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Abigail Adams Facts

Abigail Adams Facts
Abigail Adams was the First Lady and wife of John Adams, the 2nd President of the United States who took office in 1797. She was also the mother John Quincy Adams, who would become the 6th United States President in 1825. She was born Abigail Smith on November 22nd, 1744, in Weymouth, Massachusetts Bay, to William Smith, a liberal Congregationalist minister, and Elizabeth Quincy Smith. Abigail had two sisters and a brother. Abigail and John were familiar with each other since childhood, and later when Abigail was a teenager their romance blossomed, resulting in their marriage in 1764. She would later become First Lady to the 2nd U.S. President, although they did not use the term 'First Lady' back then.
Interesting Abigail Adams Facts:
Abigail Adams was well educated in literature despite not attending school. She was known to read all the time as a teenager.
Abigail Adams and John Smith were third cousins. They knew each other as children, but it wasn't until a social gathering in 1762 that their romance blossomed.
Abigail and John courted for a few years and married in 1764. Abigail's father was a minister and performed the wedding ceremony.
Abigail and John had six children together including Abigail (1765), John Quincy (1767), Grace Susanna (1768), Charles (1770), Thomas Boylston (1772), and Elizabeth (1777) who was stillborn. Grace died as a toddler in 1770).
John Adams was often away from home, working in a busy law firm.
As John became active in the American Revolution and the Revolutionary War, he spent more and more time away from home. This meant that Abigail was responsible for much of the child care.
While away due to work, John and Abigail wrote letters to maintain their relationship. Estimates put the number of letters they exchanged at more than 1100.
Abigail Adams was vocal about the treatment of women, and she pushed her husband to give women more power.
Abigail Adams is considered to have been an unofficial political advisor. Many of John's letters to Abigail were seeking her advice on matters.
Between 1785 and 1788 John Adams served as the first American minister to the Court of St. James in England.
When John Adams became Vice President Abigail spent part of her time at home on the farm and part of her time in the capital. She often helped Martha Washington, the First Lady, to entertain officials and dignitaries.
Abigail Adams was so close to John and he counted on her so much for advice that she gained the nickname 'Mrs. President'.
Despite their closeness and John's reliance on Abigail for advice they did not always agree.
John Adams served as the President from 1797 to 1801.
The Adams family only spent a short time in the White House before John was defeated in the election by Thomas Jefferson and the Adams moved back to their farm.
Abigail had suffered from health problems for many years prior to her death on October 28th, 1818, after suffering a stroke in that same month.


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