Henry Adams

Henry Adams was born on January 21, 1583, in Barton St. David, Somerset, England. He was the son of John Adams (1555–1604) and Agnes Stone (1556–1616). Adams emigrated from England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in approximately 1632–1633. While some later sources, notably President John Quincy Adams, suggested that Henry Adams was born in Braintree, Essex, historical records confirm his birthplace as Barton St. David in Somerset.

In England, Henry Adams married Edith Squire on October 19, 1609, in Charlton Mackrell, Somerset. Together, they had nine children: Henry Adams Jr. (1609–1676), Thomas Adams (1612–1688), Samuel Adams (1617–1688), Ursula Adams (1619–1679), Jonathan Adams (1620–1690), Peter Adams (1622–1690), John Adams II (1622–1706), Joseph Adams (1626–1694), and Edward Adams (1629–1716).

The Adams family most likely settled in Braintree, Massachusetts, where Adams is considered among the earliest settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It is believed that Adams arrived in the region with his wife, Edith Squire, and their children, possibly in 1632, arriving with the group associated with Thomas Hooker. Braintree was incorporated as a town in 1640, encompassing areas now known as Quincy and Braintree.

Henry Adams is recognized as an ancestor of several notable American figures, including U.S. Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, as well as U.S. Founding Father Samuel Adams and President Calvin Coolidge. A monument to Henry Adams, erected in 1823, was placed in Quincy’s old churchyard by his great-great-grandson, John Quincy Adams. The inscription commemorates Adams’ migration from England and his perseverance, emphasizing virtues such as piety, humility, and industry.

There have been false genealogical claims regarding Henry Adams' ancestry. A forged document, published in the 19th century by Charles Henry Browning, incorrectly suggested that Adams descended from a royal line, a theory unsupported by credible evidence. The University of New England’s genealogical records, along with investigations by historian James Savage, confirm Henry Adams' origins in Somerset, England, and refute claims of Welsh noble descent. The use of the patronymic prefix “Ap” in Welsh genealogies is cited as evidence against direct descent from Welsh Adams families, indicating that early assertions of noble lineage are likely inaccurate.

Henry Adams' death occurred on October 6, 1646. His descendants’ connections and family history have been documented in various genealogical references, including works by J. Gardner Bartlett, Edward Dean Adams, and others, which explore his English ancestry and lineage in relation to his American progeny.