Adams political family
Encyclopedia
The Adams family was a prominent political family in the United States
during the late 18th century through early 20th centuries. Based in eastern Massachusetts, they formed part of the Boston Brahmin
community.
Adams House
, one of twelve residential colleges at Harvard, is named after John Adams and later members of the Adams family.
, William Howard Taft
, and Calvin Coolidge
and U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney
, through common descent from one Henry Squire.
Through his mother, John Adams was a second cousin of Massachusetts governor Increase Sumner
; their maternal grandmothers were sisters. Both were also related to President Coolidge and to Diana, Princess of Wales
, and through the latter to The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry
.
The Adams family is one of only four families to have produced two Presidents of the United States, the others being the Bush family
, the Roosevelt family
, and the Harrison family
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during the late 18th century through early 20th centuries. Based in eastern Massachusetts, they formed part of the Boston Brahmin
Boston Brahmin
Boston Brahmins are wealthy Yankee families characterized by a highly discreet and inconspicuous life style. Based in and around Boston, they form an integral part of the historic core of the East Coast establishment...
community.
Members
- Henry Adams (1583–1646) born Barton St DavidBarton St DavidBarton St David is a village and civil parish on the River Brue adjacent to Keinton Mandeville in Somerset, England. It is situated south-east of Glastonbury and north-east of Somerton in the South Somerset district...
, SomersetSomersetThe ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
was the first of the clan who immigrated to New EnglandNew EnglandNew England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, United States. - Samuel AdamsSamuel AdamsSamuel Adams was an American statesman, political philosopher, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. As a politician in colonial Massachusetts, Adams was a leader of the movement that became the American Revolution, and was one of the architects of the principles of American...
(1722–1803), American Revolutionary, Governor of MassachusettsGovernor of MassachusettsThe Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:... - John AdamsJohn AdamsJohn Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
(1735–1826), Samuel's second cousin, second President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, married Abigail AdamsAbigail AdamsAbigail Adams was the wife of John Adams, who was the second President of the United States, and the mother of John Quincy Adams, the sixth...
(née Smith) (1744–1818)- John Quincy AdamsJohn Quincy AdamsJohn Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States . He served as an American diplomat, Senator, and Congressional representative. He was a member of the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later Anti-Masonic and Whig parties. Adams was the son of former...
(1767–1848), sixth President of the United States, married English-born Louisa AdamsLouisa AdamsLouisa Catherine Johnson Adams, born Louisa Catherine Johnson , wife of John Quincy Adams, was First Lady of the United States from 1825 to 1829.-Early life:...
(née Johnson) (1775–1852)- George Washington AdamsGeorge Washington AdamsGeorge Washington Adams was the eldest son of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States. He had a troubled life and died of apparent suicide at age 28.- Early life and career :...
(1801–1829), member of Massachusetts state legislature - Charles Francis Adams, Sr.Charles Francis Adams, Sr.Charles Francis Adams, Sr. was an American lawyer, politician, diplomat and writer. He was the grandson of President John Adams and Abigail Adams and the son of President John Quincy Adams and Louisa Adams....
(1807–1886), U.S. CongressmanUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and Ambassador to the United KingdomUnited States Ambassador to the United KingdomThe office of United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom was traditionally, and still is very much so today due to the Special Relationship, the most prestigious position in the United States Foreign Service...
- John Quincy Adams IIJohn Quincy Adams IIJohn Quincy Adams II was an American lawyer and politician.-Biography:Adams was the son of Charles Francis Adams, the grandson and namesake of president John Quincy Adams and the great-grandson of President John Adams...
(1833–1894), lawyer and politician - Charles Francis Adams, Jr.Charles Francis Adams, Jr.Charles Francis Adams II was a member of the prominent Adams family, and son of Charles Francis Adams, Sr. He served as a colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
(1835–1915), brigadier-general in the Union Army during the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and president of the Union Pacific Railroad from 1884 to 1890.- Charles Francis Adams IIICharles Francis Adams IIICharles Francis Adams III was the United States Secretary of the Navy under President Herbert Hoover and a well-known yachtsman.-Life:...
