Biography

ROGER ADAMS was baptised 9th March 1755, the son of  William Adams & Sarah nee Congdon of Tremaine, Cornwall, England.
He had six siblings: Robert [1736-1810]; William [1741-1785]; two sisters Peternel born 1744; Mary 1748; Richard b.1752 and
a younger brother Francis b. 1758 who died in infancy. 

During his childhood his father was in possession of a sizeable property in this village.  His father died in 1761 and his mother 
continued to live at Treneglos with her unmarried daughter Patronel who gave birth to an illegitimate child 'William Newton Adams' 
in 1774.  Paternel was aged thirty at this time.  During the interim Roger, still in his minority, had moved to Boyton with his 
brother Robert and his family. His brother William and his wife had settled at North Petherwin. 

Roger was still living with his brother Robert five years later when, at the age of twenty-four, Roger Adams married 
Elizabeth Hopper, the daughter of Henry Hopper & his wife Phillipy nee Rowe, at nearby Ashwater, on the 23rd August 1779.
Roger was noted 'of Boyton', Roger signed the Parish Entry,  Elizabeth made her mark. 
Witnesses were Elizabeth Hopper, Emanuel May & John Chichester.

Witnesses: 
Elizabeth Hopper was the spouse of the Bride's brother John Hopper. i.e. Elizabeth Hopper [nee Beare].
Emanual May - [either jnr or snr?]
                      - Emanuel May snr. of Ashwater was noted on several documents as a yeoman. 
                        He married Elizabeth Radmore in 1732 and had several issue one of whom a son
                        Emanuel May [jnr] who married Elizabeth Martyn at Ashwater in 1755 by whom
                        he had several issue. Relationship to bride and/or groom has been found so far.
                        He may have been a churchwarden.
John Chichester was the spouse of the Bride's sister Mary Chichester [nee Hopper]

Elizabeth Hopper was eleven years older than Roger, aged thirty-five at her marriage.

Elizabeth Hopper was baptised 9th January 1744 at Bradford, Devonshire, the fifth child  
of Henry Hopper & his wife Phillipy nee Rowe of Bradford, Devonshire. Elizabeth had 
several siblings. 
Her 'Hopper Lineage' extends to the early 16th Century at Black Torrington, Devon.

Following their marriage Roger and Elizabeth settled at nearby North Petherwin where Roger's elder brother William
had been resident for several years. His brother Robert and his wife also moved to North Peterwin around this time. 
Elizabeth & Roger recorded the following Issue;

            Child 1: Leonard Adams [1780-1846] baptised 20th June, 1780  [mother Elizabeth aged 36] BIOGRAPHY
            Child 2: John Adams [1783- 1852] baptised 1st June 1783 [mother Elizabeth Aged 39] - See Epilogue
            Child 3: Elizabeth Adams [1786-1841] baptised 13th August, 1786 mother Elizabeth aged 42 - See Epilogue

Elizabeth's brother Leonard Hopper [1736-1813] resident at nearby Ashwater, who was moderately wealthy and lived at 
nearby Ashwater.  Leonard was later a prominent figure in the lives of Elizabeth and her children.

As the children were growing up, a series of events at the home of their maternal uncle Leonard Hopper was to have a 
profound effect on the life of their younger son John.

Leonard Hopper taken from the Biography of his father Henry; 

