In June, 1900, J. Sumner Adams, Armory Foreman, age 63, was living with his wife (of 38 years), Sarah, at #99 Bay Street, Springfield, Mass. J.S. Adams was born Oct., 1836 (more likely 1838), in Maine. (I now believe his first name was 'Joseph'. But, I need to verify that).

Merry Christmas to All!

FWIW - 1880 U.S. Census, Springfield, Ma. (Church of LDS summary) lists: "Joseph Sumner Adams" - Machinist.
However original image cannot be viewed on my Home Computer.

1865 Mass. State Census - (Springfield) lists: J.S. Adams - machinist.

1910 U.S. Census - (Springfield) lists: J.S. Adams, age 72, employed at Armory.

1920 U.S. Census - (Springfield) J. Sumner Adams, age 82, occupation-none.

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"J.S.A." were the initials of Joseph Sumner Adams, Springfield Armory-Foreman.

(I have been searching online 'Vital Records' (marriages and births) for Maine and Massachusetts, as well as Census records, to verify the actual full name).

Significant findings that verify full name:

1. 1860 U. S. Census (Saco, York County, Maine):
Joseph S. Adams - male, age 22, est. birth 1838. (Son of John & Elizabeth Adams, both age 58).

2.Maine Marriage Record (Saco, York County, Me.):
Marriage - 29 Sept, 1862 - Jos. Sumner Adams & Sarah P. Rumery.

3. 1865 Mass. State Census (Springfield, Hampden Co., Mass.):
J. S. Adams, age 27, machinist & Wife - Sarah P. Adams.

4. 1930 U. S. Census (Springfield, Hampden Co., Mass.):
Adams, Joseph S. - age 92 & Wife - Sarah P. - age 80 (note - actually should read 87 years old). "Ages at marriage" given as 24 and 19 years old, respectively. (The couple was still living at #99 Bay St., where they had been, since at least, 1900). Their home was valued at $4,500. (Joseph and Sarah were both listed as being born in Maine).

Further observations: Joseph Sumner Adams and Sarah P. Rumery had 5 children of whom 3 daughters survived to adulthood. Their only son, John S. Adams, born July 13, 1863, at Springfield, is listed in the 1865 Mass. State Census, but, not the 1870 U. S. Census. In the 'Vital Records' of their children, Joseph Sumner Adams is listed as being from Saco, Maine. Sarah P. Rumery is listed as being from Calais, Maine.

J. Sumner Adams seems to have preferred using "J. Sumner Adams" in records. He was still working at the Armory at least until 1910. They owned their own home and had an Irish Maid in 1900 and also in 1910 Census.

"J.S.A." and Mrs. J.S.A. had long lives and a long marriage. "J.S.A" had a long career at Springfield Armory. He must have been quite talented and well paid. As 'Foreman', he must have supervised and overseen much of the tooling and manufacture of both Krag and early 1903 Springfield rifles.

great idea to look JSA up on Ancestry.  According to Mapquest the address 99 Bay Street is 0.7 miles from the armory. 

MPF wrote on Dec 28^th, 2015 at 4:52am:

According to Mapquest the address 99 Bay Street is 0.7 miles from the armory.

That's walking distance!  Reminds me of my Great-Great-Grandfather, who owned a brick factory in LaSalle, IL (closed in 1926). He walked 2.5 miles each way - every day to work!  Rain or shine, snow or heat... 

Ain't that something!

I looked up the house on Google Earth, but the results are not clear. Searched for the address, which came up, but the house (which looks to be of the correct period) is captioned "101" on the street view. I was unable to discern an actual house number on the building. Fun!

FWIW:

You have to confirm with local government and historians on old addresses. It has been my experience that municipalities have often revised their addresses during the past 100 years.

My grandparents and great-grandparents homes had street addresses that were changed in the 1980s.

I spend a lot of time on Ancestry looking up the families of people who are not my relatives.  I tried Harry Pope & decided he did not have a very happy family life.  W. Milton Farrow seems to have been just the opposite.  The blocks where the numbers 5 and 3 appear in Mrs JSA's row mean that she had given birth to 5 children and that 3 of them were still alive in 1900.

It looks like the house is now a duplex.  Maybe the rear unit was 99?

Also I wonder what was in the large vacant lot across the street?

Inquiring minds…...

Quite possibly a duplex. Hard to tell how the rear unit would be numbered - usually that is determined by which way the front door faces, even when the two units are in the same building.

Judging from the "scale" of the neighborhood, I'd guess the vacant lot was another house. In any case, that is the "even" side.

I'd bet it is the correct building, and that some numbering tweak has occurred, as noted above.

Although, contrary to my experience, the house number system on Bay St. (Springfield, Mass.) seems to have the odd numbers on the 'Right' as they 'go up'. I believe #99 is one of those vacant lots, where houses use to be.

I do not subscribe to Ancestry.com, but, do access their 'Library Edition' at our local Library. On my next trip, I will confirm some things. The data I found, I got from other Free sources.

Jos. Sumner Adams and Sara P. Rumery married 29, Sept. 1862, Saco, York County, Maine.

The 1900 Census (Springfield, Ma.) reveals they had 5 children of whom 3 were surviving.

The 1865 Massachusetts State Census shows 2 children: Son - John Sumner Adams, age 2 years, and Daughter - Ettie Belle, age 3 months. Neither of these children appear in the U. S. 1870 Census, so they likely did not survive.

I found recorded births for 3 other children (all girls):

Allice G. Adams (likely Gertrude), born Feb. 5, 1868

Martha R. (Rumery) Adams, born June 28, 1870

Bessie Louise Adams, born Aug. 22, 1874

(These three girls are the children surviving in 1900. The three were recorded in the 1880 Census. Gertrude and Martha R. were living with their parents in 1900).

Bessie Louise Adams married Edwin F. Lyford, a 41 year old Springfield Lawyer, around 1899.

Martha Rumery Adams, (a Teacher in 1900), married Frederick Haile Stebbins, also a Lawyer, Nov. 12, 1902, in Springfield. They had a son, Frederick A. Stebbins, in 1911, who was also to become a Lawyer. (JSA really 'lawyered up')!

Gertrude (likely Allice G. Adams) was single and worked in the City Clerk's Office in 1900. In 1930, Gertrude was 62 years old, single, and living with her elderly parents. In 1940, she lived with her sister, Bessie.

In the 1940 Census, all three of J.S. Adams' daughters were living in Springfield, as well as, the only grandchild, Frederick A. Stebbins. The daughters, who had married, were widows and seemingly well off.

I hope this is not too tedious and makes "JSA" more interesting.

I believe the Joseph Sumner Adams house, which stood at #99 Bay St., Springfield, Ma., is now a vacant lot.

Examining old maps of the area shows that the odd numbers (contrary to common practice) are on the 'Right' as they increase.

Florida Street, which dead-ends at Bay St., would have gone right through the "JS Adams" home, if it was extended!

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