The Rev. James Adams Family

Im going to continue with the genealogy of the Adams Family, again saying that I am depending mostly on the work of other Adams Family genealogists for the information about the early generations of the family. Mistakes are possible so keep that in mind as we move forward.

Yesterday I spoke about Capt. Robert Adams and his wife Mary (Terrell) Adams, and today Id like to write about their oldest child, Rev. James Adams, Sr.

Rev. James Adams, Sr. was born on September 6, 1766 in Redstone Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Not much is known of his early life. No doubt he helped his parents on their frontier farm and other businesses.

James Adams, Sr. married Margaret Munn. Margaret was born on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1768 in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of John and Ann Munn. They had the following children: Asa, John, Christina, Margaret, Samuel, James and David. We are indebted to W. E. Morris of Elburn, Illinois who is still in possession of the original Munn Family Bible and has shared as much information as is given.
Unfortunately, not all information is in the Family Bible. For instance, the marriage date of James Adams and Margaret Munn is not given, nor is the marriage location. From the Census and Land documents in Wayne County, Ohio, they were married when they arrived in Wayne County around 1810.

Rev. James Adams was involved in the early Presbyterian Church of the United States. Although no records of his attendance at a seminary have been found, he was a circuit rider in both western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio.

The following information was given in the Wayne County Ohio Genealogical Bulletin, 2006, Volume 2, page 19: “Rev. James Adams was the first preacher in Sugar Creek Township [Wayne County, Ohio]. He and a few followers built a log church on the Samuel Snavely farm, three miles south of Dalton. There was only a path through the woods at that time and every man and family that attended church had to be heavily armed to ward off wild game, particularly the bears, wolves, and panthers. You just didn’t leave home without a rifle.” The person interviewed was James Taggard in 1907 on his 90th birthday. Taggards family were Adams neighbors.

From: “History of Wayne County, Ohio – Sugar Creek Township” page 847:
Rev. James Adams had the town of Dover [Wayne County, Ohio] surveyed by A. Porter on October 16, 1817 with 46 original lots laid out. This town did not materialize, with the exception of one or two houses.

As early as 1814, a body of Presbyterian professing Christians held services under Rev. James Adams and in 1816, a Presbyterian Church was organizaed with 23 members. Rev. Adams was pastor of the congregation from 1814 until 1823 and during that time brought 84 souls to membership. In 1871, the church had 180 members. Among the charter members of the church, were the Goudy, Munn, Cary, Harris, Kennedy, Montgomery, Tremaine and McDowell families.

There have been three Presbyterian Churches built on the same site. The first was log, the second frame and the third, a brick building, was built in 1854. Rev. James Adams is buried in the Dalton Cemetery, Dalton, Wayne County, Ohio.
Rev. James Adams was also a delegate to the National Convention of the Presbyterian Church of the United States. The Annual Proceedings for 1817, page 323, lists the following: Synod of Ohio, Presbytery of Richland, Rev. James Adams, Pastor, Presbyterian Church, Dalton, Wayne County, Ohio. The minutes also reflect that congregation is debt free and able to meet the salary requirements of the pastor. In 1817, the church was meeting in a log building.

US Census records for James Adams exist for 1790 and for 1810. In 1790, he is listed as living in Springhill Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. In his household are 1 male and one female over 16, and one male and two female children under 16. In 1810, the Census taker actually noted his title, Rev. James Adams. There were two adults between the ages of 26 and 44 living in the household, and six children. One male 10-15, four females under 10, and two females over 10-15.

The US Census did not given first names of any person living in the household except the head of household. Therefore, we do not know any of the names of the children of Rev. James Adams and Margaret Munn Adams. The Munn Family Bible recorded only the name Margaret Munn, birthdates and that she married Rev. James Adams. No childrens names are recorded in the Bible.

Rev. James Adams is recorded among those who enlisted in the US Army from Fayette County, Pennsylvania. It lists is rank as private and that he served during the War of 1812, but it does not give any dates or engagements.

I could find no other families with the last name Adams living in either Springhill or in Lucerne Townships of Fayette County, Pennsylvania on census records.

The 1820 US Census records the Rev. James Adams family living in Sugar Creek Township, Wayne County, Ohio. Next door to the Adams family was the family of Thomas Munn, which one must assume is related to Margaret (Munn) Adams.) In the Adams household were: 1 male 26 to 44, one male 10-15, one male under 10, four females under 10 and one female 10-15 years of age.
From the census records for 1790 through 1820, there are obviously several other children in the family of Rev. James and Margaret (Munn) Adams, but I can find no records for any except their son James Adams, Jr., and daughter Mary or Maria Adams. Rev. James Adams died in 1826, leaving a widow and several minor children. There are Probate Records in the Wayne County Courthouse, but I have not been able to find copies of the actual records. This would probably require a trip to Wooster, Ohio and a lengthy search through old boxes of records. I leave that some some interested Adams family member.

Rev. James Adams is buried in the Dalton Cemetery, Dalton, Wayne County, Ohio. However, he is the only Adams burial in recorded in that cemetery of over 2,000 burials, which I find very interesting. I can find no burials for his wife Margaret (Munn) Adams nor for any individuals that may have been family members.
Margaret (Munn) Adams continued to live on the farm she and her husband owned in Sugar Creek Township, Wayne County, Ohio. The 1830 and 1840 Census all show her living on the farm with the appropriate aged children, however the Census does not give the names of the children.

Then there are two interesting developments on the 1850 US Census. This is the first census that provides all of the names living in a household. In addition, there was an agricultural census taken in 1850, which shows the acreage owned, the type of production on the farm, and the amount of money derived from produce.

Margaret Adams is shown living with her daughter Maria or Mary (Adams) Ralston, her husband Samuel Ralston and their three sons, James Ralston, William Ralston and John Ralston. Margaret is shown as the head of household. Samuel Ralston is listed as a wagon maker.

The agricultural census provides the following information about Margaret Adams for 1850:
Total acres in production: 37. Cash value of real estate: $1,300. Livestock: 2 milk cows; 6 sheep, and 6 hogs. Value of livestock: $35.00. Production: 150 bushels of Corn, 100 bushels of oats, 28# of wool, 300# of butter and 4 tons of hay.

It should be noted that her neighbor, Thomas Goudy had died, and his son John Goudy now owned that farm.

Little else is known about the family. No record of burial for Margaret (Munn) Adams or any other known members of the family have been found. James Adams, Jr., the son of Rev. James and Margaret (Munn) Adams will be the subject of the next article.

Photo One is a map of Ohio showing where Wayne County is located.

Photo Two is a map of Wayne County, Ohio showing Sugar Creek Township on its eastern border.

Photo Three and Four are of Dalton Cemetery, Dalton, Ohio where Rev. James Adams was buried in 1826.

Photo Five is of The Presbyterian Church of Dalton, Ohio. This is the third church building after Rev. James Adams founded the church prior to 1820. He was pastor of the church until 1823.