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ADAMS, Henry

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DC0144
Per SAVAGE, VOL 1 Directory of First Settlers Of New England. Henry Adams, Braintree, came early to our country, and tradition says from Braintree was part, i.e. the portion for ten heads. Perhaps he was the firstclerk of the town, after separation from Boston, though more likely itis that his son of the same name had the honor; and he died or was buried October 8, 1646, leaving by tradition eight sons yet only five are named in his will, 1646, proved June 8, 1647, where appears Peter, John,Joseph, Edward, Samuel, and daughter Ursula. Of this daughter as tradition took no notice, it may be that the number eight applied to sons means in truth children seven sons and one daughter but names enough for the sons may be seen, and certainly one son good, if not two beyond the devices in the will, as Henry, Thomas, Jonathan, in some reports called William. The inscription on the monument erected by his descendants, John Adams, second President of memory. of Henry Adams who took his flightfrom the Dragon persecution, in Devonshire, England and alighted with eight sons, near Mt. Wollaston. One of the sons returned to England and,after taking some time to explore the country, four removed to Medfield, and the neighboring towns, remained here; who was an original proprietor in the township of Braintree incorporated 1639."[GFS Brenda.FTW]

Per SAVAGE, VOL 1 DICT. FIRST SETTLERS OF New England
HENRY, Braintree, came early to our country, and tradition says from Braintree was part, i. e. the portion for ten heads. Perhaps he was the first clerk of the town, after separating from Boston, though more likely is it that his son of the same name had the honor; and he died or wasburied 8 October 1646, leaving by tradition eight sons yet only five are named in his will, 1646, proved 8 June 1647, where appear Peter, John, Joseph, Edward, Samuel, and daughter Ursula. Of this daughter as tradition took no notice, it may be that the number eight applied to sons means in truth children seven sons and one daughter but names enough forthe sons may be seen, and certainly one son good, if not two beyond the devisees in the will, as Henry, Thomas, Jonathan, in some reports called William. The inscription on the monument erected by his descendant,John Adams, second President of memory. of Henry Adams who took his flight from the Dragon persecution, in Devonshire, England and alighted with eight sons, near Mt. Wollaston. One of the sons returned to Englandand, after taking some time to explore the country, four removed to Medfield, and the neighboring towns, two to Chelmsford. One only, Joseph,who lies here at his left hand, remained here; who was an original proprietor in the township of Braintree incorporated 1639."

Per POPE, Pioneers of Massachusetts, p.10:
"ADAMS, Henry, Sen., Braintree, had land grant at Mt. Wollaston 24 (12)1639-40, 40 acres for 10 heads. Signed petition about meadows in 1646.[Arch. 45.] He was buried 8 (8) 1646. Nuncupative will probated 8 (4) 1647, on testimony of Benjamin Allbe and Richard Brackett. Inventory filed, bequeathed to wife; to sons Peter, John, Joseph, Edward and Samuel,and daughter Ursula. House and lands, etc. Books to be divided among his children. Money due to son Samuel for ground bought of him; part of his land to return to the town. John (probably this son), deposed at Cambridge 7 (8) 1656, age about 35 years [Middlesex Files], Samuel m. MaryEaglesfield, q.v. [Henry, town clerk, lieutenant, owner of a mill afterwards at Medfield, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Moses Paine, is believed to have been another son of Henry, Senior; but the writer has found no proof of this nor any trace of the origin of the family, in anycontemporaneous document.]"

