As we wind down the life sketch of Daniel Adams, it’s time to learn about his grandchildren. Although Daniel and Sarah both lived long lives, neither lived to see the birth of their youngest grandchild, born to Nelson and his second wife about 1906.

Although they had nine children, Charles and Bertha died unmarried and neither Frances nor Angeline had children.

Children are numbered by their birth order.

1. Benjamin William married Mary Ellen Thayer, 21 January 1861 in Lubec, Washington, Maine.

They were the parents of four children:

Harlan Page Adams, born 21 December 1861, Portland, Cumberland, Maine; died 1946, Maine; married Evelina M. Allen, 6 April 1884, Lubec, Washington, Maine. They were the parents of five children: Frank Page, Ethel Maud, Nellie F., Mildred M. and Adelaide Maude Adams.

Charles Linden Adams, born 16 February 1868, Lubec, Washington, Maine; died 1943; married Vieva Bradford Mugford, 8 November 1894, Campobello Island, West Isles, New Brunswick, Canada. They were the parents of one son, Vance Harte. Vance had no children, so there are no descendants in this line.

Maude Adams, born 29 April 1872; died 3 November 1874, both in Lubec, Washington, Maine. There are no descendants in this line.

William Benjamin Adams, born 6 July 1876; died 10 May 1947, both in Lubec, Washington, Maine. William was the editor of the Lubec Herald newspaper. He didn’t marry and there are no descendants in this line.

2. Emeline M. married Loring Benoni Bill, 22 November 1866, Calais, Washington, Maine.

Nothing was known about Emeline for many years because the first researcher who reported her marriage renamed her husband as William Seonnig – someone who never existed!

They were the parents of five children:

Charles Edwin Bill, born 18 November 1867, Eastport, Washington, Maine; died 5 April 1954, Brighton, Suffolk, Massachusetts; married Martha H. Black, 10 September 1890, Eastport, Washington, Maine. They were the parents of five children: Charles Horace, Elizabeth E., Orlo James, Ethelyn Vera and Elsie K. Bill.

Sarah Arlina Bill, born 10 March 1871, Calais, Washington, Maine; died after the 1940 census, probably in Massachusetts. She never married. There are no descendants in this line.

Horace Bill, born c1873 either in Maine or Canada; died after 1881, when last found in the Canadian census. There are probably no descendants in this line.

Child Bill, born c1875; died before 1881. There are no descendants in this line.

William Harrison Bill, born 15 June 1876, Deer Island, West Isles, New Brunswick, Canada; died after 1940; married (1) Mary Ann Short, 15 March 1905, Somerville, Middlesex, Massachusetts (2) Emma Florence Moore, 17 October 1920, Brookline, Norfolk, Massachusetts. William and Emma had one child, Melvin Kenneth Bill.

3. Calvin Segee Adams married (1) Martha Maria Tillinghast, 12 December 1869, Bristol, Bristol, Rhode Island (2) Nellie F. Tarbox, 1 February 1875, Calais, Washington, Maine.

Here are two photos of Calvin, as a young man, c1870, and later in life, perhaps c1900 in Calais.

Calvin and Martha had one daughter and he and Nellie had two children.

Martha Lulu Adams, born 8 July 1870, Calais, Washington, Maine; died 14 April 1918, Medford, Middlesex, Massachusetts; married Alton Lynwood Payne, 24 April 1900, Calais, Washington, Maine. They had no children and there are no descendants in this line.

Two photos survive of Lulu, as she was known.

Charles Edwin Adams, born 11 January 1877; died 24 January 1922, both in Calais, Washington, Maine; married Annie Maude Stuart, 21 September 1898, Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts. They had one son, Vernon Tarbox Adams.

Here is Charles as a young man:

Here is one of a young Charles with his little sister, Pearl, as she was known:

Vera Pearl Adams, born 18 September 1887, Calais, Washington, Maine; died 29 September 1973, Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts; married Perce E. Chadwick, 21 June 1916, Calais, Washington, Maine. They had one son, Charles Adams Chadwick. Charles never married so there are no descendants in this line.

