Today’s post will take an in-depth look at the line of Sturges Adams (1777-1827) and his wife, Lydia Brawn, as their children are some of the great grandchildren of Loyalist John Adams and his wife, Sarah Coley.
NOTE: First and foremost, this is still a work in progress. It’s been at least 20 years since I did a major revision on this family. Many records have been found in that time that tidy up a lot of dates and places, many of which came from family records.
If you are a descendant of John Adams and Sarah Coley and can fill in any more of the question marks, please leave a comment.
Frederick Adams (Sturges2, John1) was born 1808, probably on Adams Island, West Isles, New Brunswick, Canada; died after 1881, when he and Mary Ann lived on Deer Island; married Mary Ann Barnes, 6 October 1829, Eastport, Washington, Maine. She was born 10 April 1809; died 12 October 1890 on Deer Island, aged 81 years, 6 months. It doesn’t say that she was widowed, so Frederick might have survived her. However, Frederick isn’t found after the 1881 census. Mary Ann married (1) Thomas Walton, 24 December 1824. Mrs. Harley B. Mairs (now deceased), 133 Water Street, Oakland, Maine is a descendant of Robert Walton and cousin of Hazel Ricketts. Thomas Walton drowned on 12 November 1828. The Waltons had two children: Robert, born 29 August 1825 and Elizabeth Ann, born 23 April 1827.
Children of Frederick and Mary Ann (Barnes) Adams:
1. Stephen Brawn, born 16 September 1830, Lubec, Washington, Maine; died 1 October 1918, Eastport, Washington, Maine; married Sarah Jane Ossinger, c1855. Stephen was a sea captain.
2. Mary Jane, born 4 October 1832, Washington County, Maine; died 1 March 1914, Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts; married Philip Sullivan, 7 December 1858, Eastport, Washington, Maine.
3. Stergis Alfred, born 28 May 1834, New Brunswick, Canada; died c1880; married Harriet H. Adams, 27 August 1858, Eastport, Washington, Maine. She was the daughter of James J. Adams and Jane A. Smith.
4. Thomas Benjamin, born 19 February 1836, Washington County, Maine; died 4 May 1902, San Jose, Santa Clara, California; married Anna Chaloner, 23 November 1865, Eastport, Washington, Maine. In 1875, he was a master mariner and captain of the W.C. Parke under the flag of the Sandwich Islands. He was in Liverpool, England on 2 Feb 1871. Thomas’s age at death exactly matches his reported birth date of 19 February 1836. He died of septicemia and chronic cystitis. They had one daughter, Anna Louise, born 2 September 1869; died 23 March 1946, Santa Clara County, California; unmarried. There are no descendants in this line.
5. Alonzo, born 8 March 1838, Eastport, Washington, Maine; died 14 January 1913, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts: married Josephine Lambert, 9 March 1871, New Brunswick, Canada. Alonzo died of pneumonia at Massachusetts General Hospital, but was buried at Maple Grove Cemetery, Richmond Hill, New York. He was a master mariner.
6. Katherine Augusta, born 24 January 1842/44, Washington County, Maine; died 20 April 1920, West Lubec, Washington, Maine; married Hillman Horatio Allen, c1864, probably Washington County, Maine
7. Bartlett A., born 24 June 1844, New Brunswick, Canada; died 17 September 1876 by drowning; married Lizzie Packard, 21 October 1875, Camden, Georgia. His marriage record names his parents.
8. George H., born 14 September 1836, New Brunswick, Canada; died 1 September 1850; no further information
9. William Edward, born 18 June 1849, New Brunswick, Canada; died 3 November 1920, Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts; married Mary Elizabeth Lord. She died 19 June 1912, Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts. He was a fisherman and settled at Lord’s Cove, Deer Island. By 1907, the family had moved to Worcester, Massachusetts, and, in 1910, William, worked as a fireman. Their three Crichton granddaughters were living with them.
Rhoda Adams (Sturges2, John1) was born in 1810, New Brunswick, Canada and died between 1851-1861, probably Deer Island, Charlotte, New Brunswick, Canada; married Ebenezer Greenlaw, 15 September 1829, Eastport, Washington, Maine. Ebenezer Greenlaw died 14 January 1887, Deer Island, Charlotte, New Brunswick, Canada, aged 79 years.
Children of Ebenezer and Rhoda (Adams) Greenlaw:
1. James A., born October 1830, New Brunswick, Canada; died 18 September 1913, Deer Island, Charlotte, New Brunswick, Canada; married Louisa S. Lord, 29 March 1857, Deer Island, Charlotte, New Brunswick, Canada.
2. Lydia Ann, born c1833, New Brunswick, Canada; died 5 September 1921, Boothbay Harbor, Lincoln, Maine; married Daniel Greenlaw, 21 September 1855, Calais, Washington, Maine
3. Ebenezer, born c1835, New Brunswick, Canada; died about 11 July 1908, Deer Island, Charlotte, New Brunswick, Canada of consumption; married (1) Margaret S. Leeman, 30 December 1859, probably Calais, Washington, Maine (2) Euphemia Lord, c1872
4. John, born 1837, New Brunswick, Canada; died between 1881-1891, Deer Island, Charlotte, new Brunswick, Canada; married Amanda Leeman, 6 November 1863, Lord’s Cove, Deer Island, Charlotte, New Brunswick, Canada
5. Phebe, born 1839, New Brunswick, Canada; died after 1910 census, probably Lubec, Washington, Maine; married John Foster Adams, 21 April 1862, Calais, Washington, Maine
6. Henry, born c1841, New Brunswick, Canada; died 21 October 1898, Eastport, Washington, Maine; married Ellen Smith, 14 November 1863, Eastport, Washington, Maine
7. Solomon, born 1843, New Brunswick, Canada; died after 1861, when he was at home, unmarried; no further record
8. Sarah J., born March 1845, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia or Eastport, Maine; died after 1900, possibly in Riverside, Riverside, California; married William M. Carr, 21 January 1869, Lawrence, Essex, Massachusetts. He was born January 1842 in Massachusetts, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia or Scotland; died after 1900, possibly in Riverside, Riverside, California. Sarah’s aunt, Caroline Buntain, lived with them as a widow in 1900.
