The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-02
THE ADAMS's TOMB.
Situated Under the Vestibule of th'
 Old Church in Quincy, Mass.
Boston Globe.

Boston Globe.
 At the recent annual parish meeting of the
 historic First Church in Quincy Mass, 1t
 was announced that the room containing the
 tombs of Presidents John and John Quincy Adams situated beneath the church edifce,
 would hereafter be opened to the public It has been permitted to very few, up to this time, to view the last resting places of the ilustrIous dead. It has been commonly sup. posed that the tombs are directly beneath the
 massive granite columns of the church, which
 stands out in bold relief in front, but this is
 not strictly true
 The tombs uhcre are four of them for the
 wives of the Presidents lie by the side of the
 husbands) are in a large granite walled room
 which runs the entire width of the church and
 Is situated just under the vestibule. Up to
 few months ago the only view that could be
 had CT the tombs by opening heavy,
 rusty-hnged granite door. There being no light in the tomb room the view was disappointing Through the generosity of the Hon. Charles Francis Adams, a great-grandson of one of the Presidents and a frandson of the other, many Improvements have been made in the basement of the church so that now those who
 have a veneration for things historic may be permitted to have a good view of the tombs The interior of the room containing the tombs is now lighted by electricity. Just inside the heavy granite door which seals the wall is grill iron door which prevents the curious from entering the tomb room, but gives them chance to view all parts of the interior When the workmen had finished wiring the place for the electric lights and the current was turned on, 1t was found that the interior of the room was whitewashed and that the place looked as fresh as if the work had been dohe
 but recently
 Nearly opposite the grill, 1t being the left
 hand one of the four. Is the sarcophagus which
 contains the body of John Adams. His wife, Abigail (Smith) Adams, is in the sarcophagus next to it. Some distance to the right is the oT oho nd a his wife, Louise Catherine (Johnson) Adams The sarcophagi which hold the coffns are
 cut out of massive granite blocks which were taken from the hills which have given Quincy
 worldwide reputation. There Is no orna- mental work about them, each one being most impressive in its massiveness. The names of | the occupants are cut on the top of each sar- cophagus, but the latter are so far from the l door that 1t is very hard to make out the | letters.
 | guards the entrance to the tombs marble | tablets placed there by the members of the | John Adams Chapter. D. A. R. These con- | tain the names of John Adams and his wife | Abigail. The to John Adams informs the | visitor that he the second President of | the United States and signer of the Decara- | ton of Independence. The tablet to the mem- | ory of Abigail Adams extols her virtues as a | wife and mother, and says her letters to her | husband have become American classic.
 
 | but as the church was not dedicated until two | years following. 1t is probable that his body | was not placed in the tomb underneath the
 church until 1928. Where 1t rested during | these two years Is not stated by historians but | 1t Is almost certain that 1t was placed In the
 family tomb in the old Hancock Cemetery, nearly opposite the church His wife. Abigail. | died Oct. 2S. 1879.
 John Quincy Adams died in Washington. Feb. l 23, 94S. and his body was taken to Quincy,
 after public services were held in Faneuil | Hall. Boston. The funeral is still remembered | by many of the older inhabitants.
 | The hearse. with its velvet curtains which
 brought the body from Boston to Quincy. Is | still preserved in the church cellar. and will | be placed in a glass to prevent relic l hunters from dismantng it. Several years | ago a portion of the draperies was cut away | by curiosity seekers. A movement is under | way now to have a bronze tablet placed on | the outside of the church. to notify strangers | where are buried two Presidents of the Re | public-father and son.