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Abigail Smith Adams
Date of Birth: Nov 11, 1744
Date of Death: Oct 28, 1818
Age at death: 73
Marriage: Oct 25, 1764 -
John Adams
Children: 5

  • The opinionated Mrs. Adams took every opportunity to speak on political issues, and forewarned her husband that if women weren't involved in the administration they would one day rise up and overthrow the government
  • Wishing to be addressed as "Mrs. President Adams" her political life was compromised when her husband lost reelection in 1800
  • The Adams' would be the first family to take up residence at the White House
  • The home was not yet finished and with the absence of a roof over the East Room, Abigail found it a convenient place to hang the family laundry to dry
  • As a celebration of their marriage they granted two of their slaves freedom and paid for the education of one
  • John and Abigail were the first presidential couple to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary in 1814
  • Until the election of George W. Bush in 2000, Abigail Adams held the distinction of being the first woman who was the wife of a president and mother to another, John Quincy Adams, sixth president
  • John Adams once remarked that the reason he insisted he and Abigail remain virgins until marriage was due to the warning of his father, "Premarital sex causes venereal disease."