The Adams Family
Great Brickhill, Bucks and surrounding villages
First draft of a family account by Angela Bowmaker
Research is ongoing
1700's
The next proof of an Adams living in Great Brickhill is that Thomas
Adams of Great Brickhill was married to Elizabeth Gregory at Potsgrove,
Beds. in 1741. Their daughter Ann, baptised 1743, became the first Adams
mentioned in the Parish Registers of St Mary the Virgin, Great Brickhill
for a number of years. Thomas is described as a farmer so a search in
manorial records of the time may show where he lived and worked and
who his father was. Five other children of Thomas and Elizabeth were
christened in the village, Elizabeth 1744, Mary 1747, Thomas 1750, William
1753 and John 1755. The family seems to have been either lucky or healthy
since there appear to be no infant burials.
Hannah Adams appears as a witness to a marriage in the village in 1778.
Was she a sister of Thomas or the daughter of a brother? The Banns and
Licence witnesses, who seem to have been contemporary to the village's
betrothed couples, show Mary, Thomas and William Adams between 1769
and 1788. For example, in 1769 Anne was married to Edward Line of Stoke
Hammond, by licence, with Mary Adams being one of the witnesses.
In 1784, the index to Bucks Polls of Freeholders shows Thomas Adams
, a farmer. This could have been either Thomas (married 1741) or Thomas
his son (born 1750).
The lines of Thomas and William, two of the sons of Thomas Adams and
Elizabeth Gregory can be traced to the present day. The youngest son,
John, is not recorded in the village after his baptism. However, a John
Adams of about the right age was married in Linslade. It is just possible
that this was "our" John.
Thomas (born 1750) is well documented. He married Mary King in December
1797. They had four children christened at Great Brickhill; Elizabeth
1798, John 1800, Ann 1801, and Thomas 1804. The King family parallels
through several generations in Great Brickhill and relates to Michael
King. His grandfather Frank King married Elizabeth Adams, my great aunt,
which continued the connection. Like his father, Thomas is also listed
as a farmer and it is most probably he and his brother William who are
recorded in the Great Brickhill Posse Comitatus of 1798.
William is recorded as a farm labourer, maybe on the family farm. This
side of the family continues to give "Ag Lab" as their occupation
until late in the 1800s.
1798 Posse Comitatus Great Brickhill
This was the time of the wars against France following the French Revolution
of 1789. Each county was required to produce a list of those available
for military service which could be used to oppose a French invasion.
Many of these records have been lost but the Bucks record has survived.
It recorded all males between 16 and 60 years of age, their occupation
and whether they were able or infirm. It is also a good guide to the
financial status of farmers and craftsmen because the Posse also stated
the number of draught horses and waggons owned.
Farmer: Thomas Adams 4 horses 1 waggon 3 carts: Descends to Steve Adams
Labourer: William Adams: Descends to Angela Bowmaker
Baker: Thomas King 3 horses 1 cart
Thomas Adams (1750) would have been 48 years old at the time of the
Posse Comitatus. If his father, Thomas, was still living he would most
probably have been over 68 and not eligible for inclusion.
Last updated February 2001
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