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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: Tom Huygens on Tuesday 06 February 18 12:19 GMT (UK)
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Hi all,
I've been looking on Ancestry and (as far as accessibility allows) Fold3, but wasn't able to find anything interesting yet...
Through DNA tests, there is a big probability that my ancestor, John Adams °ca. 1783, London area, is related to a James Adams °ca. 1788. I am now looking for information about James, to see how and where he might fit in my tree.
In the 1841 census, he is living with his wife Catherine and 2 daughters, Ann and Martha, in Windsor Castle. He will die there later the same year. I have his will, and an obituary from "Gentleman's Magazine" stating that he was appointed Standard Keeper at the Round Tower in Windsor Castle for his bravery in Copenhagen, Corunna, the West Indies and Havana.
I would like to find out more about his military career, in the hope of finding more children and where/when he was born.
Are there any archives that would be helpful?
Regards,
Tom
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Hi,
If this is the record of his will then it shows that he was a Gunner in the Royal Regiment of Artillery,
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D72646
There seem to be a lot of James ADAMS in the Royal Artillery but it might be a place to start looking :)
Regards,
Daisy
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Do you have his marriage? It appears from the census that his wife and daughter Ann were born in Ireland/Scotland? Do you have any of the children's births/ baptism records. They may show his military details. Though it does look like he was Artillery. Military service records for this period do not show family details on them. I have had a look for a service record for him....can't see one. Cheers. GB.
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There is this birth for an Ann in 1824. The R.A 24 refers to the father being in the Royal Artillery.
You would have to order it from the GRO if you felt it was worth it.
First name(s) Ann
Last name Adams
Sex Female
Birth year 1824
Place Moy
Country Ireland
Type Armed Forces
Archive General Register Office
Source Gro Regimental Birth Indices Supplement (1761 To 1924)
Record's year range 1824
Volume R.A.24
Page 32
Line number 81
Archive reference REG2
Record set British Armed Forces And Overseas Births And Baptisms
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There is a possibility Catherine remarried to a William Smith in 1842 at St Saviour,Southwark. She is a widow ...father given as Patrick Ferguson.
In the 1851 census you can see the family.
1851
St Pauls Place, Saint Mary Newington
William Smith Head Married Male 31 1820 Vocalist? b York, Yorkshire,
Catharine Smith Wife b 1824 Laundress b ??? Hard to read
Emily Kate Smith Daughter b 1846 - b Kennington, Surrey,
Martha Adams Step Daughter b 1835 Servant b Windsor, Berkshire,
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1861 England, Wales & Scotland Census
22, Bird Street, Lambeth, London & Surrey, England
William Smith Head Married Male 41 1820 musician vocalist.. York, Yorkshire, England
Catherine Smith Wife Married Female 37 1824 - Scotland
Emily Smith Daughter - Female 15 1846 Scholar Surrey, England
So it looks like you are looking for a marriage between a James Adams and a Catherine Ferguson.
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There is this marriage
Area - DUBLIN (COI) , Parish/Church/Congregation - ST. JAMES
Marriage of JAMES ADAMS of N/R and CATH FERGUSON of N/R on 9 September 1822
Nothing else is shown in the actual image. Just Thier names.
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His wife's surname confirmed by birth of Emily Kate Smith....her mother's maiden name being Ferguson.
: Mother's Maiden Surname:
SMITH, EMILY KATE FERGISON
GRO Reference: 1846 J Quarter in LAMBETH Volume 04 Page 259
Not helping much with your original query,still can't see a surviving service record. But as I said...service records for this period do not contain family information.
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His wife's surname confirmed by birth of Emily Kate Smith....her mother's maiden name being Ferguson.
: Mother's Maiden Surname:
SMITH, EMILY KATE FERGISON
GRO Reference: 1846 J Quarter in LAMBETH Volume 04 Page 259
Not helping much with your original query,still can't see a surviving service record. But as I said...service records for this period do not contain family information.
Thanks for all these! I had seen the daughter was born in Ireland but for some reason never went to look into that... Stupid me.