Briefly, Elizabeth's brother Leonard Hopper had married late in life and had no children. 
In 1789 employed a young girl apprentice Jane Headon, aged eight, it seems predominately for training in 
housework and the care of Leonard's aged and ailing wife. Elizabeth's son John was aged around six at 
this time. Eleven years later it appears that Jane, now aged nineteen, had left their employ and Leonard
indentured another young girl Elizabeth Gerry in 1800.
By 1804, Elizabeth's son John Adams was now aged twenty-one and had formed a relationship with 
Leonard's first apprentice Jane Headon, who conceived a child.  John and Jane were married in November
that year, the pregnancy came to term five months later. Two more children followed. 
In the interim John formed an extra marital relationship with Leonard's 2nd apprentice Elizabeth Jerry. 
His wife Jane gave birth to a son in March 1809 and Elizabeth Gerry fell pregnant in April the same year. 
Elizabeth petitioned the Churchwardens at Ashwater, Filing a Bastardy Order on the 4th October 1809.  
The Document Filed under the names of both John's Uncle, Leonard Hopper [assumed as bondsman] 
'a Yeoman' and John Adams as the father of the child 'a labourer' with an assurity of £100.
The infant was baptised 'James Gerry' 29th January 1810. Nothing has since been found for Elizabeth or
her son.  John and his wife Jane continued their marriage.  
At this point Leonard Hopper was aged seventy-three. Leonard died Testate twenty-three years later,
however although his sister Elizabeth and her elder son Leonard Adams were both legatees in his Will, 
he did not include his nephew John [above].  
See full transcription of the Bastardy Order in the Hopper Family of Bradford.

Several events had occurred in the interim.
Roger's widowed brother William Adams died at North Petherwin in 1786, his wife buried at the same venue six years earlier. 
Roger's brother Robert and his wife Mary had been resident at North Petherwin for some years and still living near Roger
and his family.  
Roger's mother died, buried at Treneglos 20th January 1796

Roger Adams died, buried at North Petherwin on the 15th February 1806 estimated aged fifty-one. 
He was survived by his wife Elizabeth Adams [nee Hopper] of twenty-seven years marriage and his three children;
Leonard Adams aged 26yrs [unmarried]; John Adams aged 23yrs [married]; and Elizabeth Adams aged 20yrs  
[unmarried] and a granddaughter Grace Adams aged 1 year, by his son John who appears to have later died in early
childhood. 

Five years later Elizabeth's elder son Leonard Adams now aged thirty-one married Amelia 'Maria' Squire 
27th March 1811 at nearby Werrington, where they remained and recorded several children - BIOGRAPHY.

Two years later Elizabeth's brother Leonard Hopper died Testate, buried at Ashwater 13th February recorded aged eighty.

Summary of the Will of Leonard Hopper.

Will: Written 8th December 1812.  
Administration Granted 12th February 1813 - a day before he was buried!
Legatees; 
-  My sister Elizabeth Adams of North Petherwin - one guinea
- her daughter Elizabeth Adams -[Five or Two] pounds. 
- her son Leonard Adams - one guinea. 
- My sister Mary Chichester - one guinea 
- Phillipy Chichester - ten shillings and six pence 
                                    [Niece - Phillipy was the daughter of his sitter Mary]
- John Chichester - five shillings
                                    [Nephew - John was the son of his sister Mary]
- Hugh Chichester - five shillings 
                                   [Nephew - Hugh was the son of his sister Mary]  
- My sister Phillipy Hopper - five Shillings 
                                  [Phillipy was aged 56 & unmarried at this time.]
- William Hopper, my brother's son - ten shillings 
                                 [Nephew - William was the son of his brother 
                                 Henry Hopper] 
- Leonard Hopper - three Pounds 
                                 [Nephew - Leonard was the son of his brother 
                                 William Hopper] 
- Ann Hopper - ten shillings 
                                 [Niece - Ann was then aged 18yrs and was the 
                                 daughter of his brother William Hopper ]
- Elizabeth Hopper - ten shillings
                                 [Niece - Elizabeth was the daughter of his brother
                                 William Hopper ]
- Mary Hopper - ten shillings 
                                 [Niece - Elizabeth was the daughter of his brother 
                                 William Hopper ]
-  Phillipy Hopper Adams -twenty pounds to be invested till age 21yrs, with interest for 
                                  maintenance & clothes [Phillipy was aged six] in default 
                                  [i.e. dies before age 21yrs] the full amount to fall to her sister
                                  Hannah, daughter of John Adams aforesaid when she attains
                                  the age of twenty one. [Hannah was aged 13 months]
                                [Great Niece - Phillipy was the granddaughter of his sister 
                                Elizabeth by her son John]. 

