Thomas Adam facts for kids

Thomas Adam (born February 25, 1701 – died March 31, 1784) was a Church of England clergyman and a writer who focused on religious topics. A clergyman is a leader in the Christian church, similar to a pastor or priest.

About Thomas Adam

Thomas Adam was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, on February 25, 1701. His father, Henry Adam, was a solicitor (a type of lawyer) and the town clerk for Leeds. His mother was Elizabeth Blythman. Thomas was one of six children.

Early Life and Education

Thomas first went to Leeds Grammar School. Later, he moved to Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield. In 1720, he started studying at Christ's College, Cambridge. He stayed there for two years.

He then moved to Hart Hall, Oxford, because of Richard Newton. Thomas earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree. However, he did not get any higher degrees.

Life as a Clergyman

In 1724, Thomas Adam became the clergyman for the village of Winteringham. This village is in Lincolnshire, England. He was a bit too young to officially take the role, so someone held it for him for a year.

He stayed in Winteringham for 58 years, which is a very long time! He never wanted to move or change his job. His income was usually around £200 a year, which was a modest amount for the time.

Thomas Adam passed away on March 31, 1784, when he was 83 years old.

What Did Thomas Adam Write?

Around 1748, Thomas Adam had a strong religious experience. After this, he started writing more about his faith.

Here are some of his important works:

• Practical Lectures on the Church Catechism (1753): This book was very popular and had many editions. It even influenced another famous writer, William Romaine.
• Evangelical Sermons: These were collections of his sermons, which are speeches given in church.
• Paraphrase and Annotations on the First Eleven Chapters of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans: This book explained parts of the Bible.
• Paraphrase and Annotations on the Four Gospels: This was published after he died. It also explained parts of the Bible.

His Most Famous Work

After Thomas Adam died, his Posthumous Works were published in 1786. These were edited by James Stillingfleet (1741–1826) and his friends Joseph Milner and William Richardson.

A special part of these Posthumous Works was a selection of his diary entries. This part was called Private Thoughts on Religion. Today, this is his most well-known book. Famous thinkers like Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Reginald Heber, Thomas Chalmers, and John Stuart Mill found it very interesting.

Thomas Adam's Family

In 1730, Thomas Adam married Susan Cooke. Her father, James Cooke, was a vicar (another type of clergyman) in a nearby village called Roxby.

Susan passed away in 1760. Thomas and Susan had only one daughter, but sadly, she died when she was young.