Saumel Adams 4th Great Grandfather

Samuel Adams

4th Great-Grandfather

Birth Date: 2 Aug 1805
Birth Place: Norton on the Moors, Staffordshire, England
Parents: John Adams and Sarah Brindley
Death Date: 18 Dec 1887
Death Place: Meadow, Millard, Utah, United States

 

Spouse: Elizabeth Betsy Mountford
Marriage Date: 4 Jun 1832
Marriage Place: Norton, Staffordshire, England

 

 

Samuel Adams and his wife Elizabeth Betsy Mountford emigrated from England to America from May-August 1860.  Samuel was a canal boatman in England. In 1860, with the coming of the railways and the demise of the canal trade, they decided to emigrate to America.

 

They traveled to Liverpool, where they joined the Mormon ship SS William Tapscott, which weighed anchor on the 11th of May, heading for New York.  They had seven of their children with them.  Samuel (24), Joseph (15), Hyrum (13), Emma (10), Eliza (7), Isabella (5) and Lorenzo (2).

On board the SS Tapscott were 730 Saints from Britain, Scandanavia and Switzerland.  Elder Asa Calkin presided over the company.  They voyage was stormy and unpleasant, and adding to the distress was the outbreak of small pox among the Scandinavian saints.  During the 35 day passage, there were 10 deaths, four births and nine miscarriages.   When the vessel arrived at the quarantine point in the New York harbour, physicians came aboard and vaccinated most of the passengers and crew.   The emigrants were not allowed ashore until the 20th of June.

 

Samuel Adams’ journal entries:

Monday, May 7, 1860:  I, Samuel Adams, and family left Baddeley Edge, (Staffordshire, England) for America.  We went to Burslem and stayed all night at Sister Sarah Lewis’.  Got our notes of standing of President Cook and directions for our boxes and bags.

 

Tuesday, May 8, 1860: We carried our luggage to the Burslem station and started for Liverppool.  We waited a while at Crewe and went to Liverpool with the Birmingham Saints.  Arrived at Liverpool about 11:00 a.m.  The carries took our luggage to the Bromley Moor Dock and about 3:00pm o’clock we went out to the William Tapscot which lay in the River, and for the first time stepped on the salt water.

 

Wednesday, May 9, 1860: Arose from our new bed and got our breakfast.  Then I went on shore in a ferry boat for some necessary things which I thought we should want during our voyage.  While I was away, Samuel sent two letters by Presiden Clark, one to his grandfather and the other to Sarah his sister which is in America.  I came on board about 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon with a steam tug which took some more passengers for America.

 

Thursday, May 10, 1860:  I wrote a letter to Baddeley Edge to tell them how we are getting alond, and we expect to start this afternoon.  Sent it to be posted by Elder Clark.

 

Friday, May 11, 1860: We bought some more articles for our voyage and started out about half past 2 o’clock in the afternoon.  We were taken out by a steam tug.  As we went along we saw the Welch mountains, and it was reported that we passed the place called Hollyhead at midnight.

 

Saturday, May 12, 1860: We were taken along by the steam tug very well.

 

Sunday, May 13, 1860: It was said that we got through the Irish Channel about 1 o’clock this morning and the steam tug left us.  It was very fine and the sea looked beautiful, and about an hour before sunset, I saw Ireland.  We left it on the right hand.

 

Monday, May 13, 1860: Was rather windy, but we went along well.

 

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, May 15, 16, 17, 1860:  We went along middling well.

 

Friday, May 18, 1860: It was rather rough.

 

Saturday, May 19, 1860: Calm and started slowly in the morning, but swifter in the afternoon, and big speed at  night.

 

Sunday, May 20, 1860: Very fine morning.  We have two meetings today on deck.  Some very good instructions given on obedience and cleanliness, which was carried out.  Middling well.  Distance from Liverpool at 12 o’clock noon today- 1550 miles

 

Monday, May 21, 1860:  Very rough and we went along swiftly.  At 12 o’clock today 1553 miles from Liverpool and 1562 miles from New York.

 

Tuesday, May 22, 1860: Morning very fine and sea very green.

 

Wednesday, May 23, 1860: Wet and rainy.

 

Friday, May 25, 1860: Fine, not much speed.

 

Saturday, May 26, 1860: We went speedily along.

 

Sunday, May 27, 1860:  Isabella was mending from the measles or some other breaking out like measles.  Lorenzo very bad of the same complaint and has been for two days.  Eliza broke out with the same.  We have all been affected by the sea voyage, more or less.

 

Monday, Tuesday, May 28, 29, 1860: Fine and a good wind.

 

Wednesday, May 30, 1860:  Very wet

 

Friday, June 1, 1860: We were 946 miles from New York

 

Saturday, June 2, 1860: Very fine morning and we started slow today.  Rather better toward night.

 

Sunday, June3, 1860: Small pox broke out among the Scandanavians.  We sailed badly several days. 

We landed in the Castle Gardens, New york, June 20, 1860, and stayed there all night.

 

Thursday, June 21, 1860: We went to Williamsborough and lay in a passage of a second floor all that night.

 

Friday, June 22, 1860:  We rented a house for one month and paid $4.25 advance rent.

August 3, 1860:  Isabella departed this life.  She was buried in Calvery Cemetery, Long Island, New York, America

Samuel Adams and his family traveled with the Joseph W. Young / Ansil P. Harmon/ Heber P. Kimball company which departed 11 July 1861 and arrived in Salt Lake City 20 Sept 1861.

From May to July of 1861, about four thousand Saints from the East, and two hundred “down and back” wagons from the West converged on Florence Nebraska, where a bustling outfitting camp had been set up. The Civil War in the East had a growing impact. On April 24 soldiers from Ft. Kearney, Nebraska, were seen heading east.

 

The 1,000-mile trail the emigrants followed paralleled the Platte River’s north shore across Nebraska and part of Wyoming, then followed the Sweetwater River halfway across Wyoming to South Pass before cutting southwest to Fort Bridger and over rugged 7,700-foot high mountains into Utah.

 

(this is the home of Samuel Adams and Elizabeth Betsy Mountford Adams while living in Baddley Edge, England)

 

 

(Sailing ship William Tapscott. The Adams family arrived on this ship in New York harbor from Liverpool, England in 1860. Ship's captain was James B. Bell.)

 

 

 

Samuel Adams and Bessie Mountford Adams Gravesite.  Stopped this weekend at the Meadow Cemetery in Millard County, Utah.  It is a small, but very beautiful, peaceful cemetery.