William Adams (Master of Pembroke)  William Adams D.D. (1706 or '07 in Shrewsbury, England – 13 February 1789) was Fellow and Master of Pembroke College, Oxford. He was born at Shrewsbury, of a Shropshire family, and was educated at John Roysse's Free School in Abingdon (now Abingdon School)before he was entered into Pembroke College at the age of thirteen, where he took his master's degree, 18 April 1727, and obtained a fellowship. It has generally been reported, that he was afterwards tutor to the celebrated Dr. Samuel Johnson; but Dr. Adams very handsomely contradicted this report, by saying, that had Johnson returned to College after Jordan's (his tutor's) death, he might have been his tutor: "I was his nominal tutor, but he was above my mark." A friendship, however, commenced between them, which lasted during the life of Dr. Johnson, to whose memory Dr. Adams did ample justice. In 1732, he was presented to the curacy, or, as usually called, the vicarage of St. Chad's in Shrewsbury, and on this occasion left the college. In 1756, he visited Oxford, and took his degrees of BD and D.D., and then went back to Shrewsbury, where he discharged the duties of his ministry with exemplary assiduity, patience, and affection; and contributed a very active part in the foundation of the Salop infirmary, and in promoting its success. The year before he went last to Oxford, he was presented to the rectory of Cound in Shropshire, by Mrs. Elizabeth Cressett of that place, and retained it during his life. In 1775, about 43 years after he left college, John Ratcliffe, master of Pembroke college, died; and although Dr. Adams had out-lived almost all his contemporaries, the gentlemen of the college came to a determination to elect him, a mark of respect due to his public character, and highly creditable to their discernment. He accordingly became master of Pembroke, 26 July 1775, and in consequence obtained a prebend of Gloucester, which is attached to that office. He now resigned the living of St. Chad, to the lasting regret of his hearers, as well as of the inhabitants at large, to whom he had long been endeared by his amiable character, and pious attention to the spiritual welfare of his flock.