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{{short description|Son of John Adams}}
{{short description|Son of John Adams (1770-1800)}}
{{other people|Charles Adams}}
{{other people|Charles Adams}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
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| birth_place = [[Braintree, Massachusetts|Braintree]], [[Province of Massachusetts Bay]], [[British America]]
| birth_place = [[Braintree, Massachusetts|Braintree]], [[Province of Massachusetts Bay]], [[British America]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1800|11|30|1770|05|29}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1800|11|30|1770|05|29}}
| death_place = [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]], U.S.
| death_place = [[New York City]], U.S.
| spouse = {{marriage|Sarah "Sally" Smith|August 29, 1795}}
| spouse = {{marriage|Sarah "Sally" Smith|August 29, 1795}}
| children = {{hlist|Susanna|Abigail}}
| children = {{hlist|Susanna|Abigail}}
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}}
}}


'''Charles Adams''' (May 29, 1770 – November 30, 1800) was the second son of President [[John Adams]] and his wife, [[Abigail Adams|Abigail Adams (née Smith)]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/adams/peopleevents/p_adamskids.html | title=The Adams Children | publisher=PBS | work=American Experience | access-date=20 July 2014}}</ref>
'''Charles Adams''' (May 29, 1770 – November 30, 1800) was the second son of the second United States president, [[John Adams]], and his wife, [[Abigail Adams|Abigail Adams (née Smith)]]. He was also the younger brother of the sixth president, [[John Quincy Adams]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/adams/peopleevents/p_adamskids.html |title=The Adams Children |publisher=PBS |work=American Experience |access-date=20 July 2014}}</ref>


==Biography==
==Early life==
As a child, smallpox had broken out killing many. He and his family got inoculated for the disease. He and his younger brother Thomas were not showing symptoms, so they both had the procedure done a few more times. His mother, Abigail Adams, and brothers Thomas and John Quincy had mild symptoms, but he and his sister Nabby were both very sick, but recovered within weeks.
When Charles was a child, a smallpox epidemic broke out, killing many. Charles and his family were inoculated for the disease. He and his younger brother Thomas were not showing the expected response, so they both had the procedure done a few more times. His mother, Abigail Adams, his younger brother Thomas and older brother John Quincy had mild symptoms, but he and his older sister Nabby were both very sick, though both recovered within weeks.


At the age of nine, he traveled with his father and older brother, [[John Quincy Adams|John Quincy]], to Europe, studying in [[Passy]], [[Amsterdam]], and [[Leiden]]. He matriculated in Leiden on January 29, 1781.<ref>Album Studiosorum Academiae Lugduno Batavae MDLXXV-MDCCCLXXV, kol. 1136.</ref><ref>Index to English speaking students who have graduated at Leyden university / by Edward Peacock, F.S.A. - London : For the Index society, by Longmans, Green & co. 1883, p. 2, 1136.</ref>
At the age of nine, he traveled with his father and older brother, [[John Quincy Adams|John Quincy]], to Europe, studying in [[Passy]], [[Amsterdam]], and [[Leiden]]. He matriculated in Leiden on January 29, 1781.<ref>Album Studiosorum Academiae Lugduno Batavae MDLXXV-MDCCCLXXV, kol. 1136.</ref><ref>Index to English speaking students who have graduated at Leyden university / by Edward Peacock, F.S.A. - London : For the Index society, by Longmans, Green & co. 1883, p. 2, 1136.</ref> In December 1781, 11-year-old Charles returned to America unaccompanied by family members. He had been feeling homesick. In 1784, Abigail and Nabby moved to England to live with John Adams, who was working there at the time. John Quincy would join them later.
In December 1781, 11 year old Charles returned to America unaccompanied by family members. He had been feeling homesick and returned. In 1784, Abigail and Nabby moved to England to live with John Adams, who was working there at the time. John Quincy would join them later.