Per NEHGS Register, v. 79 (1925), p. 217
"The English Home of Henry Adams, of Braintree, Mass. -- During the last hundred years at least four erroneous claims have been made about theEnglish home of the well-known Adams family of Braintree, Mass.
In 1823 President John Adams (John, Joseph, Joseph, Henry) erected a monument in Quincy to Henry Adams, his immigrant ancestor, the inscription stating that he 'took flight from the Dragon Persecution in Devonshire in England.'
In 1853, a long pedigree, purporting to exist in an original manuscriptin England, was printed in the (NEHGS) Register, which set forth that Henry Adams was descended from a landed Adams family of Fenn and Waton in Stoke-Gabriel, co. Devon, which, it was claimed, was derived from thebaronial family of Ap
Adam of Tidenham and Beverstone, co. Gloucester. The late Colonel Chester and others showed this pedigree to be a worthless forgery (see Register, v. 7, pp. 39-41, v. 31, p. 333, v. 34, pp. 432-433, and v. 37, pp.159-160)
Because Braintree, Mass., was named for the parish of Braintree, co. Essex, England, the late Charles Francis Adams, about 1900, conjectured that Henry Adams might have come from Essex, and a Henry Adams was located near Chelmsford in that county who seemed to him to be, possibly, the emigrant to New England; but this supposition was certainly erroneous....
Henry Adams, the founder of the Braintree family, was born about 1583 at Barton St. David, co. Somerset. At least four generations of his ancestors resided there, and the Adams name is found on records in the immediate vicinity of that parish as far back as 1327."
From "Henry Adams of Somersetshire, England and Braintree, Mass.; His English Ancestry and Some of his Descendants"
" WILL OF HENRY ADAMS OF BRAINTREE, 1646
First, my will is, that my sonns Peter and John and my dau. Vrsula shall have the ground in the Neck, both vpland and meddow, during the termeI was to enjoy it, vntill it returne into the townes hands againe fromwhom I had it. Also the Aker in the mill feilds. My will is that my bookes shall be divided amongst all my Children; that my wife shall have and Enjoy all my other Goods, so Longe as shee liveth nmarried. And if she marry, then my will is yt Josephe, Edward, and my dau. Vrsula shouldenjoy all my ground in the feild that lyeth in the way to Waymouth ferry, and my house Lott, with all the houses and fruit trees, and all my moveables, at the death or marriage of my wife; Provided, they and theirmother
shall pay to my sonne Samuel that wch is due to him for the ground I bought of him, to be payd in Convenient tyme. But in case God should soe deal wth my wife that shee be constrayned to make vse of something by way of sale, shee may.
Finally, for moveables, my will is, that my sonns Peter and John shall have an equall share with my sonns Joseph and Edward and my dau. Vrsula.[Witnesses] Beniamin Allbe, Richard Brackett. [Endorsed] 8:4:1647. Increase Nowell, sec. (Suffolk County Probate Records, New Series, vol. 1,page 429).
INVENTORY OF ESTATE OF HENRY ADAMS, 1646
A true Inventory of all the goods, moveable & immoveable of Henry Adam
late of Braintre dyed seized.
ú. s. d.
Imprimis. all his apparell ú2-5. Itm. the bed in ye parlor & all that belongs to it. ú5-4 07- 09- 00
Itm. the bed in the chamber & all that belongs to it 01- 12- 00
Itm. another bed in the chamber and all belonging to it 02- 02- 00
Itm. a parcell of hops 8s., Itm. a parcell of Indian corne ú3-10 03- 18- 00
Itm. one chest of linnen ú2, Itm. one warming pan 5s., Itm. one chest 2s. 02- 07- 00
Itm. Some ould bookes 9s. Itm. all the brasse ú2-16. Itm. all the pewter 8s. 03- 13- 00
Itm. one Silver Spoone 4s. Itm. Some yron & tooles 14s. 00- 18- 00
Itm. I frying pan, I spitt & trivett & gridyron 00- 10- 00
Itm. Some flaxes & threed 10s. & ould Lumber 10s. 01- 00- 00
Itm. 1 cow & heifer ú7-6, Itm. swine, ú3, Itm. Corne ú3 13- 06- 00
Itm. 1 grindstone 4s., Itm. a parcel of hay ú1-10 01- 14- 00
Itm. plow yrons, chaines & harrowes 01- 04- 00
Itm. the house & barne & ground about them 26- 00- 00
Itm. Some ground within the fence leading to Waymouth ferry 10- 00- 00
________
75- 13- 0
Deposed in Court 8 (4) 1647 Increase Nowell, Sec. (Suffolk County Probate Records, volume 2, page 32)"



/DC0144

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