A Sordid Tale of Smuggling & Murder

You never know what you’ll find in your family tree.

I’m always on the lookout for unknown ancestors. Graphic by Veernavya.

The other day I stumbled across a great-great-uncle I’d never heard of before. That’s not surprising since I have over a thousand ancestors in my family tree, but this fellow was exactly the type of ancestor who it is not easy to overlook.

Often, skeletons are kept in the closet for good reason: no one wants to let the world know they potentially have deviant blood in their veins. In my case, the “forgotten” ancestor may have had blood on his hands as well.

Let me tell you about Dr. Moses Adams, a Harvard graduate born in Acton, Massachusetts, who settled in Castine, Maine, in the early 1800s. His father had been an accomplished minister known for his pious actions. Moses studied to become a surgeon, but the medical profession was not enough to keep him engaged.

Moving to Ellsworth, Maine, Adams was elected High Sheriff of Hancock County, a position that didn’t stop him from engaging in profitable smuggling when the young United States declared war on England. In 1814, British ships were permitted to dock in Castine where expensive silks, cloth and other luxuries were allowed to enter the former colonies after paying taxes to the local government.

The local economy was reeling from the impact of an embargo against Britain but…