Born in England in 1602, Robert Adams traveled to Ipswich, Massachusetts, in 1635 with his wife and two children. He is thought to be originally from Devonshire, and to be the son of Robert and Elizabeth Sharlon or Sharland. This would make him a cousin of Henry Adams of Braintree (later Quincy, Massachusetts), the ancestor of the presidents, John and John Quincy Adams.
The work begins by listing the children of Robert Adams. Each entry provides the name, place of birth, date of birth, date and place of death, and any other pertinent historical information known about the persons included, such as: date of marriage, name of spouse, spouse's birthplace, children and military service. This work follows the Adams family history through ten generations. There are three original surname indices: Names of males with name of their father; Female names with name of Adams; and, Names other than Adams.