John Quincy Adams
George Washington Adams
He was born April 12, 1801. Most historians consider his mysterious death on April 30, 1829, as a suicide. He was 28 years old. Despite early signs of brilliance and being both a son and grandson to presidents, George would never aspire to the lofty plans his father had laid out for him.
He graduated from Harvard, practiced law and was elected to the Massachusetts' state legislature, but was unable to sustain any level of success. Secret scandals and mounting debts drove him to alcohol. He either fell or jumped from a passenger liner in New York Harbor.
John Adams II
He was born on the 4th of July in 1803. He died an alcoholic on October 23, 1834. He was only 31. John was an enthusiastic youngster. He was educated at the best schools and he excelled in sports. But his perfectionist father greatly disapproved of his lackluster performance at Harvard and his embarrassing expulsion.
John won the hand of his cousin, Mary Catherine Hellon in spite of his brothers efforts. They were married in the second wedding ceremony to take place in the White House. He worked as a secretary in his father's White House. Unfortunately a public humiliation by an enemy of the family derailed any political aspirations. He tried his hand at managing the family's business, but soon it began to lose money. He likewise turned to alcohol for escape and died young.
Charles Frances Adams
He was born on August 18, 1807. He died of a stroke on November 21, 1886, at the age of 79. The third child of the nation's sixth chief executive might possibly have become the third generation of his family to become president. He was determined to champion causes ahead of their time. He was beloved and respected by his peers. Charles was fluent in several languages, graduated from Harvard at seventeen and apprenticed in law under Daniel Webster. At twenty-two, he married Abigail Brown Brooks, daughter of a wealthy Bostonian. He then turned to promoting the radical position of the abolition of slavery. By 1841 he entered the Massachusetts State legislature. In 1858, Charles was elected to the House of Representatives. During the Civil War, he negotiated behind the scenes, and eventually England stayed her hand. In 1872 and again in 1876, Charles' name was placed in nomination for the presidency. By that time, however, he was leading the charge for civil service reform, another controversial idea years ahead of its time. Some historians, then and now, believe that Charles would have been elected president had he been willing to do what was popular, rather than what was right.
Louisa Catherine Adams
She was born in 1811and died in 1812. The only daughter of John Quincy and Louisa Adams was born and died in St. Petersburg, Russia, far from the United States. The baby may have succumbed to the ferocious Russian winter.
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