Abigail Smith 1744–1818

Abigail Smith, 1744–1818 (aged 73 years)

Pastel on paper by Benjamin Blyth, circa 1766

Name: Abigail /Smith/
Given names: Abigail
Surname: Smith
Married name: Abigail /Adams/

Events of close relatives Historic events
Birth	November 11, 1744
Marriage	John Adams — View this family October 25, 1764 (aged 19 years) Weymouth, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA
Birth of a daughter	Abigail Adams July 14, 1765 (aged 20 years) Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA
Birth of a son	John Quincy Adams July 11, 1767 (aged 22 years) Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA
Birth of a daughter	Susanna Adams December 28, 1768 (aged 24 years) Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA
Death of a daughter	Susanna Adams February 4, 1770 (aged 25 years) Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA
Birth of a son	Charles Adams May 29, 1770 (aged 25 years) Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA
Birth of a son	Thomas Boylston Adams September 15, 1772 (aged 27 years) Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA
Birth of a daughter	Elizabeth Adams July 11, 1777 (aged 32 years) Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA
Death of a daughter	Elizabeth Adams July 11, 1777 (aged 32 years) Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA
1st President of the United States	George Washington April 30, 1789 (aged 44 years)
2nd President of the United States	John Adams March 4, 1797 (aged 52 years)
Death of a son	Charles Adams December 1, 1800 (aged 56 years) New York, New York, USA
3rd President of the United States	Thomas Jefferson March 4, 1801 (aged 56 years)
4th President of the United States	James Madison March 4, 1809 (aged 64 years)
Death of a daughter	Abigail Adams August 15, 1813 (aged 68 years) Quincy, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Cause: Cancer
5th President of the United States	James Monroe March 4, 1817 (aged 72 years)
Death	October 28, 1818 (aged 73 years)

Date differences

Family with John Adams
husband	Links Birth: October 19, 1735 44 27 — Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Marriage: October 25, 1764 — Weymouth, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA Occupation: 1st Vice President of the United States — April 30, 1789 Occupation: 2nd President of the United States — March 4, 1797 Death: July 4, 1826 — Quincy, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Links Ancestors Compact tree Descendants Family book Fan chart Hourglass chart Interactive tree Pedigree Pedigree map Relationships Family with spouse Abigail Smith Abigail Adams John Quincy Adams Susanna Adams Charles Adams Thomas Boylston Adams Elizabeth Adams John Adams 1735–1826 Birth: October 19, 1735 44 27 — Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Death: July 4, 1826 — Quincy, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA
herself	Links Birth: November 11, 1744 Marriage: October 25, 1764 — Weymouth, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA Death: October 28, 1818 Links Ancestors Compact tree Descendants Family book Fan chart Hourglass chart Interactive tree Pedigree Pedigree map Relationships Family with spouse John Adams Abigail Adams John Quincy Adams Susanna Adams Charles Adams Thomas Boylston Adams Elizabeth Adams Abigail Smith 1744–1818 Birth: November 11, 1744 Death: October 28, 1818
Marriage	Marriage — October 25, 1764 — Weymouth, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA
9 months daughter	Links Birth: July 14, 1765 29 20 — Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Marriage: Death: August 15, 1813 — Quincy, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Links Ancestors Compact tree Descendants Family book Fan chart Hourglass chart Interactive tree Pedigree Pedigree map Relationships Family with spouse William Stephens Smith Abigail Adams 1765–1813 Birth: July 14, 1765 29 20 — Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Death: August 15, 1813 — Quincy, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA
2 years son	Links Birth: July 11, 1767 31 22 — Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Marriage: July 26, 1797 — London, England, UK Occupation: 6th President of the United States — March 4, 1825 Death: February 23, 1848 — Washington, District of Columbia, USA Links Ancestors Compact tree Descendants Family book Fan chart Hourglass chart Interactive tree Pedigree Pedigree map Relationships Family with spouse Louisa Catherine Johnson John Quincy Adams 1767–1848 Birth: July 11, 1767 31 22 — Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Death: February 23, 1848 — Washington, District of Columbia, USA
18 months daughter	Links Birth: December 28, 1768 33 24 — Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA Death: February 4, 1770 — Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA Links Ancestors Compact tree Descendants Family book Fan chart Hourglass chart Interactive tree Pedigree Pedigree map Relationships Susanna Adams 1768–1770 Birth: December 28, 1768 33 24 — Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA Death: February 4, 1770 — Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA
17 months son	Links Birth: May 29, 1770 34 25 — Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA Death: December 1, 1800 — New York, New York, USA Links Ancestors Compact tree Descendants Family book Fan chart Hourglass chart Interactive tree Pedigree Pedigree map Relationships Charles Adams 1770–1800 Birth: May 29, 1770 34 25 — Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA Death: December 1, 1800 — New York, New York, USA
2 years son	Links Birth: September 15, 1772 36 27 — Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Death: March 13, 1832 — Quincy, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Links Ancestors Compact tree Descendants Family book Fan chart Hourglass chart Interactive tree Pedigree Pedigree map Relationships Thomas Boylston Adams 1772–1832 Birth: September 15, 1772 36 27 — Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Death: March 13, 1832 — Quincy, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA
5 years daughter	Links Birth: July 11, 1777 41 32 — Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Death: July 11, 1777 — Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Links Ancestors Compact tree Descendants Family book Fan chart Hourglass chart Interactive tree Pedigree Pedigree map Relationships Elizabeth Adams 1777–1777 Birth: July 11, 1777 41 32 — Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Death: July 11, 1777 — Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA

