Thomas Adams (1730 – August 1788) was a politician and businessman from Virginia. One of the Founding Fathers of the United States, he was a delegate of the

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...

and signed the

Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was an agreement among the 13 Colonies of the United States of America that served as its first frame of government. It was approved after much debate (between July 1776 and November 1777) by ...

Early years

Adams was born in New Kent County, Virginia, about 1730, son of Ebenezer Adams and Tabitha Cocke. His father was a native of London, England, who settled in Virginia previous to 1714 and received grants in Henrico and New Kent counties. Adams attended there the common schools.US Congress, id: A000049

Career

His first political position was as a clerk of Henrico County and vestryman of that parish, from 1757 to 1761, and later a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses, and church warden until 1762. Adams had extensive business interests in England and resided there from 1762 to around 1774. In 1774, he resumed his residence in Virginia before the outbreak of the American Revolution. He became chairman of the New Kent County Committee of Safety and signed the Virginia Association entered into by the House of Burgesses, on May 27, 1774. Adams was chosen as a delegate from Virginia to the Continental Congress in 1778 and 1779, and signed the Articles of Confederation.

Later years

In 1780, Adams moved to

Augusta County, Virginia Augusta County is a county in the Shenandoah Valley on the western edge of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The second-largest county of Virginia by total area, it completely surrounds the independent cities of Staunton and Waynesboro. Its county ...

, where he was elected to the Virginia State Senate in the 9th, 10th and 11th legislatures, from 1784 to 1787. He married Elizabeth (Fauntleroy) Cocke, widow of his cousin, Bowler Cocke. Adams died on his estate, "Cowpasture", in Augusta County, in August 1788. Some other sources report that he died in October 1788.

References

Sources

* Attribution * {{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, Thomas Founding Fathers of the United States House of Burgesses members Signers of the Articles of Confederation Continental Congressmen from Virginia American people of English descent 18th-century American politicians 1730 births 1788 deaths