9. Caroline, born 1848, New Brunswick, Canada; died after 1861
10. Eliza, born 1851, New Brunswick Canada; died 22 June 1924, Los Angeles, California; married Mr. MacDonald, but she was widowed when she died.
James J. Adams (Sturges2, John1) was born 10 October 1812, New Brunswick, Canada; died after the 1891 census, when he lived with son John F. Adams’ family; married Jane A. Smith, 8 November 1832, New Brunswick, Canada. She was born 7 December 1815; died 14 February 1872, New Brunswick, Canada. James first settled on Adams Island, then Deer Island, where he is buried. The family Bible was in the possession of Mrs. Alma Theriault of Fairhaven, Deer Island.
Children of James J. and Jane A. (Smith) Adams:
1. Caroline M., born 5 December 1833, New Brunswick, Canada; died 11 July 1916, Richardson, Charlotte, New Brunswick, Canada; married Charles Edward Lambert, 26 January 1854, Deer Island, Charlotte, New Brunswick, Canada
2. Elizabeth J., born 9 February 1835, New Brunswick, Canada; died 15 October 1899, Brewer, Penobscot, Maine; married Stillman Wilson Gray, 15 June 1864, Penobscot County, Maine
3. John Foster, born 11 April 1837, New Brunswick, Canada; died 4 July 1913, Lubec, Washington, Maine; married cousin Phebe M. Greenlaw, 25 April 1861, Calais, Washington, Maine
4. Charles Henry, born 20 May 1839, New Brunswick, Canada; died 24 November 1874, probably New Brunswick, Canada; married Jemima Elliott, 5 October 1863, Eastport, Washington, Maine
5. Harriet M., born 13 March 1842, New Brunswick, Canada; died 4 September 1906, St. John, St. John, New Brunswick, Canada; married cousin (1) Stergis Alford Adams, 27 August 1858, Eastport, Washington, Maine (2) Simondson Outhouse, 5 May 1887, Tiverton, Digby, Nova Scotia, Canada
6. Lorenzo Dow, born 29 May 1844, New Brunswick, Canada; died September1884 (drowned); married Elmira Elliott, 24 September 1864, Eastport, Washington, Maine
7. Robert L., born 27 September 1846, New Brunswick, Canada; died between 1891-1901, reportedly 24 February 1900; married Martha Stuart, 13 August 1870, Deer Island, Charlotte, New Brunswick, Canada
8. Oliver W., born 9 August 1848, New Brunswick, Canada; died 18 August 1870, New Brunswick, Canada; unmarried. He appears in the 1851 census and the 1871 mortality schedule.
9. Norah M., born c1850; reportedly died 13 February 1871; unmarried
10. Josephine M., born 13 February 1852, New Brunswick, Canada; reportedly died 15 January 1860
11. Ida Ann, born 25 August 1855, New Brunswick, Canada; died 12 October 1929, Lambertville, Deer Island, Charlotte, New Brunswick Canada; married Samuel Stuart Butler, 8 November 1874, Deer Island, Charlotte, New Brunswick, Canada
Thomas B(enjamin) (Sturges2, John1) was born 1814, New Brunswick, Canada; died 16 December 1882, Eastport, Washington, Maine; married Harriet C. Lloyd, c1840. She was born 1819; died 2 July 1899, New Brunswick, Canada. “B” probably stood for “Benjamin.” He was a shipbuilder in Eastport and Calais. Thomas, Helen and family lived in St. Andrews, Charlotte, new Brunswick, Canada in 1851 and all three children were at home. He first lived at Bayside. Harriet Lloyd was a first cousin to William Lloyd Garrison, the abolitionist. Harriet Adams Cappers said that Thomas circled the globe three times. The Cappers family has a cabinet he bought in China. Thomas and Harriet are buried in Fort Hill Cemetery, Eastport. Washington, Maine
Children of Thomas B. and Harriet (Lloyd) Adams:
1. Frances, born 15 April 1841, New Brunswick, Canada; died 2 May 1881, Eastport, Washington, Maine; married Stephen Balkam, 7 May 1878, Eastport, Washington, Maine. They had no children.
2. Emma Alinda, born 11 June 1843, New Brunswick, Canada; died 30 October 1916, Eastport, Washington, Maine; married Ebenezer Andrew Holmes, 24 November 1868, St. Andrews, Charlotte, New Brunswick, Canada
3. Thomas Calvin, born 12 March 1847, Calais, Washington, Maine per his death certificate, but probably born New Brunswick, Canada; died 10 May 1920, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts; married Helen Sophia Huggins, 12 October 1870, St. Stephen, Charlotte, New Brunswick, Canada
Next up are the great grandchildren born through their son Thomas’s line.