==College==
While attending Harvard College starting in 1789, the 15 year old Charles got into a lot of trouble, though his most famous act was running naked through Harvard Yard while drunk along with a group of friends. He almost got kicked out, which was the first recorded case of Primal Scream. John Quincy and Thomas would later attend Harvard soon after Charles.
In June of 1789, while attending Harvard College, where he began at age 15 in 1785, Charles and his friends got into a scrape for drinking heavily and running naked through Harvard Yard.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}} One of his friends was expelled.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}} This night was the first recorded case of [[Primal Scream (Harvard)|Primal Scream]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}} John Quincy and Thomas would later attend Harvard after Charles.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}


==Legal career==
After graduating from [[Harvard College]] in 1793, he moved to [[New York City]], where plans had been made for him to work in the legal office of [[Alexander Hamilton]]. Hamilton was named [[United States Secretary of the Treasury|Secretary of the Treasury]] and Adams moved to the law office of [[John Laurance]] to continue his studies.<ref>{{Cite book|title=John Quincy Adams: American Visionary| last=Kaplan|first=Fred| publisher=HarperCollins|year=2014| isbn=9780061915413 |location=New York |page=100}}</ref> Adams passed the bar examination in 1792.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.masshist.org/adams/biographies#CA|title=Massachusetts Historical Society: Adams Biographical Sketches|website=www.masshist.org|access-date=Dec 3, 2020}}</ref>
After graduating from [[Harvard College]] in 1789, he moved to [[New York City]], where plans had been made for him to work in the legal office of [[Alexander Hamilton]]. Hamilton was named [[United States Secretary of the Treasury|Secretary of the Treasury]] and Adams moved to the law office of [[John Laurance]] to continue his studies.<ref>{{Cite book |title=John Quincy Adams: American Visionary |last=Kaplan |first=Fred |publisher=HarperCollins |year=2014 |isbn=9780061915413 |location=New York |page=100}}</ref> Adams passed the bar examination in 1792.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.masshist.org/adams/biographies#CA |title=Massachusetts Historical Society: Adams Biographical Sketches |website=masshist.org |access-date=December 3, 2020}}</ref>


==Personal life==
On August 29, 1795, Adams married Sarah "Sally" Smith (1769–1828), the sister of his brother-in-law, [[William Stephens Smith]]. They had two daughters, Susanna Boylston (1796–1884) and Abigail Louisa Smith (1798–1836). Abigail married the banker and philosopher [[Alexander Bryan Johnson]] and their son, [[Alexander S. Johnson|Alexander Smith Johnson]], became a judge. At the age of 37, Abigail Louisa died of uterine cancer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.masshist.org/adams/?goto=adams|title=Massachusetts Historical Society: Adams Family Resources|website=www.masshist.org|access-date=Dec 3, 2020}}</ref>
On August 29, 1795, Adams married Sarah "Sally" Smith (1769–1828), the sister of his brother-in-law, [[William Stephens Smith]]. They had two daughters, Susanna Boylston (1796–1884) and Abigail Louisa Smith (1798–1836). Abigail married the banker and philosopher [[Alexander Bryan Johnson]] (1786–1867) and their son, [[Alexander S. Johnson|Alexander Smith Johnson]] (1817–1878), became a judge. At the age of 37, Abigail Louisa died of uterine cancer.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.masshist.org/adams/?goto=adams |title=Massachusetts Historical Society: Adams Family Resources |website=masshist.org |access-date=December 3, 2020}}</ref>


Adams was an alcoholic who engaged in extramarital relationships and made questionable financial decisions. He was disowned by his father and sometimes lived apart from his family.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/first-children-who-led-sad-lives-180958099/|title=The First Children Who Led Sad Lives|first=Joshua|last=Kendall|website=Smithsonian Magazine|access-date=Dec 3, 2020}}</ref>
Adams was an alcoholic who engaged in extramarital relationships and made questionable financial decisions. He was disowned by his father and sometimes lived apart from his family.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/first-children-who-led-sad-lives-180958099/ |title=The First Children Who Led Sad Lives |first=Joshua |last=Kendall |website=Smithsonian Magazine |access-date=Dec 3, 2020}}</ref>