-  Henry Hopper Adams - - 20 pounds to bring him to some trade at discretion of father.
                                  [Great Nephew - Henry was the grandson of his sister Elizabeth 
                                  by her son John] 
        - John Adams my kinsman & executor 
                                   -  residue of the Estate i.e. Lands, cottage, goods & chattels.
                                   [Kinsman would normally apply to Leonard's peer, i.e. Roger 
                                    appears to have had an unrecorded brother 'John' recorded 
                                    in the Will as 'Yeoman', equivalent to Leonard's own status]. 

See Full Transcription of Leonard Hopper's Will in the Hopper Family of Bradford.

NOTES:  It seems that although Leonard's nephew does not appear in his Will, he was living with
              his family at Ashwater during the 1841/51 Census until his death in 1853.  His uncle's
              property may have fallen to him subsequently.

              Leonard's sister Elizabeth Adams also had a daughter 'Elizabeth', who was also not
              mentioned in the above Will - See Epilogue.  

During and after this time the widowed Elizabeth appears to have continued to live at North Petherwin, very likely 
with her unmarried daughter. 
 
Eight years later Elizabeth Adams [nee Hopper] was buried 'a widow', at the North Petherwin Methodist Church at 
Petherwin Gate on the 29th January 1821 recorded aged 72yrs*. 
She was survived by her three children Leonard aged 41yrs [married]; John aged 38yrs and Elizabeth aged 35yrs.
Also
seven surviving young grandchildren, three by her eldest son Leonard and four by her son John.  The fate of her 
grandson James, by Elizabeth Gerry is not known.  

* Elizabeth was actually aged 77yrs, it would be easy to mistakenly transcribe a '2' for '7' in older Parish Records.
   Source: Nth .Petherwin Parish Clerk & NBI edition 2

Leonard remained at Werrington until his death in 1847.  He and his family were recorded on the 1841 Census. 
One son migrated to New Zealand in 1843 and his widow and several of their children migrated to Australia with their 
families in 1852.    
See next generation:  Biography of Leonard Adams [1780-1847] of Werrington.

                      Elizabeth Adams [1786-1841] only daughter of Roger Adams & Elizabeth nee Hopper

Although Elizabeth was not mentioned in the Will of her maternal uncle, a marriage appears at North Petherwin two years 
after her mother's death for Elizabeth Adams & John Gerry 'of Egloskerry' 22nd January 1826.  It is not  known if he was 
any relation to the mother of her brother's illegitimate child.
Elizabeth would then have been aged forty.  The couple had one child, Richard Gerry, born in 1828.
They were recorded on the 1841 Census viz; 
                     John Gerry aged 60, Labourer, born in County. 
                     Elizabeth Gerry aged 65, born in County. 
                     Richard Gerry aged 13yrs, born in County.
Several weeks later Elizabeth's death was recorded in the June Qtr. 1841 [Registration District Launceston]
Her spouse remarried. 
No confident information was found for her son Richard Gerry.

                      John Adams [1783-1852] youngest son of Roger Adams & Elizabeth nee Hopper;

Recap: John Adams married Jane Headon 20th November 1804 at Ashwater.
 Jane Headon was baptised 5th July 1781 at Ashwater, the daughter of William Headon and his wife sarah nee Badge.  
Her parents were married at Ashwater on the 6th February 1780.
Jane was previously an apprentice to John's paternal uncle Leonard Hopper since the age of eight. 

Issue;  Baptised at Werrington; 
            Child 1: Grace Adams [1805-?], baptised 18th  March 1805 -  assumed died young
            Child 2: Philippa Hopper Adams [1806-1833], baptised 26th March 1806 - Legatee 1813 Hopper Will. 
            Child 3: Henry Hopper Adams [1809-1883], baptised 31st March 1809 - Legatee 1813 Hopper Will. 
            Child 4: Mary Adams [1810-?] baptised 30th August 1810 -  assumed died young 
            Child 5: Hannah Adams [1811-?] baptised 21st  Oct. 1811 - Mentioned in the 1813 Hopper Will. 
            Child 6: William Adams [1816-1816], baptised 18th January 1816 - buried 18th March 1816 - recorded 'Infant'.
            Child 7: Roger Adams [1818-post 1861], baptised 6th April 1818. 
            Child 8: Harriet Adams [1824-1854], baptised 1st October 1824 

