This family has not yet been genetically linked to Adams Family Group 33 because their history has recently been discovered and identified as connected to the Adams families for which this website is dedicated. We are currently in the process of searching for a male Adams descendant from this family willing to contribute his DNA to the y-DNA study.

This family with starts two (and perhaps more) pioneer brothers in the Pennsylvania back-country having landed in North America in 1740. This page is dedicated to brother James Adams (The Pioneer) born ca. 1700 and died April 13th 1752. His brother Robert Adams (The Pioneer), born ca. 1700 and died July 23rd 1752, is most likely the patriarch of Family A364 and his information is located on that page.

Documentation would suggest they are the Parrish of Cumber in Londonderry Ireland based on  the will of nephew William Adams (1725-1792) of Family A364. Both die in the back country of Cumberland County in 1752 near the beginning of the Indian Wars.

Published 1843: Marriages & Deaths, Columbia, SC Newspapers, 1838-1860, p.218 South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research.

The Rev. James S. Adams, died, at his residence in York District, on the 18th August, in the 71st year of his age and the 48th of his ministry. James Adams, the Grandfather of the deceased, came from Scotland to the Province of Pennsylvania about the year 1740, and that his son William Adams, father of the deceased, was when he landed about 7 years old. The family settled in Cumberland County, where they lived till after the death of the grandfather (James Adams) of the Rev. James S. Adams which occurred in 1752. In 1756, William Adams removed to Carolina, and shortly afer married and settled on Crowders’ Creek, in York District, So. Ca. where he resided during his life. Elstrongly attached to the Presbyterian Church, he felt a lively interest in securing the means of grace and in established in the Congregation of Bethel. The Rev. James S. Adams was the filth of a family of eleven children. He was born on 12th of September 1779l2l he was sent to the School of the Rev. James Hall, D. D., and later entered upon the study of Theology under the Rev. James McRee, D. D., and in the Spring of 1795 he was licensed by the Presbytery of OrangeJIl In Charleston he married and lost by death his first the daughter of Thomas Smith, Esq., a member of the Dorchester Church. In 1801, he was married to a daughter of the Rev. James McEwen, of Mecklenburgh County, N,. C. His worthy consort yet survives him. They were blessed with a family of eight children, all of whom are members of the visible Church, and one an efficient Ministeri] (long account)

DS – This shows a connection of the family of A364  to the Adams of SC and NC in the time frames conducive to a match for Family 079,  family A135 and A322 (maybe). They were indeed Scottish but probably spent two or three generations in Northern Ireland before coming to North America in 1740 most likely disembarking their vessel in New Castle at the time rather than Philadelphia. They were Scots-Irish NOT Irish. It is important to remember Scots-Irish is a twentieth century term. They would have referred to themselves as being Scottish at the time of this article (1843) whether they spent 20 or 100 years in Ulster. I am 99.9% sure they spent a minimum of a generation or two in Ireland prior to colonizing Pennsylvania – this based on the reference to Parish of Cumber in Londonderry Ireland in William Adams (1725-1792) will of Family A364.

Landing in 1740 sounds about right – spot on for the third wave from Ulster migrations. If William son of James (The Pioneer)  was 7 in 1740 he would have been 19 in 1752 and 23 when he moved to Carolina in 1756 and younger brother Robert being only 21.

Also, the family researchers of this family on Ancestry.com have not found the article listed above and seem to have inaccurately attributed  a 1773 Ships log for William Adams from Antrim Ireland landing in Charleston South Carolina pub code 1640.7.32 as being the immigration point. This information is probably inaccurate unless William went back to Ireland prior to 1773 and then came back which is possible but not likely.

 

Generation 0 – James Adams (The Pioneer)

James brother (also died in 1752) is listed on the page of Family A364 as the possible father of that family. James arrived in Pennsylvania in 1740.

born ca. 1700 Parrish of Cumber, Londonderry, Ireland – died 13 Apr. 1752 in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania

1st Wife: Jane

Children:

1. Robert Adams, Sr. (ca 1730 – 1795) – Moved to York South Carolina in 1756. Crowder’s Creek, in York District, South Carolina.
2. William A. Adams, Sr.  (1733 – 1799) – Moved to York South Carolina in 1756. Crowder’s Creek, in York District, South Carolina.

Attached below is a copy of letters of Administration from April 13th 1752 in Cumberland County, for James Adams (deceased) to his wife Jane. This may be the same Robert. More research need to be done to better confirm whether or not it is but it seems likely.

