Jeremy Adams, also known as Jeremiah Adams (1604/5August 11, 1683), was one of the first settlers of

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...

. He was also the founder and first proprietor of

Colchester, Connecticut Colchester is a New England town, town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut, Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region. The population was 15,555 at the 20 ...

, which was established on land owned by Adams, known as "Jeremiah's Farme".

Arrival in America

Adams arrived in America in 1633, first arriving in New England at

Braintree, Massachusetts Braintree () is a municipality in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is officially known as a town, but Braintree is a city with a mayor-council form of government, and it is considered a city under Massachusetts law. The populat ...

—he was one of the original members of the company that came to the colonies with Rev.

Thomas Hooker Thomas Hooker (July 5, 1586 – July 7, 1647) was a prominent English colonial leader and Congregational church, Congregational minister, who founded the Connecticut Colony after dissenting with Puritan leaders in Massachusetts. He was know ...

, probably arriving with Hooker in 1633. He became a

freeman Freeman, free men, Freeman's or Freemans may refer to: Places United States * Freeman, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Freeman, Illinois, an unincorporated community * Freeman, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Freeman, South Dako ...

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 United States census, ...

in 1635.Love, William DeLoss.
The colonial history of Hartford
',

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

, pp 216–219, 1914. In 1636, he moved with Rev. Hooker to

, and was one of the original proprietors of the settlement. In June 1636, Thomas Hooker and one hundred members of his Puritan congregation, including Jeremy Adams, left the safety of the Boston area and began a two-week overland journey. They traveled a trail long used by Native Americans, later known as the Connecticut Path or the Bay Path, west to the Connecticut River and then south to the future site of Hartford. In 1639 Adams was the constable (cunstable), and the official Innkeeper for the Colony. His Inn at Hartford was used as the meeting place for the legislative body of the colony, general court sessions, and for other public purposes. The Inn was said to have been "frequented by all of the great men of the colony". It may be presumed that among these meetings, was the creation of the famous

Fundamental Orders of Connecticut The Fundamental Orders were adopted by the Connecticut Colony council on . The fundamental orders describe the government set up by the Connecticut River New England town, towns, setting its structure and powers and was a driven attempt for the ...

(1639), which was perhaps the western world's first written constitution. The constitution was later hidden in the

Charter Oak The Charter Oak was an enormous Quercus alba, white oak tree growing on Wyllys Hill in Hartford, Connecticut, from around the 12th or 13th century until it fell during a storm in 1856. Connecticut colonists hid Connecticut Constitutional Histor ...

. On April 5, 1638, he was sent with Captain Mason on an expedition to the Warranocke Indians to trade for corn.
The public records of the colony of Connecticut, 1636-1776
', Press of the Case, page 17, 1850. This service qualifies his descendants to become members of the

General Society of Colonial Wars The General Society of Colonial Wars is a Patriotism, patriotic Voluntary association, society composed of men who trace their descents from forebears who, in military, naval, or civil positions of high trust and responsibility, by acts or counse ...

. He was: an Officer of the Court, a Tax Assessor, a collector for the town, a Juror, a Collector of Customs and traded with the Indians for the General Court of Connecticut. In 1660, he was the only resident of the colony allowed to sell wine or liquor. Some of the land he owned is now occupied by buildings of

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

, and another tract of land is now a part of the Campus of

Trinity College, Hartford Trinity College is a private liberal arts college in Hartford, Connecticut, United States. Founded as Washington College in 1823, it is the second-oldest college in the state of Connecticut. Coeducational since 1969, the college enrolls 2,2 ...

Tributes

A ridge named Jeremy's Back and a river called Jeremy's River are located near

, and are both named after Jeremy Adams. His name is inscribed on the Founders Monument of Hartford at the

First Church of Christ and the Ancient Burying Ground The First Church of Christ and the Ancient Burying Ground (also known as Center Church: First Church of Christ in Hartford or First Church in Hartford) is a historic church and cemetery at 60 Gold Street in Hartford, Connecticut, United States. It ...

Arrival in America

Tributes

References

Further reading