Lt. Thomas Adams

Other Events and Attributes:

• Immigration: say 1635; He came to New England say 1635.
• Proprietor: 1639, Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; In 1639 he was a proprietor of Cambridge, Massachusetts.
• Residence: 1642, Braintree, Norfolk County, Massachusetts; In 1642 he lived in Braintree, Massachusetts.
• Freeman: 10 May 1643; On 10 May 1643 he was admitted as a freeman.
• Military: 1644; In 1644 he was a member of Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company.
• Residence: From 1646 to 1650, Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; From 1646 to 1650 he lived in Concord, Massachusetts.
• Offices Held: say 1652, Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; He was the first town clerk of Chelmsford.
• Proprietor: 19 May 1653, Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; On 19 May 1653 he signed he petition to set aside the Town of Chelmsford: To the honourd John Endicot Esqr. Gouvnr: with the reste: of the honord Magistrats and deputies at the General! Courte now at Boston Assembled: humbly Sheweth: That whereas we your humble petitioners: who made bould the last Court Assembled to present a petition: to the Vew of this honoured Courte which was eccepted and Granted to Vs : for which we giue the Courte hmbl thankes and beinge jncoraged by this Courte to Vew the Land that Lyeth yet Vndisposed of and Vnimprooued on the other side Concord Riuer acordingly we haue by a Comity taken care and paynes to doe, with seuerall others: that by the prouidenc of god : are now joyned petitioners : with us : who Vpon our Vewinge the lands as abousaid doe find a tracke of land: which bordereth Vpon the Riuer Merimake: nere to paatooket, which we doe find: a Very Comfortable place to acomidate A company of gods people Vpon: that may with gods blessinge and Asistance Liue Comfortably Vpon : and doe good in or places for church and Comon wealth, which many of Vs your petitioners are throw our nesisitys for wante of acomidationes some neuer haueing any and some others: but Very Litle a Comidation soe yt we canot subsiste excepte we doo take some care to Looke out in away or god for our Comfortable Subsistance, and now we yr humble petitioners doe intreate this honoured Courte for our Comfortable Suply: would please to grante to Vs soe much land: as may be Comfortable for a plantatione: which we conceiue may there be Layed out to the quantity of six myles Square of Vpland and medow: which parcell of land: we doe intreate may be gin at merimacke Riuer at a necke of land nere to Concord riuer: and soe run Vp by Concord: riuer. South and west into the Contrie, to make Vp that sircomferenc or quantity of land as is aboue expresed: and for as much as many of yr petitioners are in greate nesesity haueinge no .setled place to abide in and we all in Generall beinge desirous to proseed as one man together to cary on that worke the lord shall call Vs t6 and this honered Courte shall in ther cristian wisdom Directe Vs in Tharefore we humbly entreate this honord" Courte to Gratifie yr humble petitioners with a speedy and expresed anser so shall you euer bind Vs to Seme you wherein you shall comand
• Moved To: 1654, Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; He moved with his brother, Samuel to Chelmsford, Massachusetts in 1654..
• Miscellaneous: 1655, Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; There appears to be a tradition that Samuel and Thomas Adams were at the principal expense of erecting the first meeting house in Chelmsford. But the town records contain no information relative to it.
• Occupation: 1656, Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; In 1656 he and his brother, Samuel, built mills on the present site of the City of Lowell.
• Religion: 11 Jun 1656, Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; On 11 Jun 1656 Thomas and Mary were received into covenant in the Chelmsford Church.
• Miscellaneous: 17 May 1658, Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; On 17 May 1658 he was one of the signers of the partition to the General Court asking for the privilege of trading with the Indians: Chelmsford May: 17: 58 To the honered Coart Assembled at Boston the humble petistion the in habetants of the towne off Chelmsford Sheweth: that we have as god by his Providenc haveing despoased off us with our famelies into this Remoat Corner of the wildernes: whare not with Standing the improvement of all Lawfull Liberties and Advantages put into our hands wee have and doe find as the State of things now standeth Muchdificalte to: nay imposebile [ ] of procuering such nesesarie suplye as boath Church and familie ocations doe call for to the great hasard boath of uss and owrs as wee dout not but yr wisdoms are sensable off which difecalltie is much increased to uss by beeing prohibeted from tradeing with the indiens which we doe Conseive to bee our Lawfull Liberte : owr humble Requeste tharfore is that yr honers would bee pleased to take this Case into yr Consideration: and grant your petiscioners thare Lawfull Liberte which wee Conceive ought not to bee Menopolised in as much as it is no nue inuention and that the Lord would kepe boath you and yours in his feare and truth wee your petiscioners shall for ever praye wee doe further in [ ] your honer Leter to bee our townes brand or Leter of marke as Law injoyneth
• Military: 1659 to 1682; His militia company elected him chief Sergeant in 1659, but he was refused the office owning to his religious views. In April 1660, he was confirmed upon his agreement not to speak of his views. In 1678, he was made an Ensign, and in 1682, a Lieutenant.
• Offices Held: 1 Mar 1662/63, Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; On 3 March 1663 he was chosen for a committee to lay out a road over which the Groton people passed in going to Boston: 3d 1 month 1662-3. Thomas Adams and Josiah Richardson being chosen a committee to Joyn with Groton committee to Lay out a Highway from Town to Town the work is performed by them and the way is Laid out from Beaver Brook Bridge over the North side of Robbins-hill and thence through Richard Hildreth's yard and so to the west end of Hart pond over the swamp and so to Thomas Chamberlins meadow and so on towards Groton, on the east side of Tadmuck great meadow"
• Offices Held: 1667, Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; "To the honored Court assembled at Cambridge, these may inform that Capt. Samuell Adams, Thomas Adams, and Mr. John Webb, are choase Commissioners for the Court of Chelmsford for this yeare 67."
• Offices Held: 1673, Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; In 1673 he was a Representative to the Massachusetts General Court for Chelmsford.
• Offices Held: say 1675, Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; He was a Justice of the Peace.
• Offices Held: 1678, Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; In 1678 the Town of Chelmsford chose him "For a Comite to order the seating in metting house Capt thom hinchman, Capt Samell Adams,."
• Will: 28 Mar 1688, Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; On 28 March 1688 he made his will. To his wife Mary he gave the use of his house and orchard; his sons Pelatiah, Timothy and Samuel to provide for her. To Jonathan he gave 10 acres on the east end of his home lot, and other lands, and divided lands among the other sons, Samuel to pay £16 to his dau. Mary Cooper.
• Inventory: 11 Aug 1688, Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; His estate was inventoried on 11 August 1688 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts.
• Probate/Proved: 7 Oct 1690, Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; On 7 October 1690 his will was proved.
• Last Full Review: 7 Aug 2020

Notes:

Name:

Thomas married Mary on Yes, date unknown. Mary died on 23 Mar 1694 in Charlestown, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]