Adams

01. James Adams was born between 1630-1640 in Scotland (note: I have not seen any source material that gives a year for his birth.)  He was a prisoner at the Battle of Dunbar, and sold as a prisoner of war to the LynnIrons Works by the British government, being sent on the "Unity" with 35 other Scots in 1650.   James was one of Cromwell's Scot prisoners.  After arriving in New England, he worked with both John Gifford's & Daniel Salmon's teams carting for the Sougus Iron Works. In 1656, he sued Samuell Bennett for taking away his cart & wheels, & Nicholas Pinnion for debt. In 1658, he was a member of Scott's Charitable Society.  He married Priscilla Ramsdell (Ramsden) on May 7, 1662 in Lynn, Essex, MA daughter of John Ramsdell and Priscilla. They had 9 children. James died on December 3, 1707.  Proof of James and Priscilla Ramsden's children is a deed of Jonathan Rude (Husband of Abigail Adams); sells for himself "John Adams and Richard Adams 100 acres of land formerly the property of our brother James Adams, late of Wells" dated Jan. 16, 1728/9.  The children of James and Priscilla are:
 

02. Richard Adams, son of James was born abt 1679 in Concord, MA.  In about 1704 he married Mercy Leonard, daughter of Samuel Leonard and Abigail Wood.  Mercy descends from Mayflower passenger James Chilton.  Richard died on December 24, 1749.  The children of Richard and Mercy are:
 

03. Richard Adams, son of Richard was born on June 3, 1708 in Preston, CT.    He married on December 26, 1732 to Susanna Preston, daughter of John Preston and Mary Haynes.  Richard resided in Preston, CT then to Sandisfield, MA. Land records in Sandisfield indicate he came from Preston, CT New London Co. Preston Church records show or mention some of the children's marriages, also mentioned in his will (see Hartford Times 4/14/1945 and Boston Transcript 9/16/1931).  Richard died on April 24, 1788.  The children of Richard and Susanna are:
 

04. Samuel Adams, son of Richard was born on April 18, 1737 in Preston, CT.  On March 28, 1759 He married Sarah Clark, daughter of Thomas Clark and Sarah Woodward.  He served in the Revolutionary War : Rev. War Record, from Mass. Soldiers and Sailors, Vol. 1 pg. 72-73. Pvt. in Capt. Enoch Noble's Co. Entered service Aug. 21, 1777 under a 3 month enlistment; served until Oct. 21, 1777 (60 days); His company marched to Manchester, VT. thence to Allington, thence to Stillwater, by order of General Lincoln. He joined Col. Ashley's (Berkshire Co.) Regt. and marched to Bolton Hills and there served until regularly discharged; also as Pvt. in Capt. John Collar's Co. Col. John Ashley's Regt., entered service July 19, 1779; discharged Aug. 27, 1779; service 1 mo, 9 days. Marched to Conn. under command of Lt. Col Powell.  He was buried at West Center Cemetery. Their children are  listed in vital records of Sandisfield, MA (Ruthland, VT. 1936) pg. 5-6 under the heading "Adams of Samuel".  The 9 children of Samuel and Sarah are:
 

05. Mehitable Adams, daughter of Samuel was born on June 7, 1771 in Sandisfield, MA.  She married Revolutionary War soldier Miles Jones, son of Ebenezer Jones and Zerviah Loomis on November 26, 1792 in Sandisfield.  They had 10 children.  Mehitable died on May 7, 1812 in Otis, MA.  There is a double tombstone on the Grave which reads "In memory of Miles and Mehitable Jones, giving the dates of births and deaths, then the following inscription at the base "Friends and Physicians could not save these immortal bodies from the grave, nor can this day contain us here, when Christ shall call us to appear."
 I descend from their son Miles Jones who married Pamelia Ketchum Turner. 

Sources used in this compilation: 
   "Boston Transcript", September 16, 1931
      Lucius Barbour's "Adams Family" M.S. Genealogy
      "Adams Family Genealogy 278" from American Genealogical Index
    "Emigrant Ancestors"
      "And Then There Was You" by Marjorie Eileen Wells-Cook (1979)

James Adams was a prisoner at the Battle of Dunbar.  I have found a lot of sites that describe this historic event.

Lucius Barbour's "Adams Family" M.S. Genealogy