Louisa Catherine and Abigail Adams
Erin M.
Louisa Catherine Adams and Abigail Adams were the first two First Lady's of the Adams' family. Each of these ladies played huge roles in both, helping their husbands while in office, and caring for their families in anyway possible. Each of these ladies had a unique personality that made them stand out to all.
Abigail Adams was the second First Lady of the United States. Abigail,
formally known as Abigail Smith, was born on November 11, 1774, in Weymouth,
Massachusetts. She was the second child that was born in her family. Abigail's
parents brought her up to be very religious and respectful of others,
particularly those older than her. Abigail began to teach herself at home
at a very early age because girls at this time were not allowed to go
to school. Abigail would read everything that she could get her hands
on, for she did not want to lack the education she could not have because
she was a girl. Later in her life, Abigail met John Adams and they were
married on October 25, 1764. John and Abigail were always happy with their
life together, for it was one filled with happiness, companionship, and
emotion. Her favorite time in her life with John was when she was helping
him with his political role.
Abigail was always extremely loyal to her husband and would help him in
anyway possible. Abigail would always realize her importance in any event
that occurred and she would do everything she could to help in any situation.
She would always try to help people understand the government and make
John popular among the people. Abigail would often use her writing ability
to defend John, his political views, and his policies. When her husband
became president in 1796, Abigail performed her duties as First Lady with
grace and elegance. Abigail was often referred to as "Mrs. President"
because people felt that she influenced her husband's political decisions.
Harry Truman once said that Abigail would have made a better president
than her husband John did.
Abigail was a highly aggressive woman, which was very rare during that
time. She had somewhat of a snobby outlook on things though. For example,
when her and John first moved into the White House, she was completely
disgusted by its appearance. She felt that the White House was not clean
enough for people like them. Abigail often expressed her strong opinions
in her writing. Especially in her letters to John. She was passionate
about everything, but in particular woman's rights and equality. Abigail
was a strong-minded and independent person. Whenever she put her mind
to doing something, it was done right away with no questions asked. In
other words, she was determined.
Abigail is very well known for her letter writing. Her and John had a
very special and close relationship. Whenever they were far apart, they
would communicate with letters. Abigail would write to John giving him
advice, her opinion, and inquiring him with questions. John would respond
to her with letter filled with his sorrows and hopes. Abigail would write
about anything and everything. She did not limit herself to sending letters
to just John. She would send letters to all of her family members expressing
her concerns about everything, and they would write back offering her
the best advice they had to offer.
Abigail lived a very long and happy life filled with many memories, both
good and bad. On her seventy-fourth birthday, Abigail was diagnosed with
typhoid fever. On October 28, 1818 Abigail died. Before she died, she
said good-bye to all of the family members that surrounded her, and then
closed her eyes and fell asleep forever. John said that he wished he could
lay down and die with her. The news of her death spread all over town
and tons of people showed up for her funeral three days after her death.
John, John Quincy, and Louisa, John Quincy's wife, each spoke at her funeral.
They each said different things about Abigail that they loved about her
while she was alive and would always remember about her even if she was
gone. Louisa was extremely effected by Abigail's death. Even though they
did not always get along, she loved her a lot.
Louisa Catherine Johnson, as she was formally known, was born on February
12, 1775 in London. She was the fifth First Lady of the United States,
and the only one to be born outside of the United States. She only came
to the Unites States after being married to John Quincy Adams for four
years. Louisa was always a good wife to John and did whatever she could
to please him and make him happy.
When Louisa came to the United States, John Quincy's family members were
a little worried that she would not be able to live up to their standards.
Once they met her, they welcomed her with open arms. That is all but Abigail.
John Quincy's father in particular was very warm and loving to her, and
when her father died later in life, John was like a replacement for him.
Louisa felt a special bond with him from the start, and felt as though
they would always have a close relationship. Abigail, on the other hand,
had a different attitude towards her. She felt that she wouldn't be able
to take care of her son the way she could. She was always giving her advice
on what to do and how to do things. Years later however, Abigail and Louisa
learned how to put aside their differences, and learned to love each other.
They formed an impeccable bond that survived through everything.
When John Adams was president, he appointed his son as American minister
to Prussia. Louisa, to help John and John Quincy be on good terms with
other nations, became very popular with the Prussia society and introduced
herself to King Frederick III and his wife. While her husband's career
rose, Louisa sought the qualities that made a good wife to a man that
held these positions. When John Quincy traveled to Russia, Louisa and
her sister traveled with him. They were very charming to the czar and
due to that, John was able to increase trade between the two countries.
When President Monroe's career ended, John decided to run for president.
The bad thing was that he didn't have really good social skills, but Louisa
had very good ones, for she was full of grace and charm. Every Tuesday
night she would entertain political guests in their home to help her husband's
campaign. Every opportunity that she had, Louisa would tell people what
a good president her husband would make. When he was elected, Louisa was
credited for it. Although, she hated all of that attention, and the loss
of privacy.
After her husband's presidential role ended, he decided that he wanted
to run again. As it turns out he lost, and to make it worse, on that same
day he found out that his son had committed suicide. This caused much
emotional pain in the family, yet it brought John and Louisa closer together.
Louisa was eventually drawn into the movement to stop slavery. The House
of Representatives passed the "gag rule," that allowed slavery.
This infuriated Louisa, and made her want to fight harder to slavery.
She took a highly active role in fighting for it to be abolished for eight
years. She worked extremely hard for that period of time, and in the end
she had victory. For in 1844, the "gag rules" were lifted. By
helping John fight for this, she began to think about woman's rights.
She knew that someday women would over come the limits on them. Her thinking
caused John to gain even more respect for her, and he even made a speech
in Congress that women should be heard.
Louisa was always very popular with leaders of other countries. Due to
this role, when she died in 1852, the House of Congress shut down in her
honor. All of the members of Congress attended her funeral, and expressed
how much they would miss her presence in all that would be accomplished
when she was not there. Also, the students at the Seminary for Female
Education presented John Qunicy with a wreath dedicted to Louisa after
she died.
This is the wreath that was presented to John Quincy after Louisa died. Written inside of it is a dedication to Louisa for the students at the Seminary for Female Education in Pennsylvania/.
Throughout their lives, these two great women accomplished
many things that left them known to all then, and will leave them know
to all in the future.
Bibliography
Bober, Natalie S. Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution. New York, New York: Imprint of Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing division, 1995.
Nagel, Paul C. The Adams Women: Abigail and Louisa, Their Sisters and Daughters. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987.
National Park Service, U.S. department of the Interior. "Adams National Historical Park." Pamphlet.
Stanwich, John. "Louisa Catherine Adams." Quincy: Adams National Historical Park, Publication date is unknown.
Stanwich, John. "Abigail Adams." Quincy:
Adams National Historical Park,
Publication date is unknown.