John Adams: America's Second President
John Adams: America's Second President
Adams was born in the village of Braintree (Quincy), Massachusetts, on Oct. 30, 1735. His father, also named John Adams, was a farmer, a deacon of the First Parish of Braintree, and a militia officer. His mother, Susanna Boylston Adams, came from a family of Brookline and Boston merchants and physicians. Adams attended dame and Latin school. Besides wanting to become a farmer, his school prepared him for college and a career in the ministry. With some tutoring in Latin from Joseph Marsh, John passed his entrance examinations for Harvard College in 1751 and began four years of study that excited his imagination. He was a metaphysician, a scientist, debater, and orator. Adams soon graduated from Harvard College in 1755, ranking 14th in a class of 24
Adams was still undecided in his career, so he accepted a teaching position in Worcester while he thought of the future. After teaching for a while Adams decided that the career of a schoolmaster was unsatisfying. His pupils barely knew their ABC's, and his students noted that he was preoccupied with other matters. His position, however, enabled him to meet the intellectuals of Worcester, including James Putnam, its most distinguished lawyer. Adams finally decided to make a career of the law and apprenticed himself to Putnam.
After teaching school for a short time, Adams studied law in the office of James Putnam in Worcester, Massachusetts. Adams continued to teach school during the day and study law at night. When it came time for Adams to present himself to the bar at Braintree, Putnam failed to accompany Adams. Fortunately, Jeremiah Gridley, another lawyer, recommended Adams. Adams was admitted to the bar in 1758. Adams then soon began to practice law in Braintree in 1758.
Later that year, John Adams met Hannah Quincy who was a year younger than John. They met on a Sunday evening. Hannah left Adams and married another man in 1760. Ten years later, Adams moved to Boston, where he became a leading attorney of the Massachusetts colony.
In 1764, Adams married Abigail Smith on October 25. At the time John was 28. Abigail became John's best friend and quite possibly his wisest political advisor. Abigail was the first First Lady to live in the White House and is regarded as one of the early advocates of the women's liberation movement. Abigail and John...