Lemuel Arms and Sarah Anderson were married in Deerfield, MA on 11 June 1792. The father, Lemuel, moved to Jefferson County in October of 1804 and made a permanent settlement on a farm which was later owned by Elisha Rogers in the Town of Adams.
Lemuel and his sons, Richard, Luman, Hiram and John were in the village of Adams very early. According to the Arms Genealogy, the following children were born to Lemuel and his wife, Sarah:
1) Richard Arms born 2 January 1793; d 1865. Married a Miss Thompson of Buffalo, NY
2) Luman Arms born 30 August 1796; married his cousin, Caroline Arms, daughter of Rufus Arms.
3) Hiram Arms born 18 March 1799 and died February 28 Jan. 1873; his wife was Tamazin E., b 19 Dec. 1802; she died 28 April 1876 in Jefferson County
4) John Arms - no further information
5) Sarah Arms married James Plato of Rockford, Illinois
6) Louise Arms - no further information
7) Another daughter, not named, who married a Mr. King of California
Lemuel appeared in the 1810 census as follows:
1 male under 10; 2 males 10-18; 1 male 16-26; 1 female under 10; 1 female 26-45
In the 1820 census:
1 male 16-18; 2 males 16-26; 1 male over 45; 1 female under 10; 1 female 10-16; 1 female over 45
According to the Jefferson County Histories and Biographies, Luman and Hiram Arms were the first settlers in Adams Centre about 1816; they owned a farm north of the village. The timber there was cedar and hard woods and clearing was difficult. A man named Priest sold out to Luman Arms. Other settlers slowly settled and in 1822, Hiram Arms built a wagon shop which he and Luman operated for more than 40 years. In 1827 Luman Arms built the Arm's Inn and tavern which eventually became the Talcott House. A builder, Luman built, with help from others, the first school house in Adams Centre. When the Union Cemetery Association was formed in 1867, Luman and Hiram were trustees. The Association secured the old burial ground south of the village which had been set aside in 1808 and contained the graves of a number of soldiers from the War of 1812.
Luman Arms, (2) above, son of Lemuel, was married three times; his first wife, Caroline Arms was a cousin and daughter of Rufus Arms. She died in Jefferson County on 30 Nov 1836 at 36 years.
Children of Luman Arms and Caroline Arms:
1) Louisa Arms, b 1825, d 1888; married Albert Yenders and resided in Bainbridge, Michigan
2) Julia Arms, b 1827; died 1843; married Merrick Needham
3) William D. Arms, b 14 Feb. 1829 d 1897 at 68 years; married Amanda C. Horton, daughter of J. W. and Candace L. (Fox) Horton in 1855.
Children of William D. Arms and Amanda Horton:
3a) Minnie Louisa, b 23 May 1859 who d 1885 at 26 years
3b) Carrie E.William's first wife died in 1872 and he married in 1877 to Carrie Grinnell, daughter of Heman and Caroline (Pierce) Grinnell.
William was a merchant and served as town supervisor and chairman of the board for five years; he was a major supporter of the Baptist Church and lived on North Main Street in Adams Centre.
4) Henry Arms, b 14 April 1830 and died August 1872; he married Sarah Beardsley of Michigan about 1851
5) Caroline b 1835; Mrs. Henry D. Bartlett of Collingwood, Ohio, later Lorraine, Jefferson Co.
Daughter: Libbie E. Bartlett; b 1858.
When Caroline died in 1834, Luman married a second time to Elizabeth C. Pierce on 8 July 1836.
Children of Luman Arms and Elizabeth C. Pierce:
6) Harrison Arms of Chicago, Illinois; b August 1840; married Lucy Wooley on 6 February 1862.
7) Foster M. Arms of Adams, NY b 1843 and d 12 Nov. 1912 at 68 years 10 months 11 days; married Fanny Barrows about 1867. She was born 1848 and died 18 Nov. 1897. Foster and Fanny had a son: George L. Arms. b 1869, died 4 April 1932. Foster was a Civil War veteran.
8) Gertrude Arms - Mrs. Charles M. Heath of Adams Centre
When Elizabeth Pierce Arms died in 1882 at 67 years, 5 months 21 days, Luman married a third time on 21 December 1882 to Olive Ward Fuller. She was the daughter of Samuel Ward and widow of Jerome Fuller who had deceased on 2 March 1876. The couple had no children.
Luman Arms was a veteran of the War of 1812, having served in Captain Scott's NY Militia as a substitute for Caleb Earl. Luman received bounty lands prior to his death for his service and Olive, his third wife, received a widow's pension. When Luman died on 16 October 1884 at 88 years 18 days; he left a will (Vol. 23 Jefferson Co., NY Wills, p. 717). He had made a prenuptial agreement with Olive in that she was to receive $300 upon his decease, which was in recognition of her dower rights. In his will he named Olive as his widow; sons and daughters: Louisa Yendes of Bainbridge, Michigan; William D. Arms of Adams; Henry Arms of Bainbridge, Michigan; Caroline Bartlett of Lorraine; Gertrude Heath of Adams; Foster M. Arms of Adams and Harrison Arms of Toledo, Ohio. In the petition to open probate, Julia Coy of Alpena, Kent County, Michigan, was named as the only child of his deceased daughter, Julia Needham. He named son, William D. Arms as executor of the estate and Erwin F. Ramsdell and Marquis D. Manville witnessed the will, dated 6 June 1884.
Hiram Arms (3) above died 1873 at 73 years 10 months 10 days and his wife Tamazin E. Arms b 1802; d 73 years 4 months, were the parents of:
1) Foster A. Arms b 1824 d 1853 at 29
2) John b 1827 at Adams; probably married Huldah Sawyer who was bc 1845 and died 17 Feb. 1933. John died 27 March 1893.
3) Emeline Arms Hunt b 1836 - d April 1860; married Sanford Hunt about 1856
Sources: Vital Records - Brookfield and Deerfield, MA; Jefferson Co; census records, cemetery records, War of 1812 pension record; Jefferson County NY probate records, Jefferson Co. Histories - Durant and Peirce, Child's.
This information about the Pioneer Arms family was contributed by volunteer Marilyn Sapienza.
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