Welcome to the Adell Family Gathering Place

John and Wesley Adell (duplex)
home, Readfield Depot, Maine c1940

I have recently completed a 27page book that will be of interest. The book has many historic town and family pictures and includes a house history of 3 Adell Road (pictured here). Also within its pages is information about the multiple generations of the Adell and Davis families who lived in this house and in Readfield. The book is done in story form - my preferred method for sharing family histories. There are still a few copies left and they can be easily ordered online - follow this link.

Remembering Uncle Tom 1927 ~ 2013



Thomas Warren Adell

Uncle Tom was named after Dr Thomas Warren Luce of Readfield, a close family friend of his mother. An avid sports enthusiast he was known for his adept baseball playing as a young man and was a member of the Readfield Merchants Baseball Team. He was also a Mason, Layfayette Chapter in Readfield; A member of Readfield Lions Club where he was instrumental in building the baseball field at that location and also served as a baseball coach for elementary school children in Readfield. He served in the United States Air Force during WWII, having enlisted at the age of 16 1/2 after convincing his mother to sign for his early enlistment. After the War he returned to Kents Hill School to complete his high school education, graduating with the class of 1949. He married his high school sweetheart, Faye Luce September 29, 1949 and they built a home on Adell Road in Readfield where they lived for most of their married lives. Tom worked for Bridge Construction for many years at the invitation of his Kent Hill classmate, Peter Bridge. In the early 1960s he was appointed Readfield Post Master under the President John F. Kennedy administration where he worked until his retirement in 1987. He and wife Faye spent winter vacations in Florida for many years where they enjoyed golfing - there in winters and back home in Maine during the warmer months. Faye died too young, at age 56yrs in 1984. Tom continued to spend his winters in Florida, golf club in hand whenever he could. He enjoyed his more recent retirement years with close companion Barbara Fogg at their homes in Plant City, FL and Augusta, ME.

The Adle Connection (Adell)

Pictures: Hessian soldiers and the replica of a Hessian hut located at the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum, Inwood, NY.

Oral history tells us that Cornelius Adle was A Hessian Soldier who came to this country from Germany during the Revolutionary War but we have not found documentation to prove this. We first find Cornelius Adle (Adell) in Pownalbourough, Maine on the 1790 census as Cornelius Adle 1 1 4 0 0: Interpretation 1 free white male over 16yrs including head of household; 1 free white male under 16yrs of age; 4 free white females, including heads of families; 0 all other persons; 0 slaves. According to birth and death records this family in 1790 included Cornelius,39yrs; Christopher,7yrs; wife Catherine 28yrs; Betsey infant; Catherine 5yrs; and Susannah 2 yrs.
We know that Cornelius moved on to Readfield after 1800 and that our grandmother Sally was born about that time in August, 1800.
The spelling of Adle was changed to Adell around 1900. His descendants married into several old New England lines including: Fifield, Dudley, Sherburne, Gordon, and Savage.
FMI about Hessians soldiers: http://members.cox.net/hessen/soldiers.htm
http://myinwood.net/who-were-the-hessians/

Adell Family Tree

This is a genalogical project in process that will be updated from time to time. To receive a copy of the Adell family history and / or tree email: dmclark1@roadrunner.com. Reimbursement for copies and postage appreciated.

The Dudley Connection (Adell)

The Adells are direct descendants of Thomas Dudley, who was elected Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony four times between 1635 and 1650. He had the distinction of being the first Governor selected by representatives of the people in this new country. By his two wives he fathered eight children. The eldest, Samuel, married first to Mary Winthrop, daughter of Massachusetts Bay Colony’s Governor Winthrop... Read more about the Dudley connection to our family at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mecreadf/news01.html

Governor Thomas Dudley

Thomas Dudley (October 12, 1576 – July 31, 1653) was a colonial magistrate who served several terms as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, during which he sometimes clashed with his rival John Winthrop. Dudley was the chief founder of Newtowne, later Cambridge, Massachusetts, and built the town's first home. As Governor, Dudley signed the Charter creating Harvard College. Thomas Dudley Gate at Harvard College was named in his honor, as is the non-residential Dudley House. Dudley's descendants were early governors, ministers, judges, as well as the nation's first poet. We are direct descendants of Governor Thomas Dudley - my 12th great grandfather. For additional history on our ancestors Gov. Thomas Dudley, his son Samuel and Governor John Winthrop visit http://genealogical-gleanings.com/Puritans.htm

The Fifield Connection (Adell)

On March 24, 1634, the ship Hercules left London, England. Twenty five days later when the Hercules landed in Ipswich, Massachusetts and her passengers descended the planks – William Fifield was among them. William became one of the original settlers in Hampton, New Hampshire where he was given a grant of land in 1640. On June 2, 1641 he was made a freeman of Massachusetts Bay. William served in several offices in Hampton – attorney, selectman, constable, and sheriff. The Quakers praised him for his humanity. All eight of his children were born in Hampton... Read more about the Fifield Connection at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mecreadf/newsletter2000.html
Our Readfield Fifield ancestors are buried in Case Cemetery, East Readfield. Ebenezer was a Revolutionary War veteran. Picture above is a replica of the Ship Hercules. There is also additional information about the Fifield family at http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~fifield/fif0001.htm#id800