===Death===
===Death===
It is a common myth that Adams died on November 30, 1800 of [[cirrhosis]], a disease often caused by alcoholism. In a letter from Abigail to John Quincy after his death she stated Adams died in New York City of "dropsy of the chest" or [[Pleurisy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.18thcenturypride.com/the-forgotten-adams-the-story-of-charles-adams/|title = The Forgotten Story of Charles Adams}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url = https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/99-03-02-0874 |title = From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 January 1801}}</ref> Pleurisy can be caused by a multitude of respiratory diseases, such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, and even cancer. He was the first child of a president to die while the president was in office.
It is a common myth that Adams, who died on November 30, 1800, died of [[cirrhosis]], a disease often caused by alcoholism. In a letter from Abigail to John Quincy after his death, she stated Adams died in New York City of "dropsy of the chest" or [[pleurisy]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.18thcenturypride.com/the-forgotten-adams-the-story-of-charles-adams/ |title=The Forgotten Story of Charles Adams}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/99-03-02-0874 |title=From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 January 1801}}</ref> Pleurisy can be caused by a multitude of respiratory diseases, such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, and cancer. He was the first child of a president to die while the president was in office. He was 30 years old.


== Depictions in popular culture ==
== In popular culture ==
In 2008, HBO presented the miniseries entitled [[John Adams (miniseries)|''John Adams'']] based on the [[John Adams (book)|book]] by [[David McCullough]]. The biographical presentation depicts [[John Adams|President John Adams]] as a neglectful father to Charles Adams, and suggests that the elder Adams' failures as a father negatively influenced Charles' development. Historians have pointed out the inaccuracies of the series' representation of their relationship.<ref>{{cite web |author= Jeremy Stern |url= http://hnn.us/articles/56155.html |title= What's Wrong with HBO's Dramatization of John Adams's Story |work= [[History News Network]] |date=October 27, 2008 |access-date= March 18, 2011 }}</ref>
In 2008, HBO presented the miniseries entitled [[John Adams (miniseries)|''John Adams'']] based on the [[John Adams (book)|book]] by [[David McCullough]]. The biographical presentation depicts [[John Adams]] as a neglectful father to Charles and suggests that the elder Adams' failures as a father negatively influenced Charles' development. Historians have pointed out the inaccuracies of the series' representation of their relationship.<ref>{{cite web |author=Jeremy Stern |url=http://hnn.us/articles/56155.html |title=What's Wrong with HBO's Dramatization of John Adams's Story |work=[[History News Network]] |date=October 27, 2008 |access-date=March 18, 2011}}</ref>


== References ==
== References ==
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== External links ==
== External links ==
* {{Find a Grave |20772235 |Charles Adams}}
* [http://www.historynet.com/the-adams-family.htm The Adams Family]
* [http://www.historynet.com/the-adams-family.htm The Adams Family]
* [http://www.american-presidents.org/2008/04/charles-adams.html Charles Adams]
* [http://www.american-presidents.org/2008/04/charles-adams.html Charles Adams]
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[[Category:1770 births]]
[[Category:1770 births]]
[[Category:1800 deaths]]
[[Category:1800 deaths]]
[[Category:Adams political family]]
[[Category:Adams family]]
[[Category:Children of presidents of the United States]]
[[Category:Children of vice presidents of the United States]]
[[Category:Harvard College alumni]]
[[Category:Harvard College alumni]]
[[Category:People from Quincy, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:People from Quincy, Massachusetts]]

Latest revision as of 21:06, 4 November 2024

For other people named Charles Adams, see Charles Adams (disambiguation).
Charles Adams
BornMay 29, 1770
Braintree, Province of Massachusetts Bay, British America
DiedNovember 30, 1800(1800-11-30) (aged 30)
New York City, U.S.
Spouse
Sarah "Sally" Smith
​
(m. 1795)​
Children
  • Susanna
  • Abigail
Parent(s)John Adams
Abigail Smith
FamilyAdams political family
Quincy political family

Charles Adams (May 29, 1770 – November 30, 1800) was the second son of the second United States president, John Adams, and his wife, Abigail Adams (née Smith). He was also the younger brother of the sixth president, John Quincy Adams.[1]

Early life

[edit]

When Charles was a child, a smallpox epidemic broke out, killing many. Charles and his family were inoculated for the disease. He and his younger brother Thomas were not showing the expected response, so they both had the procedure done a few more times. His mother, Abigail Adams, his younger brother Thomas and older brother John Quincy had mild symptoms, but he and his older sister Nabby were both very sick, though both recovered within weeks.

