Looking for info on Thomas William Adams.

[jillany]

I am looking for info on  Thomas William Adams. Born 1811. Believed to have been baptized at St.Marys Paris Church in Woodbridge, Suffolk.  He emigrated to Canada sometime in the 1860's. We are trying to find out where he was baptized and which ship he left on. We believe he landed in New York before moving to Canada.  Anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated.
 

[fastfusion]

Adams is a really really popular name in Suffolk.....  so to start with you have some more info about this chap from the Canada end??? For example do you have a grave or death or a census or a connection to the family he had there???   Also you mention a landing in 1860s aboard??
Your post indicated a particular church already, and so how did you come to that conclusion.....?

I have had a look at the material for censuses and I find about 60 options just for 1841 across the UK.
So do you have a marriage or something you have oversighted to help us define material please?
On a personal note a man in his 50s going to Canada by his lonesome seems a bit strange so do you have an occupation or speculation towards such?
fastfusion

[rosie99]

Hi

Welcome to rootschat

What more can you tell us about Thomas.  Was he married when he left England, if so any details about his parents, wife and possible children would help to find him over here.

[Annette7]

The only one I can find baptised at St. Marys, Woodbridge ca. this time is:

Thomas Ward Adams bp.12/1/1811 son of William and Margaret.

Annette

[jillany]

Thanks so much for that info. I am doing this for a friend and this was his great grandfather.  He said his mother thought Thomas's fathers name was William, but the second name is not right.  Wonder if that is a coincidence or not. They think he landed in New York as that was where he met his future wife.  They got married and then moved to Canada, got land and started farming.

[Annette7]

Whereabouts in Canada?  Who was his wife?    It helps to be able to have a picture rather than look for facts in isolation.

Annette

[Annette7]

Right, by searching online trees and Canadian Census it would appear that he was married to a Helen (or Ellen) S. Corbett and that they had 3 children:

William Wallace Adams b.2/2/1866 Dakota, Nebraska
Lizzie Adams bc.1869 Ontario
Robert bc.1878 Ontario

The 1901 census states Thomas was born 1/1/1812 but 2 earlier census suggest ca.1815!

He died 28/7/1903 in Vespra, Simcoe, Ontario - his headstone states born 1/1/1811.

NONE of the records available online show him as Thomas William Adams - just Thomas Adams.

There are 4 trees on Ancestry and all 4 show him to be the Thomas Ward Adams, bp.12/1/1811 St. Marys, Woodbridge, son of William Adams and Margaret Ward.

HOWEVER, Thomas Adams aged 3 (b.1811) was buried 12/8/1814 St. Marys, Woodbridge - this would appear to be the child of William and Margaret so not the Thomas who ended up in Canada.

This begs the obvious question - where has the information come from that states Thomas Adams in Canada actually came from Woodbridge, Suffolk?   As his headstone in Canada states he was born 1/1/1811 has someone just assumed the baptism on 12/1/1811 in Woodbridge is him because the date 'fit's' which others have duly accepted and copied?

The fact that the Thomas Adams bp.1811 Woodbridge does not appear in 1841/1851/1861 UK census - your man not arriving in the US until 1860's - would concur with the burial of 3yr old Thomas Adams in 1814 at Woodbridge.   Another Thomas Adams was bp.6/9/1815 St. Marys, Woodbridge, son of an Edward Adams and Mary Amos - this Thomas can't be your man either because he died and was buried in 1834.

Has his marriage to Helen S. Corbett been traced?   It's possible that the marriage certificate might have added details about Thomas.

Certainly, the only 2 Thomas' baptised at St. Mary's Woodbridge near the relative time given for your Thomas' birth i.e. 1811 both died - one at aged 3 in 1814, and the other aged 19 in 1834.

Is there definite proof that your Thomas came from Woodbridge?

Annette