It doesn't tell me much about James, but it still is valuable information!
Thanks again :)
Tom
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Good find about Catherine FERGUSON/ADAMS/SMITH :) Following you trail I see that in 1871 she has a POB as Ireland, the same as 1841, maybe she was an Army child as wasn't sure where she was born :-\ I think her DOB is 1804 rather than 1824.
This looks like Martha's marriage which helps confirm that she is the daughter of James,
02 Apr 1854
St Mary, Lambeth
John STEVENSON
Bachelor
Baker
Father: Robert STEVENSON (decd) Forester
Martha ADAMS
Spinster
Father: James ADAMS (decd) Gunner
Both of full age, living at Brooks Street.
Witnesses: George ADAMS, Charle? ROBERTS
So who is George ADAMS? A brother, cousin, or just a coincidence?
You are trying to find out how James ADAMS connects to John ADAMS, is there a George in that family?
This link shows (amongst others) some possible children for James ADAMS and Catherine in Ireland,
Register of Marriages and Baptisms, [2 Battalion] Royal Artillery
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C11750956
I think it means he was in the 2nd Btn at that time :-\ If so it might help narrow down his records.
James, a child of James ADAMS of Royal Artillery and Catherine, was baptised on 5 December 1822 at Moy. Note: Born 20 November 1822.
Anne, a child of James ADAMS of Royal Artillery and Margaret, was baptised on 29 February 1824 at Charlemont. Note: Born 5 February 1824.
Mary, a child of James ADAMS of Royal Artillery and Catherine, was baptised on 28 November 1824 at Ballincollig. Note: Born 12 November 1824.
Moy and Charlemont are quite close together in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
Ballincollig is close to Carrigrohane in County Cork, Ireland, so I wonder if the above Mary b. 12 November 1824 belongs to this James and Catherine?
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C11750936
James ADAMS, of Royal Artillery, and Catherine O'MEARA married on 23 November 1823 at Carrigrohane.
Daisy
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Good find about Catherine FERGUSON/ADAMS/SMITH :) Following you trail I see that in 1871 she has a POB as Ireland, the same as 1841, maybe she was an Army child as wasn't sure where she was born :-\ I think her DOB is 1804 rather than 1824.
Yes, 1824 is her daughter Ann Adams. I think too that Catherine was born around 1804. This means she was very young when she married (only 18), while James was in his 30's.
This looks like Martha's marriage which helps confirm that she is the daughter of James,
John STEVENSON
Bachelor
Yes, I had found this as well.
Witnesses: George ADAMS, Charle? ROBERTS
So who is George ADAMS? A brother, cousin, or just a coincidence?
You are trying to find out how James ADAMS connects to John ADAMS, is there a George in that family?
Well, that George was one of the reasons I started looking into this Adams family. My John has a son called George, and his son John also has a son called George. No James though...
This link shows (amongst others) some possible children for James ADAMS and Catherine in Ireland,
I'll have a look at these!
James ADAMS, of Royal Artillery, and Catherine O'MEARA married on 23 November 1823 at Carrigrohane.
Hmmm... So it looks like we have two different couples James Adams x Catherine in the same area at the same time. That makes finding his children complicated.
Thanks for the hints!
Regards,
Tom
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Oh, I just noticed... So Ann would be the daughter of a Margaret, and not Catherine? That's surely a different Ann, wouldn't you say?
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Oops sorry :-[
I was so busy looking at the James ADAMS entries that I missed that the Ann b.1824 in Charlemont had a mother called Margaret. ::)
Just some possible thoughts that have had my head spinning :)
James was previously married and the Catherine that Ann is with in 1841 is not her mother.
Ann is not a daughter of James at all as the 1841 census doesn't show relationships.
Catherine could have been married before she married James ADAMS which would mean he married a Catherine ?? , father's name FERGUSON.
Ann could Catherine's child before she married James ADAMS.
Many Army wives remarried other soldiers.
I'm sorry that one of these really help but I've learnt that all possibilities should be looked at :)
Daisy