Adolph Heath was born 27 Mar 1771 supposedly at Plymouth, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, to Thomas Thomas Hartford Heath and Mary Magdalena Walrath. (His mother’s name is also found in some records as Walderon and Walderod.) In 1774, Thomas Heath was elected to jury duties and shortly thereafter was appointed the "Key Keeper" of the town–which had common fields. Adolph was likely named after his mother’s brother, Adolph Walrath.

The Heath family belonged to the Dutch Reformed Church and came to Luzerne County, PA from Stone Arabia, Montgomery Co., New York. Mary’s father was a Revolutionary Patriot. I have not found Thomas Heath as a pensioner, but both he and his wife died prior to the pension becoming available to Rev. Veterans, so it is still possible that Thomas Hartford Heath also fought in the Revolutionary War. They were the parents of eight known children with Adolph being the third child and second son.