I wrote to DEVON-L on Aug 2 about my wife's great-grandpa John ADAMS (b. Sherford 1808) who was a shipowner and coalmerchant in Dodbrooke (Kingsbridge). In 1851 and at his marriage in 1859 he said he was a "widower". I can't find anything about the first marriage. Trying to solve this mystery, I borrowed "The New Maritime History of Devon: Vol 2" (Conway Press and University of Exeter 1994). There's a bit about a Captain Robert Wilson ADAMS, master of the ship "Lady St Johns", launched 1898. I've done a bit of work on him. He was born in Salcombe 21 Sep 1842, son of Mary Pack ADAMS née DAWE, baptised 31 Mar 1816 in Malborough parish. But, alas! Mary's husband was a master mariner, and doesn't appear with Mary in the 1851 census, or in 1861. He was a John, though (m Jun Qr 1838, Plymouth RD)!! That John can't be the one I'm looking for! Mary was still having babies in 1861! But I'm very interested in the other ADAMS families in the South Hams, and I have a fair amount of data on the Malborough branch. Can anyone identify this John? Could he be son of James/Elizabeth born W Alvington about 1815? Who else? Arthur F