John Adams Sr.

Family

He was the son of Joseph Adams Jr., the grandson of Joseph Adams, and the great-grandson of Henry Adams, who emigrated from Braintree, Essex, in England to Massachusetts Bay Colony in about 1638. His other ancestors include John and Priscilla Alden. He also was a first cousin, once removed, of Samuel Adams.

Career

In 1720, Adams purchased a farm in what is now Quincy, Massachusetts (then called the "north precinct" of Braintree, Massachusetts). The location of his farm, and where his children were born, is now part of Adams National Historical Park. is operated by the National Park Service as the John Adams Birthplace (named after his son), and is open to the public. On December 19, 1960, the birthplace was designated a National Historic Landmark. The future President lived here with his parents on the farm until 1764, when he married Abigail Smith. His house lay at an angle to the road. Adams also owned the adjacent home, now the John Quincy Adams Birthplace, which he leased to his niece, Ann Adams Savil, and her husband Dr. Elisha Savil through the late 1740s, into which the future President would move with his wife and live through the Revolution.

Adams was primarily a farmer during the growing season, and also worked as a shoemaker, for which he earned "hard money" as a trade during the winters. He was a freeholder, who owned rather than rented his land. He was proud of being a landowner and felt that land was a good investment, only once selling land: ten acres to pay for his son John Adams' Harvard education.

Adams was also a deacon in his church, a lieutenant in the Massachusetts colonial militia, a tax collector, and a selectman of the Town of Braintree (for 20 years). He was a Congregationalist (that is, Puritan) deacon. The future president was first known by reputation as the "dutiful son of Deacon John".

As a selectman or town councilman, for 20 years, he supervised the poor house, schools, and roads. His wife forced him to resign as selectman after a "family row" over his taking in a destitute young female. A leading local man, other men would stop by "Deacon John's house" to discuss business or religion. He even received a visit from Punkapaug and Neponset Indian chiefs.

Adams attended Harvard College, and sent his eldest son there as well.

Although he was a simple man who "never set foot outside of New England," his son John Adams was proud of his father, praising him in private correspondence to Benjamin Rush as well as in his public obituary, which he wrote on the back of his father's will. The president praised his father and paternal ancestors as "independent country gentlemen," who had not gone bankrupt, did not gamble, and had never committed fraud.

Marriage and family

Adams married well, to Susanna Boylston, from a prominent family of scientists and medical doctors, in October 1734. His bride came from the wealthy and respected line of Boylstons of Brookline. Susanna had a "higher social standing" than him. Since it is known that he and his sons read out letters to her, Susanna might have been illiterate, as were many women of her class and day.

The Adams family "lived plainly." Together they raised a family of three sons, of which John Adams was the oldest; their other sons were Peter and Elihu. Peter Boylston Adams was a farmer and militia captain of Braintree, Massachusetts. Elihu Adams was a company commander in the militia during the American Revolution, who died from dysentery early in the war in 1775.

Adams bequeathed his son the "humble notions of equality and fairness." He later sent his son John to a private school run by Joseph Marsh.

The senior John pressed upon his son to live up to his high Puritan origins, which young John continued to strive towards for the rest of his life. When his eldest son went to Harvard College, aged sixteen, his father expected him to become a minister, as the elder had done. Adams was concerned that his son would become a mere farmer as he also had been, and had known how difficult a life it had been. However, younger John became a schoolteacher in Worcester in 1756 and, later, decided to study law in the office of James Putnam.

Adams died of influenza on May 25, 1761, at age 70, and was buried in Braintree. His widow Susanna later married John Hall. His son purchased his house and 53 acre after his death.

References

Sources

• David McCullough, John Adams (New York: Simon & Schuster 2001) .

References

1. (4 October 2023). "John Adams' Roots: The Parents Who Shaped a President – John Adams Historical Society". John Adams Historical Society.
2. Harold I. Gullan, ''First fathers: the men who inspired our Presidents'', pp. 1, 7 (John Wiley & Sons, 2004) {{ISBN. 978-0-471-46597-3.
3. and paternal grandfather of the sixth president, [[John Quincy Adams]].Doug Wead, ''The raising of a president: the mothers and fathers of our nation's leaders'', pp. 1, 6–7, 40–56 (Simon and Schuster, 2005). {{ISBN|978-0-7434-9726-8}}. Found online at [https://books.google.com/books?id=Znz3BikXAIAC&q=Adams Google Books]. Accessed February 28, 2011.
4. Zachary Kent, ''John Adams: Creating a Nation: America's founding fathers'', p. 13 (Enslow Publishers, 2004) {{ISBN
5. McCullough, pp. 29–30.
6. Thomas Fleming, ''The Intimate Lives of the Founding Fathers'', pp. 126–127. (HarperCollins, 2010) {{ISBN|978-0-06-113913-0}}. Found online at [https://books.google.com/books?id=sImIx4Fl_C0C&dq=%22John+Adams%2C+Sr%22&pg=PA126 Google Books]. Accessed February 28, 2011.
7. [[Chambers Biographical Dictionary]], {{ISBN. 0-550-18022-2, page 8.
8. McCullough, p. 29.
9. This [[saltbox house]], a simple and common dwelling characterized by its sloping roof,McCullough, pp. 31-32.
10. "John Adams Birthplace". National Park Service.
11. "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: John Adams birthplace}}, National Park Service and {{NHLS url".
12. McCullough, p. 63.
13. McCullough, p. 35.
14. McCullough, pp. 30, 52, 73.
15. Edith Gelles, ''Abigail and John: Portrait of a Marriage'', pp. 6-8 (HarperCollins, 2010) {{ISBN|978-0-06-135412-0}}. Found online at [https://books.google.com/books?id=oyuPaZTE-XYC&dq=%22John+Adams%2C+Sr%22&pg=PA6 Google books]. Accessed February 28, 2011.
16. McCullough, pp. 52-53, citing John Adams' [[obituary]] of his father.
17. McCullough, p. 36.
18. McCullough, pp. 46, 52-53, 73.
19. McCullough, p. 46.
20. McCullough, p. 32.
21. McCullough, p. 72.
22. He did not want his son to be a farmer, but rather, a minister.McCullough, pp. 34, 36, 37.
23. McCullough, p. 23.
24. McCullough, pp. 30, 33, 52-53.
25. McCullough, pp. 36, 414, 453.
26. John Adams and John P. Diggins, ''The Portable John Adams'', (Editor John P. Diggins), (Penguin, 2004) {{ISBN
27. McCullough, p. 30.
28. "Lycos.com website".
29. "John Adams autobiography, part 1, "John Adams," through 1776, sheet 2 of 53 [electronic edition]". Massachusetts Historical Society.
30. "John Adams Biography: The Adams Family of Braintree".
31. "USA: Biography John Adams I".
32. McCullough, p. 25.
33. McCullough, p. 34.
34. David Hornfischer and Elsa Hornfischer, ''Father Knew Best: Wit and Wisdom from the Dads of Celebrities'', p. (David and Elsa Hornfischer, 1997) {{ISBN
35. McCullough, pp. 52-53.
36. Bud Hannings, ''American Revolutionary War leaders: a biographical dictionary'', p. 6 (?) (McFarland, 2009) {{ISBN. 978-0-7864-4379-6.
37. McCullough, p. 64.