(1866–1954), 44th Secretary of the Navy, mayor of Quincy, MassachusettsQuincy, MassachusettsQuincy is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Its nicknames are "City of Presidents", "City of Legends", and "Birthplace of the American Dream". As a major part of Metropolitan Boston, Quincy is a member of Boston's Inner Core Committee for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council...
.- Charles Francis Adams IVCharles Francis Adams IVCharles Francis Adams IV was a U.S. electronics industrialist. He served as the first president of the Raytheon Company between 1948 and 1960, and again from 1962 to 1964. He served as its chairman between 1960 and 1962, and again from 1964 until 1972...
(1910–1999), first president of RaytheonRaytheonRaytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
- Charles Francis Adams IV
- Charles Francis Adams III
- Henry Brooks AdamsHenry AdamsHenry Brooks Adams was an American journalist, historian, academic and novelist. He is best known for his autobiographical book, The Education of Henry Adams. He was a member of the Adams political family.- Early life :He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the son of Charles Francis Adams Sr...
(1838–1918), a prominent author and political commentator, married Marian Hooper AdamsMarian Hooper AdamsMarian "Clover" Hooper Adams was an American socialite, active society hostess and arbiter of Washington, D.C., and an accomplished amateur photographer....
(née Hooper) (1843–1885) - Brooks AdamsBrooks AdamsPeter Chardon Brooks Adams , was an American historian and a critic of capitalism. He graduated from Harvard University in 1870 and studied at Harvard Law School in 1870 and 1871....
(1848–1927), a historian and political scientist.
- John Quincy Adams II
- George Washington Adams
- Charles Adams (1770–1800), New York lawyer and second son of John
- Thomas Boylston AdamsThomas Boylston AdamsThomas Boylston Adams was the third and youngest son of John and Abigail Adams.Adams lived with relatives in Haverhill, Massachusetts during his father’s diplomatic missions in Europe, after Abigail Adams joined him in 1784...
(1772–1832), Massachusetts legislator and judge; youngest son of John
- John Quincy Adams
- Elihu AdamsElihu AdamsElihu Adams was the brother of United States President John Adams. He was captain of the Braintree Company at the Siege of Boston, and a minuteman who fought on the Concord Green in 1775. Born May 29, 1741 to John Adams and Susanna Boylston and died while serving in the Continental Army March 18,...
(1741–1776), soldier, brother of John Adams. - Samuel A. AdamsSamuel A. AdamsSamuel A. Adams was an analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency who is best known for discovering underestimated Vietcong and North Vietnamese Army troop numbers during the Vietnam War. He eventually retired from the CIA after claiming there was a conspiracy among officials within U.S....
(1934–1988), a historian and CIA analyst. - Thomas Boylston Adams (1910–1997), a grandson of Charles Francis Adams, Jr.Charles Francis Adams, Jr.Charles Francis Adams II was a member of the prominent Adams family, and son of Charles Francis Adams, Sr. He served as a colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
, was a Democratic politician in Massachusetts and delegate to the 1972 Democratic National Convention1972 Democratic National ConventionThe 1972 Democratic National Convention was the presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party for the 1972 presidential election. It was held at Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida on July 10–13, 1972....
Harvard University and the Adams family
- Samuel AdamsSamuel AdamsSamuel Adams was an American statesman, political philosopher, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. As a politician in colonial Massachusetts, Adams was a leader of the movement that became the American Revolution, and was one of the architects of the principles of American...
Class of 1740 - John AdamsJohn AdamsJohn Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
Class of 1755 - John Quincy AdamsJohn Quincy AdamsJohn Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States . He served as an American diplomat, Senator, and Congressional representative. He was a member of the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later Anti-Masonic and Whig parties. Adams was the son of former...
Class of 1788 - Charles Adams (1770–1800)Charles Adams (1770–1800)Charles Adams was the second son of President John Adams and his wife, Abigail Adams. He died of alcoholism in 1800....
Class of 1789 - Thomas Boylston AdamsThomas Boylston AdamsThomas Boylston Adams was the third and youngest son of John and Abigail Adams.Adams lived with relatives in Haverhill, Massachusetts during his father’s diplomatic missions in Europe, after Abigail Adams joined him in 1784...