Show all notes
Note	ABIGAIL SMITH ADAMS was born 11 November 1744 (observed on 22 November after the calendar revision of 1752), in Weymouth, Massachusetts, to the Reverend William and Elizabeth (Quincy) Smith. She had no formal schooling, but her education included reading works by William Shakespeare, John Milton, and Alexander Pope. On 25 October 1764, she married John Adams. John Adams's protracted absences from home (first while traveling the court circuits and later while at the Continental Congress and on diplomatic assignments abroad) often left Abigail with the children to raise, a farm to manage, the household and tenants to supervise, and extended family and friends to care for—all while the Revolution in Boston unfolded on her doorstep. The letters she exchanged with John and other family members reveal her cares and worries, her frank opinions and advice, and give an extraordinary view of everyday life in 18th-century New England. In 1784, Adams and her daughter Abigail joined John and son John Quincy in Europe. Abigail's record of her month-long voyage from Boston to England, along with two shorter journals she kept while in England and on her return voyage to America in 1788, are printed in The Adams Papers' Diary and Autobiography of John Adams, volume 3. During the 12 years of John Adams's vice-presidency and presidency, Abigail moved between their home in Quincy and the national capitol in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., successively. Again, the burden of their household and personal affairs fell on her capable shoulders. She was also responsible for raising nieces and grandchildren entrusted to her care. Among her notable correspondents were Thomas Jefferson, James Lovell, Benjamin Rush, and Mercy Otis Warren. Abigail Adams died 28 October 1818, at home in Quincy.

Show all notes

Note

ABIGAIL SMITH ADAMS was born 11 November 1744 (observed on 22 November after the calendar revision of 1752), in Weymouth, Massachusetts, to the Reverend William and Elizabeth (Quincy) Smith. She had no formal schooling, but her education included reading works by William Shakespeare, John Milton, and Alexander Pope. On 25 October 1764, she married John Adams. John Adams's protracted absences from home (first while traveling the court circuits and later while at the Continental Congress and on diplomatic assignments abroad) often left Abigail with the children to raise, a farm to manage, the household and tenants to supervise, and extended family and friends to care for—all while the Revolution in Boston unfolded on her doorstep. The letters she exchanged with John and other family members reveal her cares and worries, her frank opinions and advice, and give an extraordinary view of everyday life in 18th-century New England.

In 1784, Adams and her daughter Abigail joined John and son John Quincy in Europe. Abigail's record of her month-long voyage from Boston to England, along with two shorter journals she kept while in England and on her return voyage to America in 1788, are printed in The Adams Papers' Diary and Autobiography of John Adams, volume 3. During the 12 years of John Adams's vice-presidency and presidency, Abigail moved between their home in Quincy and the national capitol in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., successively. Again, the burden of their household and personal affairs fell on her capable shoulders. She was also responsible for raising nieces and grandchildren entrusted to her care. Among her notable correspondents were Thomas Jefferson, James Lovell, Benjamin Rush, and Mercy Otis Warren. Abigail Adams died 28 October 1818, at home in Quincy.

Media object	Pastel on paper by Benjamin Blyth, circa 1766

Extra information

Last change December 18, 2011 – 13:54:04

Family navigator

Family with John Adams
husband Parents John Adams Sr Susanna Boylston	John Adams 1735–1826
herself	Abigail Smith 1744–1818
daughter Family William Stephens Smith	Abigail Adams 1765–1813
son Family Louisa Catherine Johnson	John Quincy Adams 1767–1848
daughter	Susanna Adams 1768–1770
son	Charles Adams 1770–1800
son	Thomas Boylston Adams 1772–1832
daughter	Elizabeth Adams 1777–1777

Descendants

Abigail Smith(1744–1818)
- John Adams1764