At the age of nine, he traveled with his father and older brother, John Quincy, to Europe, studying in Passy, Amsterdam, and Leiden. He matriculated in Leiden on January 29, 1781.[2][3] In December 1781, 11-year-old Charles returned to America unaccompanied by family members. He had been feeling homesick. In 1784, Abigail and Nabby moved to England to live with John Adams, who was working there at the time. John Quincy would join them later.

College

[edit]

In June of 1789, while attending Harvard College, where he began at age 15 in 1785, Charles and his friends got into a scrape for drinking heavily and running naked through Harvard Yard.[citation needed] One of his friends was expelled.[citation needed] This night was the first recorded case of Primal Scream.[citation needed] John Quincy and Thomas would later attend Harvard after Charles.[citation needed]

[edit]

After graduating from Harvard College in 1789, he moved to New York City, where plans had been made for him to work in the legal office of Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton was named Secretary of the Treasury and Adams moved to the law office of John Laurance to continue his studies.[4] Adams passed the bar examination in 1792.[5]

Personal life

[edit]

On August 29, 1795, Adams married Sarah "Sally" Smith (1769–1828), the sister of his brother-in-law, William Stephens Smith. They had two daughters, Susanna Boylston (1796–1884) and Abigail Louisa Smith (1798–1836). Abigail married the banker and philosopher Alexander Bryan Johnson (1786–1867) and their son, Alexander Smith Johnson (1817–1878), became a judge. At the age of 37, Abigail Louisa died of uterine cancer.[6]

Adams was an alcoholic who engaged in extramarital relationships and made questionable financial decisions. He was disowned by his father and sometimes lived apart from his family.[7]

Death

[edit]

It is a common myth that Adams, who died on November 30, 1800, died of cirrhosis, a disease often caused by alcoholism. In a letter from Abigail to John Quincy after his death, she stated Adams died in New York City of "dropsy of the chest" or pleurisy.[8][9] Pleurisy can be caused by a multitude of respiratory diseases, such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, and cancer. He was the first child of a president to die while the president was in office. He was 30 years old.

[edit]

In 2008, HBO presented the miniseries entitled John Adams based on the book by David McCullough. The biographical presentation depicts John Adams as a neglectful father to Charles and suggests that the elder Adams' failures as a father negatively influenced Charles' development. Historians have pointed out the inaccuracies of the series' representation of their relationship.[10]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The Adams Children". American Experience. PBS. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  2. ^ Album Studiosorum Academiae Lugduno Batavae MDLXXV-MDCCCLXXV, kol. 1136.
  3. ^ Index to English speaking students who have graduated at Leyden university / by Edward Peacock, F.S.A. - London : For the Index society, by Longmans, Green & co. 1883, p. 2, 1136.
  4. ^ Kaplan, Fred (2014). John Quincy Adams: American Visionary. New York: HarperCollins. p. 100. ISBN 9780061915413.
  5. ^ "Massachusetts Historical Society: Adams Biographical Sketches". masshist.org. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  6. ^ "Massachusetts Historical Society: Adams Family Resources". masshist.org. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  7. ^ Kendall, Joshua. "The First Children Who Led Sad Lives". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved Dec 3, 2020.
  8. ^ "The Forgotten Story of Charles Adams".
  9. ^ "From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 January 1801".
  10. ^ Jeremy Stern (October 27, 2008). "What's Wrong with HBO's Dramatization of John Adams's Story". History News Network. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
[edit]


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