Background: The area of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania where the Adams colonized was between what is now Chambersburg and Shippensburg and it was called Falling Spring. There are a bunch of Adams slightly north in Sherman’s valley in an area called Tyrone/Toboyne at the time as well. Family A265 and family A364 both lived in and owned land in the Falling Spring and Guilford area.

Stepping back further in time, it is important to note that the Parrish of Cumber in sits on the border between Tyrone and Londonderry and is at some points in time listed as being part of one or the other as borders shifted during the history of the Ulster Plantations of Northern Ireland between 1609 and 1800.

Franklin County was formed by the Chambers family 1730. ”Falling Spring” was first settled by Benjamin Chambers, a Scots-Irish immigrant, in 1730, who started a grist mill and saw mill by a then-26-foot (7.9 m) high waterfall where Falling Spring Creek joined Conococheague Creek. The creek provided power to the mills, and the settlement was known as “Falling Spring.” On March 30, 1734, Chambers was issued a “Blunston license” for 400 acres (1.6 km²), from a representative of the Penn family. The Great Wagon Road connecting Philadelphia with the Shenandoah Valley passed nearby. In 1744, it was completed through Harris’s Ferry, Carlisle, Shippensburg, and Chambersburg to the Potomac River. The Forbes Road and other trails going to Fort Pitt passed nearby as well. In 1748 a local militia was formed for protection against Indians, with Benjamin Chambers being named colonel. Chambersburg was on the frontier during the French and Indian War. The area’s population dropped from about 3,000 in 1755 at the start of the war to about 300, with most settlers not returning until after 1764 when the peace treaty was signed.The area was officially part of Chester County, then Lancaster, and then Cumberland until it became part of the newly established Franklin County in 1784.

It was during this time when the Indians (thanks to the French) had driven the population down by 90% that William Adams (1733-1799) and with his brother Robert (1737-1795) picked up and moved to Carolina in 1756 (during the peak of the Indian raids) as described below.

 

Generation 1a – William A Adams, Sr.

born 1733 – Parrish of Cumber, Londonderry Ireland

died 27 Nov. 1799 – Clover, York County, South Carolina

Wife: Margaret Ewart (1746 – 25 Apr. 1824)

Children:

1. Rev James S. Adams (12 Sep. 1773 – 18 Aug. 1843) – married Eliza Ann Smith 26 Feb 1799 in SC. This is probably first wife of James.
2. Rachel Adams (12 May 1777 – 6 Dec 1837) – Married Alexander Barnett (1774 – 1851)
3. Margaret Adams (1780 – 21 Dec 1838) – Married David McEwen Watson – They had 11 children
4. William Adams, Jr. (9 Jan 1785 – 26 Feb 1870) – Married Rebecca Hope – Children Jane Meek Adamas Barnett, Margaret E.M. Adams

Most of these Adams are buried at Bethel Presbyterian Church – http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&GRid=26904983&CRid=1971881&

There is also a Joseph Adams (1783  – 15 Apr 1860) married to Margaret Adams (xxxx – 1844) who may be a sibling of those above.

Generation 1b – Robert Adams, Sr.

born ca 1730 – Parrish of Cumber, Londonderry Ireland

died 1795 – Clover, York County, South Carolina

Wife: Elizabeth (This may be her gravestone unreadable)

Children:

1. Elizabeth Adams (1752 -14 Feb 1823) – She was married to Capt. William Patrick about 1770. Together they had 13 known children.
2. Hanna Adams (1762- 17 Jun1817) – Married Christopher McCarter and had 10 children.
3. Robert Adams (26 May 1770 – 23 May 1857) – Wife Jane Barbar (11 Sept 1777 – 26 Jan 1854)

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Additional Notes

Def need to spend some time sorting these Adams out.

What do you guys think? Based on the will of William Adams in Franklin and the story from SC referencing the 1752 settlement paper . . . seems to be a pretty tight fit. Timing for the move was during an evacuation period. Arrival was the same time period as David and William of A364. Seems about right. A y-DNA match would seal the deal.

Becky Carson 10:57 AM (10 hours ago) to me, Timothy
James S. Adams married Eliza Ann Smith 26 Feb 1799 in SC. This is probably first wife of James. Also found Ancestry tree Cagle-Pate family tree owner susann47 shows William A Adams sr. born 1733 in Ballymena, Antrim, Ireland. He died Nov 27, 1799 in York, is in Bethel cemetery. However, I need to head to store before the winter storm hits us with the ice and snow promised. Can work on this later. I think Tim hit it out of the ballpark this time. We need to contact some of the people with trees of this line.