He was the eldest son of William Adams of Totnes, Devon.
He was made Mayor of Totnes for 1780–81, 1788–89 and 1797–98 and served as town Recorder from 1807 to 1811.
He resigned that seat to be elected MP for Totnes in Devon, his native town, at a by-election in June 1801,[2] and was returned unopposed to the House of Commons at the next three general elections, holding the seat until his death in 1811 at the age of 58.
In 1810[5] he was living in Bowden House, Ashprington, near Totnes, which he had purchased from the Trist family in about 1800.
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