Henry Adams

  Events

• Henry Adams was born in Barton St. Davids, Parish, Somersetshire, England where his family had lived for several generations. He was a maltster and, presumably, a husbandman like his father and grandfather before him. The earliest record of him is in 1604 when he was executor of his father's estate and the next in 1609 when he married Edith Squire. Only 2 other records have been found in which his name is mentioned: in 1609, when he was co-executor of the will of his brother John and an original parchment bond found in the Diocesan Registry showing that in 1614 he was living in Barton St. David. It contains the only known signature of Henry. At some time between 1614 and 1622 he moved to the adjacent parish of Kingweston where his youngest children were baptized, the last in 1629, and where he probably lived until his emigration in 1638.

Henry arrived in America on the ship "Mary & John" with his wife, 7 sons and 1 daughter, only son Jonathan did not make the voyage; he came later. At the same time as the Henry Adams immigrated, Henry's wife's sister, Margaret (Squire) Shepherd and her husband Thomas and their children also immigrated, joining a third Squire sister, Anne (Squire) (Purchase) Oliver, who had immigrated in 1633 with her then husband, Aquila Purchase.

Henry was one of the earliest settlers of Mt. Wollaston, incorporated in 1640 as Braintree, MA and included what is now Quincy, Braintree and Randolph, MA. He received a land grant of 40 acres for 10 people at "The Mount" 24 Feb. 1641 in a vote at Boston, of which Braintree was then a part. He settled on that land which became a part of Quincy in 1792. In October, 1645 thirty-two residents of Braintree petitioned the General Court regarding a grant of land and among the names were Henry Adams, Sr. and Jr., Thomas, Samuel, John and Christopher, the latter likely an error for Peter Adams. This accounts for all the sons except Jonathan, still in England, and Joseph and Edward who were still minors. Henry died 6 Oct. 1646 and was buried 8 October. The will and dated 1646 and was proved 8 June 1647. It mentions wife Edith and all but the 3 oldest children; a copy of the will is printed in the NEHGS "Register," Vol 7, page 35. The estate inventory, dated 8 June 1647 totaled 75 pounds, 13.

Henry married Edith Squire on 19 Oct 1609 in Charlton Mackrel, Somersetshire, England. (Edith Squire was born about 1587 in Charlton Mackrel, Somersetshire, England and died on 27 Jan 1673 in Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts.)