Adam Lambert: A German Immigrant Takes Up Arms
(ca. 1749-ca. 1816)

Adam Lambert was born about 1749 in Germany.

He married Maria Salome (Sarah) Hamacher on Oct 27, 1769 in the Trinity Lutheran Church, Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The church records, page 259, are translated as follows: "by authority of a license dated the twenty seventh Day of October 1769 joined together in holy Matrimony Adam Lambert of Derry Township in the County of Lancaster and Province of Pennsylvania, yeoman, and Sarah Hamacher of the same place, Spinster." Sarah was the daughter of Johann Adam Hamacher and Eva Maria Licht. She was born ca. 1745.

From the Pennsylvania German Pioneers List 251C at the State House of Philadelphia, 10th November 1764:

"Present: John Lawrence, Esq. The foreigners whose names are underwritten, imported in the Ship Boston, from Rotterdam, but last from Cowes, Mathew Carr, Master, did this day take and subscribe the usual Qualifications. 203 Whole Freights, 69 in the List. Consigned to M. Rundel, p 29 Nov. 5.3.6 pounds. Adam's name was 38th (reproduced alphabetically) on the list of passengers, as "Adam Lampart." He apparently signed with an X. A Frantz Lambert and a John Lampart were also on the list. Adam Lampart's name also appears in the Names of Foreigners who took the Oath of Allegiance to the Province and State of Pennsylvania 1727-1775, by William Henry Egle, p 469.

From 1771-1772, Adam was in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Archives, Fifth Series, Volume VII, page 1145, under "County of Lancaster," credits Adam Lambert for giving grain and forage to the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. The list, which starts on page 1143, is headed, "Granin and Forage for the Army. The following is an assessment made and collected of grain and forage for the army in 1778." He was credited with one bushel of wheat and two bushels of forage.

One member of the Sons of the American Revolution who claimed Adam as his patriot ancestor was Larry Patrick Cornwell, 138085. He cited the Pennsylvania Archives, above, for proof of Revolutionary War service. His service cited was "public service, PA."

On Feb 20, 1783, the Commonwealth of Virginia issued a land grant to Abel Griffith and Adam Lambert in Augusta County. It was surveyed on Apr 26, 1794, and recorded on Aug 10, 1795. It read:

"Robert Brooke Esquire Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia
"To all to whom these presents shall come Greeting Know ye that by virtue of an exchanged treasury warrant Number ten issued the twentieth day of February one thousand seven hundred and eighty three there is Granted by the said Commonwealth unto Abel Griffith and Adam Lambert a certain Tract or parcel of land containing fifty acres by survey bearing date the twenty sixth day of April one thousand seven hundred and ninety four, lying and being in the County of Augusta on the East side of the long Glade joining the Lands of John Bell and Alexander Blair and between two tracts of said Griffiths and bounded as followeth, to wit, Beginning at a black oak and hickory saplings Griffiths corner, thence with his line, South twenty three degrees West two hundred and seven poles to between two white oaks and a black oak, saplings on a ridge on Blairs line South fifty seven degrees West twenty five poles to three white oaks on a ridge on said Blair line North forty one degrees West thirty six poles to three white oak saplings corner to Bell and Griffiths Lands, thence with Griffiths line North twenty eight degrees East two hundred and twenty four poles to a white oak and black oak saplings South forty one degrees East thirty poles to the beginning with its Appurtenances to have and to hold th;e said tract or parcel of land with its appurtenances to the said Abel Griffith and Adam Lambert and their Heirs forever In Witness whereof the said Robert Brooke Esquire Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia hath hereunto set his Hand and caused the lesser Seal of the said Commonwealth to be affixed at Richmond on the tenth day of August in the Year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety five and of the Commonwealth the twentieth. Robert Brook"

In 1792, he bought land on Naked Creek in Augusta County, Virginia.

Adam Lambert and his wife Sarah "of the county of Augusta & State of Virginia" sold land to Able Griffith in Augusta County, Virginia on Sep 19, 1797 "in consideration of the sum of Twenty five pounds current money of Virginia. . . on the waters of the Long Glade, a branch of the North River containing twenty-five acres. . ."

