Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-06-01
From Parson Brownlou's Paperl
The Old Home Of the Adams
Family.

On the 29th of May. 1862, we visited
the ancient town of Quincy, and took a
good look at its surroundings. Itisa post
township, in Norfolk County, situated on
Quincy Bay, and only eight miles from
Boston 1t is celebrated for its fine quar-
ries OF granite, known throughout the
United States and portions of Europe as
Quincy Granite" to get out which one
thousand persons are constantly employ
ed. The first railroad constructed in
America was there put in operation in
1926, for the purpose of transporting the
granite to the tide water.
Quincy is celebrated as the birth place
of several of the most eminent men who
have borne a part in the affairs of this
great nation. Among them may be men
toned John Hancock, Josiah Quincy, old
John Adams, and John Quincy Adams
1t is not every town that can boast of two
Presidents.
We gazed with astonishment upon the
old frame building in which the elder
Adams was born, which is still comfort
able dwelling, occupied by q family
Close by is the dwelling of about the same
character, in which John Quincy Adams
was born. Both in their days were good
houses, though exceedingly old fashioned
in their present appearance, compared
with the present style of new houses in
the same town. The elder Adams mar
ried Miss Smith, the daughter of a cler-
gyman. While he courted her he wasInot
politely treated by the father, who was
opposed to the match. He would sit
down to the table without asking young
Adams to eat. The daughter was favor
ite, and the old clergyman frequently
asked her to look him out a text upon
which to found sermon on the coming
Sabbath. One Sabbath morning, after
treating her beau in this rude manner,
the father invited her to select him a text
when she opened the bible and turned
him to the following: "John came, neither
eating nor drinking, and yet yOu say he hath a
devil"
The old mansion of John Quincy Adams
is now owned by his son Charles Francis
Adams, the present Minister to England,
and when at home he occupies it. His
son, young John Quincy Adams, very
gentlemanly fellow, now occupies it, and
has for wife beautiful and accomplish
edABoston lady, Miss Crowningshield,
whose kind treatment of us and our party
we shall never forget. When we visited |
the house, we were shown through it, and
into the study, and to the old chair and
writing desk of the ''old man eloquent"
Mr.. and Mrs. Adams expressed their kind
regards for US, and said they were pleased
to have visit from the man who was for
John Quincy Adams, in 1928 in prefer
ence to General Jackson. The paintings
of the Adams family, of Washington and
lady, of General Warren, of Josiah Quin- |
cy. still living, and of others who have
passed away, interested US very much.
In large granite church, completed
in Mr.. Adams lifetime, and the building
where the family worshiped, are the NOR
tai remains of both the Adams and their
wives. The vault is in the basement, and |
when we visited it, we felt as if we were
on sacred ground. We have ever been
an admirer of principles, literary taste,
and high moral character of the Adams
family. They were pure men, honest pat
riots, and belonging to race ofsstates-
men who have passed away, and whose
like we shall never see in power in this |
country in our time. m ..a