Robert Adams 1680 to 1740 November 10, 2010

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Robert Adams 1680/90 Henrico Shire/Goochland County/Albemarle County Virginia

Over the past few weeks we have been exploring Robert Adams, his wife, and fellow settlers in Jamestown, Virginia.  We have ascertained that he was married at least once, arrived in the Bon Nova at around 1619, lived in James City and Martins Hundred.  He was literate and a member of the Burgesses.  Mr. Adams was not adverse to hard work and that his father was probably Captain Robert Adams of the Blessing, The Elizabeth and The Hercules.  His father’s relationship with the leaders and settlers of Jamestown possibly led to his son’s adventure in Jamestown.  That Robert Adams the son was living in Jamestown at the end or during the starving time and the first massacre of 1622.  He survived both and lived for just a few more years until 1628 or late 1627. 

According to genealogist or family researchers, they say he had a son by the name of William who is the father of our Robert of 1680 or 1690, but that remains to be proved. 

It is important to remember that Goochland County was not formed until 1727.  Before that it was Henrico Shire. 

Robert was born around 1680/1690 Death: On or around 1740  He married Mourning (Mary?) Lewis? around 1710/1711. Mourning was possibly of Lewis/Woodson descent, but that is another story.   They had the following children.  This is my preliminary list.  I have taken this information from Robert Adams’s Will of Goochland County (Deed Book 3 page 306) June 17, 1740 and his wife’s deed of gift (Deed Book 4 page 126) of Albemarle County, August 8, 1765

James Adams    b. 1724

Robert Adams   b. 1725-1733

Anna Adams Sanders

Anna Adams Douglas

Judith Adams Clark     b.   1716

Mary Adams Moreman b. 1736

Elizabeth Adams Moreman b.  1720

Aggy Adams Ferguson b. 1728

Susannah Adams Graves b. 1731

Lucy Adams   Sometime in the 1730s

Sally Adams   Sometime in the 1730s

In Robert Adams’s Will he refers to his daughter as Ann the younger.  It was custom at times to name another child the same name as a deceased child, but I don’t think this is the case.  In Mourning Adams deed of gift she mentions two daughters Anna Douglas and Anna Sanders.  Also in her Deed gives money to all of her daughters except  Susanna Graves.  She gives money to Susannah’s daughters.  So we must assume that Susannah has died.  She also gives us Lucy’s name.  She is now a Graves.  And Sally Adams married a Harris.

We will later explore these documents more closely, but as for now I just wanted to ascertain the names of the children of Mourning and Robert Adams.  Now as for the birth dates, I will hope to get a clearer picture in later research documents.  So these dates are not carved in stone.  However, some genealogist have Lucy and Sally as being born in 1740,1741, but that is not possible.  They were mentioned in their father’s will which was written on February 2, 1738.

Adams Family Genealogy by Thomas Tunstall Adams

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