Adams, William (1),
a Congregational minister, was left' an orphan when nine years old. He probably obtained his preparatory education at Ipswich, Mass., and in 1667 entered Harvard. University, graduating in 1671. Soon after, he was invited to preach at Westfield, Mass., but it does not appear that he accepted the invitation. In February, 1672, he preached at Dedham, when the congregation unanimously invited him to become their pastor, and he was duly ordained Dec. 3,1673. Little is known of his ministry. He died at Dedham, Aug. 17, 1685, at the age of thirty-five. Two of his sermons-one preached in 1678, the other in 1685-were published. A Commentary on 1 Tim-, written by him, is still preserved, and is exceedingly elaborate. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, i, 181.