Abraham (Adam) Adams (1854-1913)

***UPDATED***
Original post published on January 27, 2018, updated with corrections on May 29, 2018

My closest Adams ancestor is my biological maternal grandmother. I prefer not to share information about living relatives, and since I have already written previously about her father, Sidney Adams on this blog (please go to post dated November 11, 2016 for more information about him). I will jump ahead to his father, Abraham Adam Adams.

UPATED: I originally thought Abraham was born March 4, 1854 in St. John’s, Newfoundland, that his parents names were Abraham Adams (Laborer) and Drusilla Brace, and that he was baptized April 20, 1854 at the Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in St. John’s, Newfoundland. I no longer believe this to be true, as I found an Abraham Adams and his family actually residing in St. John's (unlike my ancestor), and other documentation for that family also refers to Abraham Adams and Drusilla Brace. See post for May 2018 for more on this. 

He married Sidney’s mother, Matilda Jenkins on July 20, 1888 at Horse Islands, Newfoundland. According to their record of marriage he was a fisherman and they had four children: Thomas, Anna May, Sidney and George.

I found various names on the records, however, when comparing all of the pertinent information on each record it is clear they are the same person:

·        Name on marriage record: Adam Adams

·        Name on son, Thomas’ birth record: Adam Adams

·        Name on daughter, Anna May’s birth record: Adam Adams

·        Name on son, Sidney’s marriage record: Abraham Adams & Abram Adams

·        Name on daughter, Hannah Mary's (Anna May) death record: Adam Adams

In the Twillingate District records there was an Adam Adams, a fisherman, living in French Beach in 1894. In the McAlpine Directory for 1904 for the District of Twillingate there was an Adam Adams, a fisherman, living in Peter’s Arm.

We know in August 1891 his son, Thomas, was born in French Beach, and in 1893, his daughter, Anna May (Hannah Mary on her death record) was born in Peter’s Arm. Also, both Thomas and Anna May’s birth records confirm their father, Adam, was a fisherman. So, it seems likely that the Adam Adams in the directories is the correct one. The only question is why he would be going back and forth between French Beach and Peter’s Arm between 1891 and 1904. I asked this question on the Newfoundland’s Grand Banks Facebook page and from the replies I received it was common for men to travel for work.

My great grandfather, Sidney Adams, was born March 19, 1898 in Botwood, Green Bay, Newfoundland, according to his Attestation Paper dated December 28, 1916. At that time he was living at Reserve Mines, Sydney, Nova Scotia working as a Miner. His father isn’t listed on the Attestation Paper, and his mother had obviously remarried by this point, as her name is listed as Matilda Shepherd.

This made me wonder if Abraham/Adam Adams had died. I found a death record for an Adam Adams that died July 25, 1913 from pneumonia. It states he was 57 years old, died in Twillingate and was buried in Botwood. There was no information about his family, nor an informant. The attending physician was Dr. Smith and the attending clergyman was Ensg. Simmons. Another valuable piece of information was that his religious denomination was “S.A.” I assume that means Salvation Army. This lines up with information about his wife, Matilda. When she married her second husband, Elkanah Sheppard on January 10, 1914, it took place in Botwood, Newfoundland, their religious denomination is listed as “S.A.” and their Clergyman was also Ensign Simmons. With all the similarities I believe the death record is likely a correct match to our Adam Adams.

So, this month’s post is short and sweet. Mainly because I will be away for the next week and wanted to meet my deadline.

Until next time, happy hunting, fellow gene geeks!

SOURCES:

·        Canada, WWI CEF Attestation Papers, 1914-1918, ancestry.ca

·        Civil Marriage Register, Notre Dame Bay, Pt 3, 1912-1916, nl.canadaweb.org

·        Civil Register of Multidenominational Births for Persons of Notre Dame (1891-), Part-1A, ngb.chebucto.org

·        Marriage Certificate, provided by Arden Phair, Volunteer, Welland Canal Fallen Workers Memorial

·        Newfoundland, Canada, Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1757-1901, ancestry.ca

·        Newfoundland, Canada, Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1850-1949, ancestry.ca

·        Newfoundland’s Grand Banks Facebook Group

·        Ontario, Canada, Deaths and Deaths Overseas, 1869-1946, ancestry.ca

·        Ontario, Canada, Marriages, 1826-1936, ancestry.ca

·        Register of Baptisms, Exploits—Dominion Point, 1879-1899, ngb.chebucto.org