El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-07-01
BTGAIL ADAAIs. e ID Ia

BIGAIL ADAMS. wife Of John
"A Adams. second president of the
= n United States. and mother Of
John Quincy Adams, sixth president OF
the United States, was born at Wev-
mouth. Mass, Nov. %. 17s7. She was
the daughter Of Rev. William Smith
and Elizabeth Quincy-distinguish
people. prominent in church and state,
endowed with intelligence and courage,
breadth OF view and unquestioned
PATRIOTISM Abigail showed herself a
worthy inheritor or the same qualities
In October, 1867, Abigail Smith mar
RED John Adams. then q lawyer resid-
ing at Weymouth Beneath the home
spun exterior Of the young country at
rorney Abigail discovered the fOrceful
character Of the man. The profession
Of the law was then held in contempt
and her choice was adversely criticised.
Her father finally favored the match
and when he preached the wedding SER
mon, with characteristic humor he
chose for his text: And John came
neither eating bread nor drinking wine
and yet ye say that he hath a devil"
For 10 years following their marriage
they resided alternately at Braintree
NOV QUINCY and at Boston. during
which time John Adams was Civ
ing much thought to the more pressing
problems OF the day, writing for the
pdpGE6 ana STUDYING governmental
principles. this laying a strong f0unda-
ton for his subsequent career In all
these studies his wife shared. He called
her Saucy, but It was a saucineSs
which he enjoyed and encouraged
Was Husbands Equal
In intellect scholarship. heroism. and
in the use Of her pen she was the equal
OF her distinguished husband She was
a self-made force Of high order in pub
lie affairs and one Of the best of the
letters to her husband are not only a
great historical and social value, but
full Of genial humor, acute comment
and patriotic inspiration
When John Adams said TO Abigail: 7
have accepted a seat in the house Of
representatives and thereby have con-
scented to my own ruin, TO your ruin
and the ruin OF our children, she
bravely replied: We'll, an willing in
this cause TO run al risks with you and
be ruined with you. II you are ruined"
There was no money IN the public
service during those oays-no coming
in on the ground floor and no "rakeoff"
But so well did Abigail Adams manage
the home and the farm that when John
Adams finished his second term as
president he and his Abigail had a com
Portable estate TO which 10 retire. She
once wrote Il hope in time to have the
reputation Of being as good a farmeress
as my partner has Of being a good
statesman.
Is Nation Maker.
But Abigail was a nation maker also.
Seven months before Liberty Bell rang
out independence. in a letter to her hus-
band then in congress, she issued her
declaration OF independence After
church one Sunday she wrote TO her
husband, after referring to the new
aggression of the British on American
rights: 7 could not join today IN the
petitions of our worthy pastor for a
reconciliation between our no longer
pare u state, but tyrant state, and these
colo lies. Let US separate They are IN
worthy to be our brethren. Let US re-
nouuce them. And instead Of suppl
cation as formerly, for their prosperity
and happiness, let US beseech Almighty