Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

erected a column to his memory in the
churchyard at Braintree with the following
inscription : "In memory of Henry
Adams, who took his flight from the
Dragon of persecution in Devonshire,
England, and alighted with eight sons
near Mount Wallaston."
(I) Robert Adams, the immigrant an-
cestor of this branch of the family in
America, was born in England in 1602.
He came first to Ipswich in 1635, with his
wife, Eleanor, and two children. Her
maiden name is believed to have been
Wilmot. He was a tailor by trade, and
resided in Salem, in 1638. In 1640 he removed
to Newbury, where he acquired a
large farm and valuable property. The
large hand-made shears which Robert
Adams brought from England and used
in his trade were in the possession of a
descendant. Stephen P. Hale, of Newbury.
Robert Adams died October 12, 1682, and
his wife, Eleanor, died June 12, 1677.
Their son,
(II) Jacob Adams, was born in New-
bury, Massachusetts, September 13, 1651,
and died in Boston in November, 1717. He
married, April 2, 1677, Anna Allen, born
January 3, 1658, daughter of Nicholas
Allen, of Dorchester. About 1681-82 they
removed to Suffield, where Jacob Adams
was among the most prominent citizens.
He was often chosen to fill important positions,
and was a member of the General
Court from 171 1 to 1714, and again in
1717.
His son,
(III) John Adams, was born in Suffield,
Massachusetts, June 18, 1694. He
married (first), July 26, 1722, Abigail
Rowe, daughter of Peter and Sarah (Rem-
ington) Rowe. He married (second),
July 12, 1732, Martha Winchell.
(IV) Moses Adams, son of John and
Abigail Adams, was born in Suffield,
Massachusetts, July 8, 1723, and died
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
314
there, October 18, 1809. He married,
October 30, 1746, Mehitable Sikes,a mem-
ber of the Sikes family, early settlers
in Suffield. She died at the age of ninety-
three years, April 27, 1813.
(V) Thaddeus Adams, son of Moses
Adams, was born in Suffield, Massachusetts,
May 10, 1759, and died in Norwich,
Massachusetts (now Huntington), September
27, 1839. He settled there about
1806. He married Polly Plumb, of Mid-
dletown, Connecticut, and she died in
1847 at tne age of eighty-four years.
Their son,
(VI) Hiram Adams, was born August
20, 1808, in Norwich, Massachusetts,
where he followed farming on a large
scale for those days. He married Armeluma
Dibble, of Agawam, Massachusetts.
Their son,
(VII) Justin Adams, was born in 1835.
in Norwich (now Huntington), Massachusetts.
He died May 6, 1896, in Granby,
Connecticut. His education was obtained
in the district schools and at the Connec-
ticut Literary Institute in Suffield. Fol-
lowing his graduation, Mr. Adams then
became what was known as a tin peddler,
a type of merchant all but extinct. The
older generation can remember these itin-
erant business men with their red carts
loaded to capacity with tin-ware and
other household utensils, racks filled with
brooms adorning the sides of the wagon.
There was little money in circulation in
those days, and frequently, if not usually,
the peddler exchanged his wares for pro-
duce, rags and iron of the farm, which he
converted into cash when he reached his
next center of trade. Mr. Adams followed
this calling for a few years, his
trips covering a wide radius of country,
and taking him far from home. He gave
up this business to engage in farming. In
the Civil War, Mr. Adams enlisted in the