More of Pearl:

Here is Aunt Pearl’s senior high school photo:

Aunt Pearl visiting nephew Vernon Adams’ family, Easter 1958 with two of Vernon’s grandchildren in the foreground.

4. Nelson James Adams married (1) Annie M. Stickney, about 10 September 1875 when intentions were filed in Calais, Washington, Maine (2) Hannah Elizabeth (Graham?) Olive, 21 September 1904, Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada. Nelson had two children with Annie and one daughter with Hannah.

Here’s Nelson as a young man. He looks a lot like his brother, Calvin!

Bertha Gladys Adams, born 20 April 1881; died 27 February 1906, both in Calais, Washington, Maine. There are no descendants in this line.

Ellery D. Adams, born 26 September 1884; died 4 March 1917, both in Calais, Washington, Maine; married Florence L. Doone, 14 October 1909, Calais, Washington, Maine. They had no children and there are no descendants in this line.

Elizabeth N. Adams, born c1906, probably Calais, Washington, Maine; died after 1935; married William Johnston, 23 June 1930, New York, New York. They were the parents of one son, William Samuel Johnston, born 1936; died in childhood on 20 March 1939, Manhattan, New York, New York. There are no descendants in this line.

9. Lowell Robert Adams married (1) Charlotte May Ward, 5 April 1887, St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada (2) Grace Lillian Barnes, 29 June 1908, Concord, Merrimack, New Hampshire. Lowell and Lottie had two children: Lowell Ralph F. and Sarah W. Adams.

Lowell Adams served in the Spanish American War and was sent to Cuba. Here he is as a young man:

and with his platoon. He was a lieutenant in the U.S. Army:

Lowell is standing in the center and has a mustache much like those that Calvin and Nelson had.

Daniel and Sarah Ann (Parker) Adams lived long lives, raised a family of nine children and have many descendants today.

We’ve followed Daniel Adams from his birth in 1810, likely on Adams Island, where he grew up to become a fisherman like his father and grandfather. However, as a young married man, he turned to boat building, which was a far more lucrative occupation and boat building was coming into its heyday by the 1850s.

Daniel married Sarah Ann Parker on Deer Island in 1836, but they settled into their married life on Adams Island, where most of their children were born.

Daniel and Sarah were the parents of nine children, with the first seven believed to have been born on Adams Island:

1. Benjamin William, born November 1837; died 2 June 1914, Lubec, Washington, Maine; married Mary Ellen Thayer, 21 January 1861, Lubec, Washington, Maine. They were the parents of four children.
2. Emeline M., born 6 May 1840; died 11 July 1917, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts; married Loring Benoni Bill, 22 November 1866, Calais, Washington, Maine. They were the parents of five children, four surviving childhood.
3. Calvin Segee, born 15 March 1843; died 15 January 1921, St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada; married (1) Martha Maria Tillinghast, 12 December 1869, Bristol, Bristol, Rhode Island (2) Nellie F. Tarbox, 1 February 1875, Calais, Washington, Maine. Calvin had one daughter with Martha and two children with Nellie.
4. Charles Edward, born 1845; reportedly died 1865
5. Nelson James, born 2 June 1850; died 2 December 1918, Calais, Washington, Maine in the Influenza Pandemic; married (1) Annie M. Stickney, c1879 (2) Hannah Elizabeth (nee Graham?) Olive, 21 September 1904, Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada. Nelson had two children with Annie and one daughter with Hannah.

6. Frances Caroline, born 27 August 1851; died 1933, Chelsea, Suffolk, Massachusetts; married James George Cragen, 13 February 1889, Calais, Washington, Maine. She had no children.

7. Angeline Jane, born 1852; died after the 1930 census, possibly Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; married (1) Sturges A. Thomas, 23 August 1866, Calais, Washington, Maine. He was her first cousin once removed. (2) Samuel Henry Conroy, 22 April 1906, Somerville, Middlesex, Massachusetts. Annie had no children.

