John Adams: A Brief Biography

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John Adams was born on October 30th 1735, in Braintree, Massachusetts on his family farm. His father Deacon John Adams was a deacon of the church and also at times the town’s tax collector, constable, and lieutenant of the militia. Senior John Adams passed away in 1761 from the flu epidemic. Johns mother Susanna Boylston Adams was known to have a fiery temper. She remarried to Lt. John Hall, in 1766. John Adams did not seem to get along with his new stepfather. As a child John’s father taught him to read, Adams attended a series of schools. His father had dreams of him going to Harvard and becoming a minister. Following his father’s dreams for him he went to Harvard in 1751, a year older than the usual student at that time. Adams graduated in 1755 with Bachelor of Arts degree. Adams graduated 15 in a class of only 24 students. At the time of his graduation, Adams planned to practice law; however Adams' first job was as schoolmaster in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Throughout his life Adams continued to teach school during the day and study law at night. He studied John Putnam’s law and when the time came to present him to the bar, Putnam failed to accompany him. Jeremiah Gridley, another lawyer, recommended Adams. Finally Adams was admitted to the bar in 1758. Adams focused hard on his studies of law and followed Gridley’s advice not to marry early. When the town heard Adams was a lawyer, they offered him a job of town register of deeds if would set up in town as a lawyer. Adams rejected their offer and returned to Braintree. The first case Adams took was two neighbors feuding for years. Adams client lost the first case, but his client decided to file an appeal called a writ. Turns out he had only lost the case becaus...

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...t from July 7, 1798, until the signing of the Treaty of Mortefontaine on September 30, 1800. They fought because France believed Jay’s treaty was a violation of 1778 Treaty of Alliance with the American colonists. France believed we favorite the British, even though the US declared neutrality. The war was an undeclared war at sea and was largely a success for the US Navy as its ships captured many French privateers and warships, while only losing one of its ships.
John Adams died on July 4th, 1826 in Quincy, Massachuects. He died of Arteriosclerosis, also known as heart failure, he lived to be 90. In memorial of president Adams today they are planning a John Adams memorial in Washington D.C. Also, The second building constructed for the Library of Congress opened in 1939. For years it was known simply as “The Annex” before being named for President John Adams.

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