1841 Census:   Address:  Burrow, Ashwater; [ages rounded this Census]
                                           John Adams, age 60, Farmer, Born in County.
                                           Jane Adams, age 60, Born in County.
                                           Roger Adams, age 20, Born in County.
                                           Harriet Adams, age 15, Born in County.
1851 Census:  Address:   Beech Cottage, Ashwater;
                                           John Adams, Head, age 69, Retired Farmer, born Devon, North Petherwin.
                                           Jane Adams, Wife, age 70, born Devon, Ashwater.
                                           Grace Chubb, Lodger, Unmarried, age 30, Dress Maker, born Devon, Ashwater.

John Adams was buried at Ashwater 31st May 1853 recorded aged seventy.
His widow Jane Adams [nee Headon] was buried at Ashwater 5th Jan. 1855 recorded aged seventy-three.

'Known' outcomes for the children of John Adams & his wife Jane [nee Headon];

CHILD 2: Philippy Hopper Adams [1806-1833] daughter of John Adams & his wife Jane [nee Headon]
                  Phillipa Adams married John Barrett at Ashwater 7th October 1828. 
                  Witnesses: Richard Beale & John Harris Jnr.
                  Issue;
                                            Eliza Barrett baptised 28th May 1829 at Ashwater.
                                            Mary Barrett baptised 26th December 1831 - Buried 22nd March 1832.
 
                  Phillipy Barrett [nee Adams] [nee Adams] was buried at Ashwater 20th March 1833 
                  recorded aged twenty-seven.
 
CHILD 3: Henry Hopper Adams [1809-1883] son of John Adams & his wife Jane [nee Headon]
                  1851  Census: Address:  Lulcroft, Ashwater;
                                           Henry Hopper Adams, Head, age 40, Agricultural Labourer, born Ashwater, Devon.
                                           Mary Adams, Wife, age 36, born Ashwater, Devon.
                                           Mary Ann Adams, Daughter, age 10, born Ashwater, Devon.
                                           William Adams, Son, age 7, born Ashwater, Devon.
                                           Harriet Adams, Daughter, age 3, born Ashwater, Devon.
                                           Roger Adams, Son, age 1 month, born Ashwater, Devon.

                  Upon his father's death in 1853 Henry remained at the Ashwater 'Hopper' Property. 

                  1861  Census: Address:  Higher Pristacott, Ashwater;  
                                           Henry Hopper Adams, Head, age 50, Agricultural Labourer, born Ashwater, Devon.
                                           Mary Adams,  Wife, age 45.
                                           Roger  Adams, Son, age 10. 
                                           Samuel Adams, Son, age 8, born Ashwater, Devon. 
                                           Thomas Adams, age 6, born Ashwater, Devon.
                  1871 Census: Address: Sunbury Moor Cottage, Ashwater;
                                           Henry was recorded aged 60 yrs and his wife Mary aged 56, living alone.
                                           Their son Roger Adams was recorded next door, aged 20, working as a Farm Servant.
                  1881 Census: Address: Sunbury Moor Cottage, Ashwater;
                                           John & Mary living alone.
  
                  Henry Hopper Adams died at Ashwater in the June Qtr. 1883 recorded aged 76yrs. [Reg.Holdsworthy]

CHILD 5: Hannah Adams [1811-post 1813] daughter of John Adams & his wife Jane [nee Headon]
                  No information 

CHILD 7: Roger Adams [1818-post 1861] youngest son of John Adams & his wife Jane [nee Headon] 
                  1861 Census working as a Farm Servant, aged  40yrs, recorded born Ashwater. 
                  Lost him after this.
.                                            
CHILD 8: Harriet Adams [1824-1854] youngest daughter of John Adams & his wife Jane [nee Headon]
                  1851 Census:  Harriet was recorded aged 24 working as a servant for the Wickett Family at 
                                           Stratton, Cornwall. 
                  Harriet Adams died unmarried and without Issue Sept. Qrt 1854 at the est. age of thirty. [Registered Stratton]

Cornwall Online Parish Clerks [COPC]
Devonshire Record Office. 
Census: Ancestry.com