Class of 1790 - George Washington AdamsGeorge Washington AdamsGeorge Washington Adams was the eldest son of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States. He had a troubled life and died of apparent suicide at age 28.- Early life and career :...
Class of 1821 - John Quincy Adams IIJohn Quincy Adams IIJohn Quincy Adams II was an American lawyer and politician.-Biography:Adams was the son of Charles Francis Adams, the grandson and namesake of president John Quincy Adams and the great-grandson of President John Adams...
expelled prior to 1823 graduation - Charles Francis Adams, Sr.Charles Francis Adams, Sr.Charles Francis Adams, Sr. was an American lawyer, politician, diplomat and writer. He was the grandson of President John Adams and Abigail Adams and the son of President John Quincy Adams and Louisa Adams....
Class of 1825 - Charles Francis Adams, Jr.Charles Francis Adams, Jr.Charles Francis Adams II was a member of the prominent Adams family, and son of Charles Francis Adams, Sr. He served as a colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
Class of 1856 - Henry Brooks Adams Class of 1858
- Brooks AdamsBrooks AdamsPeter Chardon Brooks Adams , was an American historian and a critic of capitalism. He graduated from Harvard University in 1870 and studied at Harvard Law School in 1870 and 1871....
Class of 1870 - Charles Francis Adams IIICharles Francis Adams IIICharles Francis Adams III was the United States Secretary of the Navy under President Herbert Hoover and a well-known yachtsman.-Life:...
Class of 1888 - Roger AdamsRoger AdamsRoger Adams was an American organic chemist. He is best-known for the eponymous Adams' catalyst, and his work did much to determine the composition of naturally occurring substances such as complex vegetable oils and plant alkaloids...
Class of 1909 - Charles Francis Adams IVCharles Francis Adams IVCharles Francis Adams IV was a U.S. electronics industrialist. He served as the first president of the Raytheon Company between 1948 and 1960, and again from 1962 to 1964. He served as its chairman between 1960 and 1962, and again from 1964 until 1972...
Class of 1932 - Samuel A. AdamsSamuel A. AdamsSamuel A. Adams was an analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency who is best known for discovering underestimated Vietcong and North Vietnamese Army troop numbers during the Vietnam War. He eventually retired from the CIA after claiming there was a conspiracy among officials within U.S....
Class of 1955
Adams House
Adams House (Harvard University)
Adams House is one of the twelve undergraduate houses at Harvard University, located between Harvard Square and the Charles River in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Named to commemorate the Adams family, including John Adams, the second president of the United States and John Quincy Adams, the sixth...
, one of twelve residential colleges at Harvard, is named after John Adams and later members of the Adams family.
Connections
The Adams political family is connected with U.S. Presidents Millard FillmoreMillard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
, William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
, and Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
and U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
, through common descent from one Henry Squire.
Through his mother, John Adams was a second cousin of Massachusetts governor Increase Sumner
Increase Sumner
Increase Sumner was an American politician from Massachusetts. He served as the fifth governor of Massachusetts from 1797 to 1799. Trained as a lawyer, he served in the provisional government of Massachusetts during the American Revolutionary War, and was elected to the Confederation Congress in...
; their maternal grandmothers were sisters. Both were also related to President Coolidge and to Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
, and through the latter to The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry
Prince Harry of Wales
Prince Henry of Wales , commonly known as Prince Harry, is the younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and fourth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
.
The Adams family is one of only four families to have produced two Presidents of the United States, the others being the Bush family
Bush family
The Bush family is a prominent American family. Along with many members who have been successful bankers and businessmen, across three generations the family includes two U.S. Senators, one Supreme Court Justice, two Governors, one Vice President and two Presidents...
, the Roosevelt family
Roosevelt family
In heraldry, canting arms are a visual or pictorial play on a surname, and were and still are a popular practice. It would be common to find roses, then, in arms of many Roosevelt families, even unrelated ones...
, and the Harrison family
Harrison family
The Harrison family is a prominent political family in U.S. history. Most famously, this family produced numerous Governors of Virginia , as well as two U.S. Presidents: William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison.The family has a longer recorded heritage in politics, however...
.
Further reading
- Robert J. Maddox, "The Adamses in America," American History Illustrated, Apr 1971, Vol. 6 Issue 1, p 12-21