Abigail AdamsAbigail AdamsAbigail Adams was a unique woman becauseshe had an education and an interest in politics. She learned how to readand write and enjoyed poems most. She was also very resourceful by helpingher husband on difficult problems. Abigail was born on November 11 on theJulian calendar, or November 22 on the modern Gregorian calendar. Abigailhad two sisters named Mary and Elizabeth or Betsy.
She had one brothernamed William or Billy. Abigail’s name was originally Abigail Smith. Eachbaby was baptized on the first Sabbath of its life and was recorded intheir parish records. Abigail live in a comfortable house. When Abigailwas sixteen, her father added a wing that was bigger than the originalbuilding to make room for the children, servants, and visitors. When Isay servants it means that they were probably slaves but were called servantsto avoid the dehumanizing effect that the word ‘slave’ can mean.
Theirhouse was a sight of luxury in the eyes of the common folk in the parish. Though they lived well, the Smiths had no fortune. Abigail’s father oftenworked with his own hands, planting corn and potatoes, gathering hay, sowingbarley, or making sure that his sheep received proper care. Abigail, withthe help of her family grew a very religious bond between each other anda long lasting friendship. Abigail never went to a real school becauseof poor health.
So, she learned at home. Her father’s library was not big,but she still went to it to read books. Abigail’s favorite books were novelsby Samuel Richardson. Abigail’s father knew John Adams by working withhim and she grew rather close to him starting a wedding. This now madeher name Abigail Adams.
Their wedding was held on October 25, 1764, a monthbefore her twentieth birthday. John was a lawyer and very often was notat home due to court cases he had to attend to. When Abigail was pregnantwith her first son, John was only at home for eight out of the nine months. The baby was born on a hot day on the morning of July 14, 1765. The baby’sname was ‘Abigail’, but was called Nabby. She was with her parents whenshe had the baby.
Shortly after, she was again pregnant. July 11, 1767,she delivered a healthy boy named John Quincy. John Adams soon moved hisfamily to Boston to be closer to his important clients and the center ofpolitical action. In Boston, Abigail had two more children.
one named Susanna,who died thirteen months later, and Charles who was born healthy at theend of May 1770. John Adams sent everyone in his enlarged family back tothere old house because of the recent Boston Massacre happening. WhileAbigail was there, She had her last son named Thomas. John soon boughta brick house back in Boston and moved everyone back in. Abigail startedteaching the children to read and write. John told Abigail almost everything thathe knew and went to her for political problems.
He understood what shecould understand and trusted her. Abigail became the most informed womanon public affairs in the nation. On August 10, 1774, Abigail parted withJohn as he left to attend the Congress called at Philadelphia to try andunite the colonies against Great Britain’s plan to punish Boston and Massachusetts. Though her sons would not be of military age for another decade, Abigaildreaded war, in which only God knew what would happen. When the shots atLexington and Concorde were fired, John was again off to the Congress andcautioned Abigail that she should ‘fly to the woods’ with the childrenif the British attacked Boston.
Abigail prayed for the war and on June17 John Quincy and Abigail went to Bunker Hill and watched the roar ofthe cannons and saw the flames of burning Charleston atop of Penn’s Hillnear where they lived. Soon they learned of the British losses and howgreater they were, but Abigail knew someone named Dr. Warren who died. He helped John Quincy from the loss of his finger. Abigail wrote many lettersto her husband and it became a way of life for her. She was always keepingJohn up to date with what’s happening at the immediate point in time.
Abigailsometimes called herself ‘Mrs. Delegate’ because she was the wife of aRevolutionary leader. Abigail continued to keep in tact with her husbandthroughout the war. She also was very political. Then later she led a veryproductive life.
