- 1730 Scotch-Irish Immigrant
Biography
Joseph Adair, Sr. was born circa 1711 in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom to Thomas Adair (c1680-c1740) and Margaret Marie Henart (c1680-c1750) and died 1788 Laurens County, South Carolina, United States of unspecified causes. He married Sarah Laferty (1715-1767) September 1747 in Holy Trinity (Old Swedes) Church, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware. He married Susanna Murdough (1723-1800) 1770 in Laurens County, South Carolina.
He fought in the American Revolution alongside William Berry and George Washington. He was one of the oldest soldiers in that war. His son and grandson also fought along side him as well as his grand daughter's husband, Capt. James Dillard.
Joseph Adair and Sarah Laferty were the grandparents of Mary Ramage Dillard, American Revolution heroine. Her mother was their daughter, Jean Ramage. This marker is erected at Duncan Creek Presbyterian Church where he was a charter member and an elder.
Timeline
- 1730: Migration from County Antrim to Chester County, Pennsylvania
- 1739-Jan-04: Notice in Pennsylvania of unclaimed mail. [1]
- 1747-Sep: Marriage recorded at Holy Trinity (Old Swede's) Church in Wilmington, Delaware. (Well after the birth dates of their children.) [2]
- c1754: Daughter Jean Adair (1738-1805) marriage to John Ramage of Pennsylvania.
- 1759: Joseph has power of attorney to sell lands in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania on behalf of John, Josiah & Jennet Ramage.
- 1760: French & Indian Wars forces migration of Adair Family (and others?) from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to Laurens County, South Carolina
- 1764: Joseph sells land in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (located in present day Fulton, Pennsylvania. Last recorded transaction in Pennsylvania.
- 1766-Summer: Joseph Adair, Thomas Ewing, William Hanna and McCreary Family organize the Duncan Creek Presbyterian Church - per article of The Laurens Advertiser - 130th Anniversary of Duncan Creek Church - publ 09-Jun-1896.
- 1766: Joseph Adair petitions for 200 acre land grant onthe "Waters of the Santee". (SC Council Journal, 03 Dec 1766, p874.)
- 1768-Feb-02: Duncan Creek Land Warrant - James and Joseph both petition for "Warrants of Survey" for lands at the Waters of Duncan Creek. (SC Archives, Council Journal 34, p39)
- 1768-Dec-07: Warrant Extension - James and Joseph both petition to prolong warrants. (SC Archives, Council Journal 34, p236)
- 1769: Visit to New York City.
- 1770: Land warrant granted to brother Joseph for 250 acres where the Duncan Creek Church now stands.
- 1779: Colonel Williams Memorial Petition - signatory.
Marriage and Family
1st Marriage: Sarah Laferty
First spouse was Sarah Laferty (1715-1767), some children were born early, but note the marriage record at Holy Trinity Church dated Sept-1747 at Wilmington, Delaware.
- Joseph Adair (1735-1812)
- Jean Adair (1738-1805)
- James Adair (1747-1831)
- John Adair (1750-1782) - Not listed on family memorial??
- Benjamin Adair (1752-1823)
- Sarah Adair (c1754-1788)
2nd Marriage: Susanna McDonnough Long
Susanna Murdough (1723-1800) was the widow of Daniel Long (1723-1767). She had at least two little children adopted by Joseph Adair: They are both listed on the family memorial stone (see below):
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Robert Long (1760-1840) | 1760 County Antrim, Ireland | 20 January 1840 Laurens County, South Carolina, United States | Elizabeth Adair (1756-1823) |
| Mary Long (1762-1823) | 1762 County Antrim, Ireland | 1823 Laurens County, South Carolina, United States | John Owens (1755-1806) |
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| James Adair (1714-1796) | 1714 County Antrim, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom (Ulster) | 1788 Laurens County, South Carolina, United States | Eleanor Adair (1726-1803) |
| Joseph Adair (1711-1788) | 1711 County Antrim, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom | 1788 Laurens County, South Carolina, United States | Sarah Laferty (1715-1767) Susanna Murdough (1723-1800) |
| William Adair (c1718-1812) | 1718 County Antrim, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom | 1812 Mercer County, Kentucky, United States | Mary Moore (1729-1797) |
Residences
Ancestry
The Adair family is one of the oldest in Ireland. The Adare Castle sits on the Shannon River still today.
Vital Records
Joseph Adair Family Memorial
Duncan Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Laurens County, South Carolina
Note: This is a memorial, but not an actual gravestone.
IN MEMORY OF JOSEPH ADAIR, SR. BORN IRELAND 1711 - DIED S.C. 1789
ELDER OF DUNCAN CREEK CHURCH - 40 YRS, AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY PATRIOT
HIS WIFE SARAH LAFERTY OF PA, B. c1715 - D. c1770
THEIR SONS JOSEPH JR., JAMES & BENJAMIN ALL WERE REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS
THEIR DAUGHTERS JEAN RAMAGE, SARAH ADAIR,
*MARY OWENS & *ROBERT LONG
SECOND WIFE SUSANNA LONG
* STEPCHILDREN
Research Notes
No Middle Name
- Joseph Alexander Adair, SR at Find A Grave #9768725 Incorrectly assumes a middle name of "Alexander".
References
- ^ The Pennsylvania Gazette publ by Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), "List of Letters which have been brought into th ePost-Office at Philadelphia, since the 2d of November past, and remainunredeeme'd: Joseph Adare, Cooper, phi." (phi=Philadelphia. Note of profession as cooper.)
- ^ Catalog and Errata of the Records of Holy Trinity (Old Swedes) Church, Wilington, Del. from 1697-1773. Translated from by Horace Burr. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing, 1999:
See Also
- Joseph Adair - disambiguation
- James Adair in the Ninety-Six District - Research Notes for this family
- Adair in Chester County, Pennsylvania
- Adair in Laurens County, South Carolina
- Adair in County Antrim
- Joseph Adair (cooper) - MyFamilySearch.net
- Joseph Alexander Adair, SR at Find A Grave #9768725
- Joseph Adair Sr - GENI
- "Early Adairs of Laurens County, South Carolina," compiled by Mildred Brownlee, 1990, copy at the Laurens County Library; Source Records: Wills; Intestate Estates; Deeds; Court Records; Cemetery Inscriptions. Some dates of birth and death obtained from Lineage Charts. Dates of birth and death subject to correction. Spelling of names subject to correction."