The times., 1897-07-18
THE WIFE OF JOHN ADAMS.
A Puritan of Puritaps, she Became
the First Lady of the Land

A Puritan of Puritaps, she Became
the First Lady of The land
Abigail Smith. the wife OF john Adams,
was the foremost representative of 'laSs
OF women whose quiet influence did much
for the cause Of the struggling colonies.
However Iauch modeIn Daughter" OF
thu Revolution may rejoice in her prestige
John Adams wife was distinctly one of the
mothers" Of the Revolution. without the
spririfliness which made the wife Of
Nathaniel Greene 50 popular. and free from
the social ambition which elevated Gen.
Knox's wife into the position Of the society
leader OF Washingtoa's administrations IN
depth Of character and in positive Influence
she easly : surpassed them both. portrait
OF her at the age Of twentyone, one year
after her marriage. shows a strong and yet
tender face. with q low, broad forehead,
full and expressive eyes, clearly cut nose,
q mouth sw eet and Indicative OF her sense
OF humor and a chin firm and strong.
With all ber powers or observation and
expression, even above her conversational
=
cherished her absolute honesty and frank
sincerity She was accustomed to say just
what she meant, and meant just what she
Slil; AMI, While some of the modern writer's
affirm that the marvellous influence the
men of her day believed she welded over
her husband and his friends was some
what exaggerated, there stll can be no
doubt that her power behind the throne"
was as marked a. it was manifest.
Abigail Adams was a Puritan Of the
Puritaas so far as her ancestry was con-
rerned- For forty years her father was
in charge OF one parish and her fore.
f. athsrs on each side were Puriia n preach
ers As a natural consequence the reIig-
ious side OF her nature was strongly de-
veloped, and taste for the best that had
been thought and said was marked from
her earliest days It was lament of her
later LIFE that she had never been sent to
any school, but the loss, which arose from
her delicate health rs girl and perhaps
also from natural prejudice against the
education of women in Community where
fresh, was more than compensated by the
development Of her individuality under the
1um1diate care OF her father. 1t is the old
form Of the modern question whether the
drill and routine OF the public school or
the Der rsonal Influence OF tutors or a
private school is better for growing girls
she lost from the lack Of attrition, but
gained the development OF her own person.
ality " bile truth and duty We're writ
large in Ter vocabulary, the Puritan in-
fIucnce was not all sad Indeed, her
father, serious man though he was, enjoy
ed hls joke, and even was known to carry
ii sometimes into the pulpit with him
when AbigaH's older sister, Mary, was
married to Richard Cranch, who after
wand became judge Of the court Of COM
mon nIeas, Parson Smith is said on the
Sunday following the ceremony TO have
preaohe.I fIom the text: And Mary hath
chosen that good part which shall not be
taken away flom her" When two years
later Abigail beca me the wife OF the
young lawyer, John Adams, her father,
recognizing the strong prejudice OF the
colony against lawyers, On the next sun
cay salenIulv announced his text: For
John came neither eating bread nor drink
ing vine, and ye say lie hath devil
With her two sisters, each OF whom mar
Iied a nan Of Prominence, she vas trained
tG take A serious but not a sad view OF
life. and her uniformly cheerful spirit,
Interest in politics and the world about
her. devotion. to her friends and clear and
candid Judgment can perlla ps all be ira ced
mainly to Ter Puritan heritage and train
ing-
on the 9th of October, 1764, she became
the wifeof John Adams, and untilt freak
ing out of the war spent her time in Eoston
or Eraintr.e, as the health of her huss and
or his business demanded In this decade
-four children entered the home, four sons
and q daughter, and doubtless the young
wife with her in Increasing cares little
dreamed that she was perhaps to be the
only one in tie history OF the new nation
to OCCUPY the unique position Of the wife
of one President and the mother OF another
She was an ideal mother, the companion Of
her children, and superintendent all the
details OF then care and training, Method
tcaI tender, firm and devout, 1t Is small
cause for surprise that in later years her
sons. proud OF their father and his name,
almost reverenced the name OF their mother
The ability Of her husband was soor
Recognized, and he was active III the
deliberations OF the Continental Congress
Her letters to him in his absence show
that she foresaw far more clearly than
most OF the leaders what the outcome was
TO be, and while she encoura ges MIN to go
on and writes fully of the state OF public
feeling in Massachusetts,, her anxiety is
disclosed IS she writes him that she bids
edieu 20 domestic felicity perhaps until
the meeting with her husband in another
world, since she looks forward to nothing
further in this than sacrifices as the result
OF the impending contest The terrors o.
war, the alarm of her neighbors and
peStilence followed; but Abigail Adams
though she wrote that her heart had felt
like heart of lead, never flinched mol
faltered Troops Were near, some of hei
relatives fell in the struggle, the visit.
of her husband were rare, but she cared