Nathaniel Adams (1757 - 1829)

Born 1 Jan 1757 in Grafton, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Harrington) Adams — married 8 Feb 1784 in Grafton, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Descendants

Died 24 Jan 1829 at age 72 in Grafton, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Biography

Nathaniel Adams is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A000696.

Nathaniel Adams was born at Grafton, Massachusetts on January 1, 1756 the son of Andrew Adams and Elizabeth Hunt. ^{[1] [2]}

His father Andrew, in his will written on September 16, 1782, named youngest son Nathaniel to be executor. ^[3]

Nathaniel married Mary Harrington on February 8, 1784 at Grafton. His wife Mary was born there on April 11, 1763, daughter of Moses Harrington and Mary Pierce. ^{[2] [1] [4]}

They remained in Grafton throughout there lives, where Nathaniel served as Deacon of the Congregational church for over 20 years. ^[4]

Nathaniel died on January 24, 1829 at Grafton. ^[1]

His will was dated December 30, 1828. In it he left beqests to: ^[5]

• wife Mary
• son Nathaniel Adams Jr.
• son Abijah Adams
• son Moses H. Adams
• son Andrew H. Adams
• two grandchildren - children of my daughter Sarah Merriam deceased
• daughter Polly Leland, wife of Charles Leland
• daughter Susan
• son Otis Adams, executor ^[5]

His widow Mary died at Grafton on September 24, 1845, aged 82 years 5 months and 10 days. ^[1]

Military

Nathaniel Adams was a member of Captain Warren's company at Bennington. ^[6]

Served as a Corporal in Captain Ephraim Lyon's company which joined General Ward's regiment June 20, 1778 ^[6]; service at Rhode Island. Discharged July 13, 1778. ^[7]

Children

1. Nathaniel Jr born on March 16, 1785; married first, Polly Capen Merriam on June 8, 1809; married second Persis Greenwood on February 8, 1824. ^[1]; removed to New York state. ^[4]
2. Mary/Polly born on May 4, 1786; married Charles Leland on June 26, 1803. ^[1]
3. Abijah born on August 20, 1787; died on August 15, 1791. ^[1]
4. Sally born on November 27, 1789; died on October 5, 1813; married Timothy Merriam Jr. on April 30, 1809. ^[1]
5. Abijah born on March 2 1793 ^[1]; removed to Alexandria South Carolina.
6. Moses Harrington born on February 2, 1795; married Sally Prentice on May 6, 1821 ^[1]; died on September 3, 1854. ^[4]
7. Otis born on February 13, 1798; married Sylvia King on May 16, 1822 ^{[1] [6]}; died on May 4, 1860. ^[4]
8. Andrew Hunt born on June 27, 1799 ^[1]; removed to Alexandria as well.
9. Susannah born on September 17, 1802; married Samuel Redding on March 12, 1829. ^[1]

Research notes

Grafton Births

Adams, Nathaniel s. Andrew and Elisabeth, Jan. 1, 1757. (p. 10)

Harrington, Mary, d. Moses and Mary, April 11 [12 in dup.], 1763. (p. 67)

Adams, Nathaniel, s. Nathaniel and Mary, March 16, 1785. (p. 10)

Adams, Mary, d. Nathaniel and Mary, May 4, 1786. (p. 10)

Adams, Abijah, s. Nathaniel and Mary, Aug. 20, 1787. (p. 9)

Adams, Sally, d. Nathaniel and Mary, Nov. 27, 1789. (p. 11)

Adams, Abijah, s. Nathaniel [Nathanel in dup.] and Mary, March 2, 1793, (p. 9)

Adams, Moses Harrington, s. Nathanel and Mary [Marcy in c.R.], Feb. 2, 1795. (p. 10)

Adams, Otis, s. Nathanel and Mary [Marcy in c.R.], Feb. 13, 1798. (p. 11)

Adams, Andrew Hunt, s. Nathaniel and Mary [Marcy in c.R.], June 27, 1799. (p. 9)

Adams, Susanna, d. Nathaniel and Mary [Marcy in c.R.], Sept. 17, 1802. (p.11)

Grafton Marriages

Adams, Nathanael and Mary Harrington, Feb. 8, 1784. (p. 158)

Adams, Polly and Charles Leland, June 26, 1803. c.R. (p. 158)

Adams, Nathaniel and Polly Capen Meriam, June 8, 1809. c.R. (p. 158)

Adams, Nathaniel Jr. and Persis Greenwood, Feb. 8, 1824. c.R. (p. 158)

Adams, Sally and Timothy Meriam Jr., April 30, 1809. c.R.(p. 159)

Adams, Moses H. and Sally Prentice, May 6, 1821. c.R. (p. 158)

Adams, Otis and Sylvia King, May 16, 1822. c.R. (p. 158)

Adams, Susan and Samuel F. Redding, March 12, 1829. (p. 159)

Grafton Deaths

Adams, [Dea. g.s. and c.r.] Nathaniel, Jan. 24, 1829 [1839, G.s.], a. 72. [Jan. 23, 1829. Liver complaint, c.r.] (p. 317)

Adams, Mary, wid. [w. Dea.] Nathaniel, Sept. 24, 1845, a. 82 y. 5 m. 10 d. Old age. (p. 317)

Adams, Abijah, s. Nathaniel and Mary, Aug. 15, 1791. [s. Lt. Nathaniel and Mary, a. 3 y. 11 m. 25 d., g.s.] (p. 317)

Merriam, Sally, w. Timothy Jr., Oct. 5, 1813, in 24th year. g.s. )p. 357) ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13} Systematic History Fund. Vital records of Grafton, Massachusetts to the end of the year 1849, Franklin P. Rice, Worcester, Massachusetts, 1906
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Appleton, William S. Some descendants of William Adams of Ipswich, Massachusetts, David Clapp & Son Boston, Massachusetts, 1881, p. 4: 6-7
3. ↑ Case 113: p. 1-16: Worcester County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1731-1881. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4} Pierce, Frederick Clifton Pierce, History of Grafton, Worcester County, Massachusetts : from its early settlement by the Indians in 1647 to the present time, 1879 : including the genealogies of seventy-nine of the older families, Press of C. Hamilton, Worcester, Massachusetts, 1879, p. 445-7
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Case 404: p. 1-14: Worcester County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1731-1881, Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.) https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1635/i/26962/404-co1/521841783
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Greene, George Sear, The Greenes of Rhode Island: With Historical Records of English Ancestry 1534-1902. New York New York, 1903, p. 715
7. ↑ Office of the Secretary of State. Massachusetts soldiers and sailors of the revolutionary war. A compilation from the archives, Volume I, Wright and Potter Printing Co., Boston, Massachusetts, 1896, p. 66

See also:

• DAR Ancestor #: A000696
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27560058/nathaniel-adams