General Notes

ADAMS William Adams, the immigrant ancestor of this branch of a famous old English family, came to New England when he was fifteen years old in May, 1635, in the ship "Elizabeth and Ann" and settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was admitted a freeman of that town by the general court, May 22, 1638. He removed afterward to Ipswich, Massachusetts, where he served on the grand jury in 1642 and as selectman in 1646. He died in 1661. His widow was living in 1681. His home was probably in or near the present town of Hamilton. Children: 1. William. married Elizabeth Stacy, who died in 1655; he died in Ipswich, January 18, 1659, leaving sons, Rev. William, Simon and John. 2. John, mentioned below. 3. Samuel, married Mehitable Norton. 4. Hannah, married, December 6, 1659, Francis Munsy. 5. Mary, married, February 22, 1660, Thomas French. 6. Nathaniel, 1641, died at Ipswich, April 11, 1715; married Mercy Dickinson.

(II) Lieutenant John Adams, son of William Adams, was born in 1632. He married (first) Rebecca (???), who died with her only child, December 31, 1666. He married (second) Sarah (???). Children of second wife: John, born March 11, 1668; Mary, August 26, 1670, married Joseph Whipple; Archelaus, mentioned below (see mss. in Adams Genealogy, New Eng. Hist. Gen. Library); child, born in May, 1676, died June 2, 1676.

(III) Archelaus, son of Lieutenant John Adams, was born in 1674, at Ipswich, Massachusetts, died at Salisbury. He settled in Newbury, Massachusetts. He married (first) March 10, 1698, Sarah March, widow, who died March 4, 1718, aged forty-five years. He married (second) March 4, 1719, Sarah Greene, who died September 5, 1740. He married (third) August 26, 1741, Mrs. Dorothy Clement, who died October 7, 1741, aged thirty-two years. Children by first wife, born at Newbury: Sarah, born January 25, 1699; Mary, October 29, 1701; John, mentioned below; Elizabeth, May 29, 1707; Samuel, April 29, 1710; Stephen, March 14, 1712; Archelaus, November 21, 1714, married Mrs. Mary Pierson; Nathaniel, June 29, 1717, died September 1, 1717.

(IV) John (2), son of Archelaus Adams, was born at Newbury, October 11, 1704. He was a carpenter and joiner by trade. In 1737 he moved from Newbury to Littleton and afterward to Acton and Chelmsford, Massachusetts, returning to Newbury in 1753. He married Alice (Ellis in records) Piper, intention dated at Ipswich in 1725. Children, born at Newbury: John, born October 29, 1726; Jonathan, January 16, 1728; Archelaus, mentioned below.

(V) Archelaus (2), son of John (2) Adams, was born in Newbury, September 23, 1731. He settled at Townsend, Massachusetts, and married Hannah (???). The census of 1790 shows three of the family at Townsend. "Arche" had in his family four males over sixteen, one under that age and two females. Peter had two males over sixteen, and Abner had two males over sixteen, one under that age and one female. Archelaus and his wife had six or seven children, as shown by the census.

(VI) Peter, son of Archelaus (2) Adams, was born in Townsend, Massachusetts, February 6, 1761, died at Andover, Vermont, July