8. Bertha M., born 1857, Calais, Washington, Maine; died after the 1870 census when she was at home with her parents in Calais, Washington, Maine; no further record. She likely died young as Nelson named his first daughter Bertha.

9. Lowell Robert, born September 1861, Calais, Washington, Maine; died 23 March 1954, Everett, Middlesex, Massachusetts; married (1) Charlotte May Ward, 5 April 1887, St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada (2) Grace Lillian Barnes, 29 June 1908, Concord, Merrimack, New Hampshire. Lowell had two children with Lottie.

Daniel seems to have led a quiet social life, as there is no record of him serving in any town positions in Maine, nor is he mentioned in newspaper items aside from a short death notice in Maine and New Brunswick, Canada.

Daniel died on 8 February 1893 in Calais:

Sarah died on 7 February 1900, also in Calais:

Daniel passed away from a stroke and Sarah seemingly died of a heart attack.

Daniel Adams, in spite of living on Adams Island with various parents, siblings and extended family, waited to marry until he was 25 years old, which is typical for that era, when he wed Sarah Ann Parker on 15 September 1836 on Deer Island, West Isles, New Brunswick, Canada.

It is a bit surprising that his bride, Sarah Ann Parker, was willing to begin her married life on tiny Adams Island, where it is thought that at least five of their children were born. The death certificate Daniel’s and Sarah’s son Nelson states his birth place as Adams Island. He was born on 2 June 1850.

Sarah was born on 24 January 1817 on Campobello Island, West Isles, New Brunswick, Canada. Campobello Island is much larger than Adams Island and had a vibrant social life with many families living there.

She was the daughter of Benjamin Parker and Maria Wilson and the second of six children born to the couple. Sarah’s mother, Maria, died about 25 October 1828 on Campobello, per a death notice in the Eastport Sentinel newspaper.

It appears that Daniel Adams, his wife and children might have continued to live on Adams Island until shortly after son Nelson was born.

The first census of the West Isles in New Brunswick, Canada that has survived is that of 1851. The location is only stated as the West Isles. However, it is evident from the other families enumerated that they were living on Deer Island. Even Sarah’s father, Benjamin Parker, had removed from Campobello to Deer Island. It’s also possible that Daniel met Sarah in the early 1830s while visiting friends and family on Deer Island.

Notice that in the above census, Daniel’s occupation is fisherman. The next three paragraphs, in which Daniel sold his Canadian land make mention of a weir privilege, support the statement that he was a fisherman.

In Part 1, land ownership on Adams Island was mentioned. There are no extant deeds proving how Thomas or Daniel Adams came to own land on Adams Island. However, there are deeds proving that they owned and sold land on the island.

On 10 September 1852, Thomas Adams mortgaged his five acres of land to John Morrison, noting that it included the agreement for Daniel Adams to have weir (an enclosure to trap fish) privileges.

On 22 May 1854, Daniel Adams sold his 15 acres of land to John Morrison, mentioning land owned by the late Sturges Adams (Daniels’ uncle) and land sold to him by Henry Adams (Daniel’s brother), proving that extended family all lived there at one time or another. Daniel’s land deed description even included his moiety or undivided half privilege of weir access.

No. 113 Deed Daniel Adams To John Morrison

Know all Men by These Presents that I Daniel Adams of the Parish of West Isles in the County of Charlotte and Province of New Brunswick Yeoman for and in consideration of the sum of twenty five Pounds of current money to me paid by John Morrison of the same place yeoman the receipt whereof I hereby acknowledge have bargained granted and sold and by these Presents do bargain grant sell release convey and confirm unto the said John Morrison and to his heirs and assigns the following described land and premises situate on Adams Island so called in the Parish aforesaid and butted and bounded as follows to Wit Beginning at the westerly corner of my Fish House and the north westerly beach on said Island thence running easterly by a straight line to an old cellar about Ten Rods more or less thence easterly by the line of the late Sturges Adams land about Twenty five rods to the Westerly corner of Milking Yard Cove so called and thence by the shore northerly and Westerly to the place of beginning containing about fifteen acres more or less saving and excepting nevertheless out of and from the said described Premises about three fourths of an acre situate at said Milking Yard Cove sold by me to Henry Adams as by reference to my deed of the cause will more fully appear Also one moiety or Undivided half of the Bar and Weir_____ So called at Chatter Point in the north easterly side of said Island Extending to Low Water Mark including the Ledge or Nabble? and I do ______ my heirs executors and administrators covenant and agree to and with the said John Morrison his heirs and Assigns that I am Lawfully seized of the aforedescribed land and premises as a good and ___ible estate of inheritance saving and excepting as aforesaid in fee simple free of all incumbrances and that I will Warrant and defend the same together with all the privileges and appurtances thereunto or in any ___ _____ thereto to him the said John Morrison and to his heirs and assigns against the lawful claims of all Persons In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name and affix my seal with Sarah Ann Adams my wife at Adams Island in West Isles in the County aforesaid this 22^nd day of May 1854.

