Amos Adams
Amos Adams
| Born | 1788-08-24 |
| Died | 1840-09-11 Billerica |
| Spouses | Susan Dodge |
| Children | Edward (b. 1839-11-25) |
Amos Adams (1788 to 1840) was a Charlestown yeoman who in 1831 bought the old Hill family farm on the road from Billerica to Concord in south Billerica. His gravestone in the Hill Cemetery gives his birth date as August 24, 1788.
He married Susan Dodge of Charlestown, and their eldest child, Susan Mary, was born there about April 1830. On September 13, 1831 Dr. Joseph F. Hill of Cambridge sold him, still "of Charlestown", a farm of about 186 acres for $2,300: fifty acres "with a dwelling house and other buildings thereon" on the east side of the road, between William Whitford's land and the Crosbys, and 136 acres on the west side, crossed by "the lane leading from the house to the river". Adams gave Hill a mortgage of $2,000 on it. It was the homestead the Joseph Hill family had held for several generations, and the old Hill house stood where his widow later built the Adams-Stoker House at 294 Concord Road. By January 1838 he was "of Billerica", and he borrowed $500 from the town on a mortgage of the farm to the town treasurer.
He died on September 11, 1840, aged 52 years and 18 days, without a will, "leaving a widow and several children all minors". His widow declined the administration and Leonard Thompson of Woburn was appointed. The inventory began with "The homestead of said deceased situate in said Billerica containing by estimation one hundred & seventy acres with the buildings on the same", valued at $2,300, and listed a house and store in Charlestown, two house lots in Cambridge and the Clapp place in Woburn, with the furniture of the old farmhouse room by room. In February 1841 the court licensed the sale of real estate to pay debts of $6,409.94, and at the auction of April 12, 1841 his widow bought back the equity of redemption in the farm for $220.
Their children were Susan Mary, who died of consumption on February 19, 1848, aged seventeen; Esther, who married Aleck Stowell, a jeweller on Winter Street in Boston; and Edward A. Adams, born November 25, 1839, a sergeant of the 59th Massachusetts who died of wounds received near Petersburg in 1864.
References
- Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), Genealogical Register p. 3, ADAMS 5
- Vital Records of Billerica to 1850, births p. 10: Amos Adams, Aug. 24, 1788 (gravestone, Hill Cemetery); son Edward Amos, Nov. 25, 1839
- Vital Records of Billerica to 1850, deaths p. 340: Amos Adams, Sept. 11, 1840, a. 52 y. 18 d.; daughter Susan M., Feb. 19, 1848
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Property | Recorded |
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| September 20, 1831 | Warranty Deed | Joseph F. Hill of Cambridge, physician, and Caroline L. Hill his wife (dower) | Amos Adams of Charlestown, yeoman | Details | Adams, Susan Dodge - Stoker, Ralph House | 307/372 (South) |
Billerica town book 16, pages 20-21. For $2,300, "a tract of land situate in said Billerica containing fifty acres more or less with a dwelling house and other buildings thereon," beginning at the southwest corner by the road from Billerica to Concord at land of William Whitford, east by Whitford to Seth and Harvey Crosby, north by the Crosbys to a stake and stones, west by Harvey Crosby and Jonathan Hill to other land of Joseph F. Hill and by Hill to the road; also "one other tract of land lying on the West side of said road, containing about one hundred and thirty six acres," bounded by James Marshall, Dorcas Bridge, "the lane leading from the house to the river," the road near the bridge and Jonathan Hill, reserving rights of way through the lane. "Reference to be had to a survey and plan of the premises made by Thompson Bacon March 15, 1829." Dated Sept. 13, 1831; recorded Sept. 20, 1831.
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| September 20, 1831 | Mortgage | Amos Adams of Charlestown, yeoman, and Susan Adams his wife (dower) | Joseph F. Hill of Cambridge, physician | Details | Adams, Susan Dodge - Stoker, Ralph House | 307/374 (South) |
Billerica town book 16, pages 22-23. Mortgage back of "a farm situate in said Billerica containing about one hundred and eighty six acres more or less, and is the same which the said Hill has this day conveyed to me," to secure $2,000 payable $500 in six months, $500 in a year and $1,000 in two years. Dated Sept. 13, 1831; recorded Sept. 20, 1831. Margin: assigned to G. Howe "and by him discharged Book 524 Page 407 & 8."
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| January 10, 1838 | Mortgage | Amos Adams of Billerica, yeoman | John Baldwin Esq., Treasurer of the Town of Billerica | Details | Adams, Susan Dodge - Stoker, Ralph House | 369/204 (South) |
Billerica town book 15, pages 564-566. For $500 lent by the town, Amos Adams, now "of Billerica," mortgaged the lot of "fifty acres more or less with a dwelling house and other buildings thereon" east of the road to Concord and the 136-acre lot west of it, "being the same conveyed to me by Joseph F. Hill by his deed dated September 13th A.D. 1831 ... Book 307 page 372," to secure a note payable in one year. Dated Jan. 6, 1838; recorded Jan. 10, 1838. Discharged July 12, 1841 by John Baldwin on "payment of the note" by "Susan Adams Widow of the within named Amos Adams." This is the town loan behind the $1,073 encumbrance named in the 1841 administrator's deed.
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| October 13, 1840 | Administration | Estate of Amos Adams of Billerica, yeoman, intestate | Leonard Thompson of Woburn, administrator; Susan Dodge Adams, widow | Details | Adams, Susan Dodge - Stoker, Ralph House | Probate #26095 |
Amos Adams died intestate in 1840, "leaving a widow and several children all minors." His widow Susan declined on Oct. 10, 1840 and Leonard Thompson Esq. of Woburn was appointed administrator on Oct. 13. The inventory of Nov. 4, 1840 (Charles Carter, John Baldwin, John Gregory) begins with "The homestead of said deceased situate in said Billerica containing by estimation one hundred & seventy acres with the buildings on the same," $2,300, and lists a house and store in Charlestown, two Cambridge house lots and the Clapp place in Woburn; the furniture is listed room by room in the old house (north room, north east room, south east and south west chambers, south east and south west lower rooms). On Feb. 16, 1841 the court licensed the administrator to sell real estate to raise $6,409.94 for debts, with Susan Adams consenting; she also petitioned for dower.
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| 1841 | Administrator's Deed | Leonard Thompson of Woburn, administrator of the estate of Amos Adams | Susan Dodge Adams of Billerica, widow of Amos Adams | Details | Adams, Susan Dodge - Stoker, Ralph House Colonel Charles A. Ranlett House |
402/564 (South) |
Billerica town book 17, pages 111-113. Under the probate license of Feb. 1841 the administrator sold at public auction on April 12, 1841 "all the right in equity of redeeming" the farm to "Susan Adams of said Billerica widow of Amos Adams aforesaid for the sum of two hundred & twenty dollars she being the highest bidder." The land was under mortgage to Joseph F. Hill and the town of Billerica "as surety for two notes" amounting to $1,073; it comprised the lot "of fifty acres more or less with the buildings thereon" east of the road to Concord and the 136-acre lot west of it, "Being the same tract of land conveyed by Joseph F. Hill to the deceased by deed bearing date Sept. 13, 1831 ... Book 307, Pages 372 & 373." Dated April 20, 1841.
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Recorded is Book/Page at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds unless noted; Probate # is a Middlesex probate case, Ctf a Land Court certificate of title.