 31, 1678. He
was a carpenter and builder, and had a
home lot in Wethersfield, December 28,
1696; served in various town offices, and
married, about 1690, Elizabeth Dickinson,
daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Crow)
Dickinson, granddaughter of Nathaniel
Dickinson, of Hadley, Massachusetts,
pioneer ancestor of a very large family,
formerly of Wethersfield, where he set-
tled in 1637, and was town clerk and rep-
resentative (elsewhere mentioned).
The youngest son of this marriage was
Amasa Adams, baptized October 24, 1708,
in Wethersfield, where he was a farmer
and shipbuilder, and purchased lands in
1735. He owned one-half of the Chester
Mills, on Spring brook, which were afterward
operated by several generations of his
descendants. In 1761 he contributed gener-
ously toward the construction of the present
Congregational church building, and
later aided in the construction of the resi-
dence for the pastor. He joined the first
church, February 5, 1738, had all his thir-
teen children baptized there, and died
July 6, 1790. He married, March 16, 1732,
Hannah Camp, who was baptized Sep-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
373
tember 28, 1712, in Hartford, daughter of
Captain Joseph Camp, granddaughter of
John and Mary (Sanford) Camp.
Their eldest son, Benjamin Adams,
born December 1, 1735, was a carpenter
and builder, owned land in Wethersfield
and one-quarter interest in the Chester
Mills. He resided in South Lane, was
received in full communion in the First
Congregational Church in 1761, died November
27, 1816, leaving an estate valued
at $3,803.18. He married, February 5,
1761, Patience Blinn, who was born May
16, 1732, and died October 26, 1818,
daughter of William and Thankful (Nott)
Blinn.
Their youngest child, William Adams,
born February 18, 1779, was a prominent
farmer and miller in Wethersfield, residing
in South Lane, where he died Novem-
ber 28, 1852. He married, November 25,
1801, Mary Wells, baptized February 27,
1803, died August 23, 1854, daughter of
Elisha and Sarah (Balch) Wells. She
was descended from Governor Thomas
Wells, who was born in 1598 in Essex
county, England, whose history is given
at length elsewhere in this work. John
Wells, son of Governor Thomas Wells,
born about 1621, removed to Stratford,
Connecticut, and was admitted freeman
by the General Court, April 20, 1645. ^ n
1656-57 he was deputy to the General
Court; was a magistrate in 1658-59; and
died August 7, 1659. He married, in 1647,
Elizabeth Bourne, undoubtedly a daugh-
ter of John Bourne, who was early in
Wethersfield, later in Middletown, Connecticut.
She married (second) in March,
1663, John Wilcoxson, of Stratford.
Robert Wells, third son of John and
Elizabeth Wells, was born in 165 1, and
was committed by his father to the care
of his paternal grandfather, Governor
Wells, who made him an heir, and reared
and educated him in Wethersfield. He