Wife of john quincy adams biography pdf

Her parents raised her in London society, yet they wanted her to marry an American. It was during one of the social events that her parents put on that John Quincey Adams met Louisa. She was not only beautiful and lively, but he also liked her beautiful voice, which she sung to entertain him. Eventually the two of them married. To my surprise, their marriage was very tempestuous.

He often put her down and criticized her lifestyle. Yet, despite the flaws in their marriage, they loved each other and were very close. Louisa helped John Quincey Adams in his political career by hosting lavish dinners. It was because of her efforts that John Quincy Adams was able to win the election against the more dashing Andrew Jackson.

Overall, this was an interesting biography of Louisa Adams. I never knew much of her story before I read this biography, and she seemed to be a very strong, passionate woman. She is also very courageous for she braved a dangerous journey from Russia to France during war torn Europe. She is also a woman who had to face many tragedies for she has outlived her husband and all but one son.

Yet, despite her personal tragedies, she has made many accomplishments. Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future. Better World Books.

Wife of john quincy adams biography pdf

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Louisa's father supported American independence , and the Johnsons left England in in response to the American Revolutionary War. While in France, Louisa attended a Catholic boarding school. She performed well in school, becoming proficient in music and literature, and she learned to speak French fluently. Hewlett became a strong influence on her upbringing, encouraging her intellectualism.

Johnson's father was appointed the American consul to Great Britain in , and she often assisted in entertaining prominent guests. Johnson and Adams began a courtship, though it was intermittent, and they did not immediately take to one another. Both had previously expressed interest in other potential partners. Adams in particular was taken by Johnson's aptitude for singing and music.

Johnson and Adams were engaged by , but Adams left England for work and provided a number of excuses as to why he felt they should not be wed, citing his work, his finances, and their personality conflicts. Another factor was the disapproval of his mother, Abigail Adams , who did not wish to see her son marry an Englishwoman. Louisa's parents fled the country, leaving Louisa and John with little financial support and a mob of angry creditors.

Both had strong personalities, and their disagreements often became arguments. John was appointed American minister to Prussia in , and the couple moved to Berlin. She eventually gave birth to their first child, George Washington Adams , in Adams reunited with her family after arriving in the United States in while her husband went to his own family home in Quincy, Massachusetts.

While she quickly took to her father-in-law, her mother-in-law remained skeptical of her suitability as a wife. Adams's father Joshua died in , severely affecting her and leaving the family with no financial support. When her husband was elected to the United States Senate in , she joined him in alternating between Massachusetts and Washington, D.

Unable to afford a home of their own, the family stayed with John's relatives in Massachusetts and with Louisa's relatives in Washington. She gave birth to John Adams II in On one such occasion, she suffered a miscarriage. When John accepted the position as American minister to Russia in , he did not consult Louisa. He determined that she would accompany him and that their two older sons would stay behind in the United States.

Just as she did in Berlin, Louisa impressed the Russian court and received special attention from the monarch. When John was called to Ghent in to negotiate a peace agreement for the War of , Louisa was left in Saint Petersburg, where she would remain for the next year. She was frequently in danger of bandits, and later of French soldiers hostile to her Russian carriage.

Their children were sent to London as well, and the family lived there reunited for the following two years. Their close relationship was short-lived, however, as Abigail died in As first lady Elizabeth Monroe did not engage in social activity, the responsibility fell to the Adams household to be the social hub of the capital. Upon entering the White House, life became more difficult for the Adamses.

The administration was unpopular in Congress and unable to advance many of its policies, invoking a bitterness in John that was often directed toward Louisa. The White House itself was in poor condition when Louisa and John occupied it, as it had never been fully restored after the burning of Washington. Despite this, they were criticized for what the public saw as an opulent residence.

Louisa responded to the criticism by holding a public exhibition of the home, which was then criticized as distasteful. In response, she published a biography of herself that emphasized her modesty and her American heritage. It was unprecedented for a first lady, and she was only subjected to increased criticism for the act. Louisa had always been vulnerable to illness, but her health worsened during her years in the White House, and she was left bedridden on multiple occasions.

Even she acknowledged a psychosomatic aspect to her illness. Louisa was responsible for making arrangements when Lafayette visited the White House. With the president traveling and Congress in recess, it fell to her to set the social rules for mourning in Washington. Louisa and John shared a mixture of despondence and relief when he lost re-election.

Though the White House was still visible from her doorstep, she felt free from the place. He had suffered from extensive personal and financial problems, and it was never conclusively determined whether his death was an accident or a suicide. She fell severely ill, and the trip was canceled. Here her condition improved, as she found a home and the mental and physical toll of her depression subsided.

She blamed her husband in part for the failures and deaths of their two older sons, believing that they could have been given better lives had they not been separated from their parents in their childhood. In her grief, Louisa began writing a new autobiography, The Adventures of a Nobody. The other members of the Adams family could take their identity for granted—they were Adamses; they were Americans—but she had to invent her own.

The story of Louisa Catherine Adams is one of a woman who forged a sense of self. As the country her husband led found its place in the world, she found a voice.