On the same day, Able Griffith and his wife Magdalane sold land to Adam Lambert "on the water of the Long Glade a branch of the North River containing nineteen acres being part of a tract of sixty two acres first granted to John Anderson" for twenty five pounds.

On Jun 18, 1816, Adam Lambert purchased land in Rockingham County, Virginia. Later on Sep 23, 1816 and Jul 25, 1817, inventories of Adam Lambert's estate were filed. Included in the extensive inventory were farming implements, 110 bushels of wheat, 115 bushels of rye, 130 bushels of oats, six tons of hay, fifty bushels of corn, 29 hogs, 5 horses, cows, a bull, 12 sheep furniture and furnishings. The final inventory included 1052 shocks of wheat and 1417 shocks of rye.

Lambert died between June and September, 1816 in Augusta County, Virginia about the age of 67. Two years later a list of Adam Lambert's sold property was filed. The property included hundreds of farming items, and listed to whom each item was sold.

On Mar 22, 1818, the settlement of the estate was written, and recorded on Jan 25, 1819 in Augusta County, Virginia. Children were named, including the amounts they received. Listed were Christian, Abraham, Mary, wife of Phillip Nebergall, Adam, Francis "has received £34.12.4 (pounds, shillings, pence) leaving him a ballance of £13.7.10," John, David, Sarah, wife of Jacob Vanfossen, Samuel, Peter, Elizabeth, wife of John Reitenour, Easther, wife of George Hisey, and Nancy.

Lambert's wife died in Mar 1822 about the age of 77.

On Apr 25, 1822, Christian, Peter, Ann, Esther, and Abraham moved to Fayette County, Ohio

The children of Adam Lambert and Maria Salome Hamacher were:

i Christian, m. Madgalen Hafner on May 20, 1795
ii Abraham Lombard, b. ca. 1768, m. Barbara Hamaker on Dec 26, 1795
iii Mary, b. 1773, m. Philip Nebergall on Mar 25, 1802, d. Sep 27, 1853
iv Adam, m. Elizabeth Waggy on Oct 18, 1803
* v Francis, b. Sep 11, 1776, m. Elizabeth Van Fossen on Nov 21, 1801, d. Aug 4, 1837
vi John, b. Oct 24, 1799, m. 1st, Ann Curry on Mar 24, 1808, 2nd, Catherine Hartsook on Jun 8, 1826, d. May 1849
vii David, b. 1782, m. Margaret (Peggy) Phillips on Feb 9, 1802, d. 1856
viii Sarah, m. Jacob Van Fossen (son of Peter Van Fossen) on Apr 3, 1806
ix Samuel, m. Catherine Hisey on Aug 7, 1810
x Peter, b. May 20, 1790, m. 1st, Catherine Switzer ca. 1817, 2nd, Sarah Catherine Wagoner on Jul 29, 1831, d. May 18, 1866
xi Elizabeth Ann, m. John Reitenour on May 3, 1816
xii Esther Lombard, b. ca. 1786 m. George Hisey on Mar 27, 1817
xiii Nancy Anna

Sources:
1)Trinity Lutheran Church Records, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Vol 2, 1767-1782, translated and edited by Debra D. Smith and Frederick S. Weiser, Clossen Press, Apollo, PA, 1995, p. 177
2)Pennsylvania German Pioneers Vol I, 1727, 1775 by Ralph Beaver Strassburger, LL.D., edited by William John Hinke, PhD., Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, Inc., 1980, p. 702
3)Augusta County, Virginia records, pp 183-189, 272-273
4)Augusta County, Virginia Will Book 12, p 443

Larry P. Cornwell is a retired Air Force colonel who is active at the chapter, state, and national level in the Sons of the American Revolution. He is a member of the General Richard Montgomery Chapter and serves as its registrar. He is the senior vice president of the Alabama Society, SAR, and serves at the national level on the Genealogy Committee, DNA Committee, Veterans Committee, and Color Guard Committee. He can be reached at LaCornwell@aol.com.