Daniel Adams LS  Sarah Ann Adams LS Attest John McKenny
Eliza Ann Heney? Charlotte LS
Be it remembered that on this 23^rd day of May 1854 Personally appeared Daniel Adams and Sarah Ann Adams and Acknowledged that they executed the above and before written deed For the use and purposes therein named and the said Sarah Ann Adams wife of said Daniel Adams was further examined by me separate And apart from her said husband and acknowledged that the ____ She said freely and voluntarily without any threat fear or compulsion

Before me John McNeill J P — Recd and Regd April 4^th 1868

Previously, on 15 May 1852, Daniel sold land he owned on Deer Island to George D. Street.

From these transactions, it appears that Daniel Adams grew up on Adams Island and sometimes before the 1851 census he moved his family to Deer Island, seemingly buying land there, which he sold the following year.

However, Daniel and Henry Adams were busy men in the early 1850s. In addition to selling land on Deer Island and family land on Adams Island, Daniel and his brother, Henry, bought land from James Huson on 6 July1852 in Calais, Washington, Maine. they then completed several transactions between themselves and to others with the purchased land.

The Calais deeds mention the Hayden plan, laying out the streets of Calais, that was created in 1820. I haven’t been able to locate an image of that plan. However, Daniel’s and Henry’s deeds make reference to the easterly and westerly half of Lot 83, as called in Hayden’s plan, with the reservation of the right of way over the river end to the railroad.

Look at this 1879 Calais map:

The numerous docks indicate the success of Calais’s harbor industries, which included shipping and boat building. Lot 83 had to be close to the water front with what looks like short rail lines crisscrossing the dock area.

Let’s jump back in time a couple of decades to the 1860 census of Calais, Washington, Maine:

Daniel and his family are listed in the middle of the census page and he has a new occupation – boat builder! His sons Benjamin and Calvin were working with him, too. His brother, Henry, lives two doors away, but has turned from fishing to farming.

So, in 1851, Daniel was a fisherman in the West Isles, but by 1860, he was called a boat builder in Maine.

When did Daniel begin his new career? Apparently, even though he was called a fisherman in 1851, there is proof that he had already begun building boats ON ADAMS ISLAND by 1849:

The third entry from the bottom of the above page describes the Plover, a 7-ton schooner built in 1849 at Adams Island, New Brunswick, Canada by DANIEL ADAMS, of Adams Island.

Daniel was successful with his first known boat build and, from that time, seems to have made plans to expand and continue his new trade. That might well explain why he bought some land on Deer Island for a short time (home to other boat builders) before moving to Calais.

Daniel appeared in two more censuses during his life. In 1870, his name was written incorrectly by the census taker as DONALD. His is the first family at the top of the page.

In 1880, the family still lived in Calais:

Family members at home were fewer as the years went on and children married and set up their own homes.

However, Daniel Adams remained a boat builder in all three of the U.S. censuses in which he appears.

Several of his sons also took up carpentry in the boat building industry, as censuses show Benjamin, Calvin, Nelson and Lowell all involved at some point. Calvin remained in the business until retirement.

In Part 3, we’ll look at the family of Daniel and Sarah Ann (Parker) Adams.