Captain was born on 1 JUL 1618 in Barton St. David, Somerset UK, the son of Henry Adams and Edith 'Rosamund' Squire.
He died on 24 JAN 1688 in Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, British Colonial America.
He had three marriages/partners. His first wife was Rebecca Graves, who he married on 9 OCT 1652 in Boston, (Present Suffolk County), Massachusetts Bay Colony. Their seven known children were Thomas (1652-1684), Rebecca (1657-1727), John (1657-1657), Katherine (1657-?), Susanna (1660-1741), Nathaniel (1661-1664) and Benjamin (-?).
His second wife was Esther Sparhawk. They were married, but the date and place have not been found. Their four known children were Samuel (1671-?), Captain Joseph (1672-1717), Benjamin (1679-?) and Esther (-?).
His third wife was Mary Rose Egglesfield, who he married on ABT 1646 in England. Their only known child was Samuel (1647-?).
| + | ||||||||
| | ||||||||
| | ||||||||
| | ||||||||
| | ||||||||
| | ||||||||
| |
| Event | Date | Details | Source | Multimedia | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | 1 JUL 1618 |
|
|||||
| Death | 24 JAN 1688 |
|
Note 1
Captain Samuel Adams, my 9x great grandfather
Captain Samuel, married (first) Rebecca, daughter of Thomas Graves; married (second) Esther, daughter of Nathaniel Sparhawk; he had four hundred and fifty acres of land granted him, near where the city of Lowell now is, and exclusive right to erect and run a sawmill, provided he would sell boards at three shillings per one hundred; and another grant of one hundred acres and right to build and run a grist mill or corn mill, provided he would keep a sufficient mill and miller; he was commissioner to the court, 1667, from Chelmsford. He died January 24, 1668-69.
Note 2
Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts is now Quincy, MA
Note 3
Captain Samuel, married:
First, Mary Egglesfield, daughter of Emmanuel & Susanna (Gray) Egglesfield; then her cousin Rebecca, daughter of Thomas & Katherine (Gray) Graves & married (last) Esther, daughter of Nathaniel Sparhawk; he had four hundred and fifty acres of land granted him, near where the city of Lowell now is, and exclusive right to erect and run a sawmill, provided he would sell boards at three shillings per one hundred; and another grant of one hundred acres and right to build and run a grist mill or corn mill, provided he would keep a sufficient mill and miller; he was commissioner to the court, 1667, from Chelmsford. He died January 24, 1668-69.
http://www.schenectadyhistory.org/families/hmgfm/adams-2.html
iv. SAMUEL (2) ADAMS, b. Abt. 1617, BARTON, ST. DAVID, SOMERSET, ENGLAND; d. January 24, 1688/89, BRAINTREE, NORFOLK, MA (NOW QUINCY) (1688); m. REBECCA GRAVES, January 01, 1635/36, CHARLESTOWN, SUFFOLK, MA.
This Samuel Adams is believed to be the ancestor of Samuel Adams and John Adams and John Quincey Adams. John Adams, 2nd President of the USA is Captain Samuel Adams' second great nephew.
Note 4
Based on historical records, Captain Samuel Adams (c. 1617–1688) of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, did not come over on the Mayflower in 1620, nor was he a passenger. However, he had indirect connections through family, marriage, and early New England colonial history:
• Immigration Context: Samuel Adams (1617–1688) was the son of Henry Adams of Braintree, England. He emigrated to New England with his parents in 1638, which was 18 years after the Mayflower landed in 1620.
• Family Connection: While Samuel himself was not on the ship, his broader family line does have a connection. The Adams family of Massachusetts (including John Adams) is descended from John Alden, who was a Mayflower passenger.
• Marriage Connection: Samuel Adams married Rebecca Graves, daughter of Capt. Thomas Graves of Charlestown. His first wife, Mary Eglesfield, was the sister of Katherine Gray, who was married to Capt. Thomas Graves.
• "Captain" Title: Samuel Adams was appointed captain of the Chelmsford military company and was a prominent landowner in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Summary
Captain Samuel Adams (1618/1617) was a prominent early Massachusetts settler, but he was not a Mayflower passenger or crew member. He arrived in 1638 as part of the later Puritan migration.
Captain Samuel Adams (1617–1688) did not arrive on the Mayflower, nor was he a passenger. He immigrated to New England in 1638, nearly 18 years after the Mayflower's 1620 voyage.
While he himself was not a "Pilgrim," he has significant indirect connections to the Mayflower through his family and descendants:
Historical Connections
• Arrival on the Lyon: Samuel Adams arrived in America as a young man with his parents, Henry Adams and Edith Squire, settling in Braintree, Massachusetts.
• Ancestor of Mayflower Descendants: Samuel was the great-grandfather of President John Adams. While the Adams male line did not come over on the Mayflower, John Adams (and his son John Quincy Adams) became Mayflower descendants through marriages into the John Alden and Priscilla Mullins lines.
• Famous Relative: He was also the great-uncle of the Revolutionary War leader Samuel Adams (the "Father of the American Revolution"), who was born in 1722.
Life in the Colonies
Samuel Adams was a prominent figure in early Massachusetts:
• Military Service: He served as a Captain of the military company in Chelmsford.
• Civic Roles: He was a "freeman" of the colony, served as a town clerk, and was a Commissioner of the Court.
• Business: He was a pioneer in industry, erecting some of the first sawmills and gristmills in the area that is now Lowell, Massachusetts