Peter Adams was born 1 March 1621 in Kings Weston, Somerset, England, United Kingdom to Henry Adams (1582-1646) and Edith Squire (1587-1673) and died 23 October 1690 Medfield, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United Kingdom of unspecified causes. He married Rachel Newcomb (1631-1690) 1650 in Medfield, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. He married Elizabeth Sparhawk (1644-) 7 May 1668 in Massachusetts.
Biography
Migration to America
Peter Adams immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). Peter was born or christened 1 March 1622 in Kingweston, England, son of Henry Adams and Edith Squire. He arrived in New England abt.1638. probably one of the thirty-two Braintree petitioners of Oct. 1645 but with his name erroneously written Christopher. [1] [Christ = X so Christoper was often written Xopher which Peter could look like to a translator.] He was mentioned in his father's will in 1646 and was admitted Freeman of Massachusetts Colony May 22, 1650, being then a resident of Braintree. [2] He married abt. 1650 in Braintree Rachel, who is recorded as the mother of his children. She is believed to Rachel Newcomb, eldest daughter of Francis Newcomb and Rachel Bracket of Braintree.[3] but no marriage record exists.
Settlement of Medfield
In 1651 Peter, his new wife and child, moved with his brothers Henry and Edward and his mother and step-father to Medfield, a new town recently set off from Dedham, the town’s western frontier area. The first 13 lots were issued 19 June 1650. In the spring or summer of 1651 Peter and his kin received their lots. Peter’s 2-1/2 acres [on Bridge Street near Dale Street just east of the Charles River ] was the first in a line of Adams house lots - to the northwest lay his brother Edward's lot, next a clay pit, then his stepfather John Fussell ’s lot and finally his brother Henry's lot.] [4] His older brother Henry was the active one, serving as town clerk from the beginning.
King Philip's War
On 21 Feb 1675/6, when Peter was in his mid-50s, the Indians, as a part of the general uprising known as King Philips War, made a surprise early dawn raid on Medfield. They burned half of the houses in town, including the homes of the Adams families near the river, and killed fifteen people, including Peter's aged stepfather, who was unable to leave his burning house, and his brother Henry, who was shot at his front door. The homes of sons-in-law George Fairbank and John Fisher were also burned. [5] After the attack, Peter rebuilt and continued to live in Medfield. At the time of his death, twenty years later, in 1690, his homestead, per his estate papers, totaled 8-1/2 acres, described as upland and meadow on the lower (west) side of the way (Bridge St.).
Death and settlement of Estate
The date of Rachel's death is not known. She died before Peter for she is not mentioned in the division of his estate. Peter died in 1690 [age c.67]. [His death was not recorded in the Medfield vital records nor he did not leave a will.] His estate was inventoried on October 23, 1690 and appraised at £234. The following April the court divided the estate among the following heirs [the men signed and the women put their mark to the document]: Peter Adams, John Fisher and wife Hannah, John Adams, Joseph Adams, Mary Adams, Ruth Adams, and [brother] Ens. Edward Adams for Samuel Adams. The 8-1/2 acre homestead was divided 1/4 each to Hannah Fisher, John Adams, Joseph Adams and Mary Adams; about 26 acres on the west side of the Charles River went to Peter Jr.; and the large 101-acre tract as well as his horse went to to Ruth. The two children of deceased daughter Rachel were not mentioned. [For a copy and more, see:[6]]
Marriage and Issue
They had nine more children, all born in Medfield.[7] [8] Note: Although Tilden, p. 291, says the first born was John, according to the estate papers, Peter Jr. was the eldest son. That makes Rachel the eldest child and likely the baby who arrived with them. Children
- Rachel Adams, b.est.1651, m. Dec 1 1671 George Fairbanks. Jr., d. May 12 1678. Lived in Medfield MA.
- Peter Adams Jr. Dea. b. Apr 1653, m. May 27 1680 Experience Cooke, d. Dec 8 1723. Lived in Medway [Millis].
- Hannah Adams, b. Jan 16 1655/6, m.1 Mar 6 1673/4 widower John Fisher, m.2 Mar 12 1729/30 widower Joseph Metcalf, d. Nov 1 1746. Lived in Medfield.
- John Adams, b. c.1658, m. Apr 2 1685 Michall Bloyse, d. Feb 16 [or 26] 1724/5. Moved to Canterbury, CT.
- Mary Adams, b. Mar 1 1661, d. Mar 19 1703/4. Single.
- Jonathan Adams, b. Jul 11 1663, d. May 15 1664.
- Ruth Adams, b. Jun 20 1665, m. Dec 22 1691 Amos Fisher, d. Nov 26 1745. Lived in Dedham's West End [Westwood], died in Needham MA.
- Joseph Adams, b. Aug 25 1668, m. abt.1690 Mary Davenport, d. Dec 9 1748. Moved to Canterbury CT.
- Samuel Adams, b. Apr 2 1671, m. Nov 11 1703 Sarah Sabin, d. Feb 15 1730/1. Lived in Medfield.
- Henry Adams, b. Jan 6 1673/4. Not named in division of estate.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Rachel Adams (1650-1678) | 1650 Medfield, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States | 12 May 1678 Medfield, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States | George Fairbanks (1650-1737) |
| Peter Adams (1653-1723) | |||
| Henry Adams (1654-1673) | |||
| Hannah Adams (1655-1746) | |||
| John Adams (1659-1724) | |||
| Mary Adams (1661-1704) | |||
| Jonathan Adams (1663-1664) | |||
| Ruth Adams (1665-1745) | |||
| Joseph Adams (1668-1748) | |||
| Samuel Adams (1671-1731) | |||
| Henry Adams (1673-1675) | |||
Siblings
Residences
See Also
- Peter Adams
- Adams Family
- Adams in Somerset
- Adams in Suffolk County, Massachusetts
- Peter Adams, Geni.com, https://www.geni.com/people/Peter-Adams/6000000002909168460, retrieved 01 Jan 2024