Adams, Abigail

1744 - Abigail was born in Weymouth, Massachusetts to William Smith and Elizabeth Quincy on November 11, 1744.

1754 - At a young age, Abigail's father urged her to write, and she did so voraciously. Although she had not received a formal education, her father had a large library of books to which he gave Abigail and her sisters Mary and Elizabeth (known as Betsy) unfettered access. Developed solely from self-education, Abigail's ideas on women's rights and government would eventually play a major role, albeit indirectly, in the founding of the U.S.

1764 - Abigail Smith married John Adams. The young couple lived on John's small farm at Braintree (later renamed Quincy).

1784-1791 - In 1784, she and her daughter Abigail, who was known in the family as 'Nabby', joined her husband and her eldest son, John Quincy at his diplomatic post in Paris. After 1785, she filled the role of wife of the first United States Minister to the Kingdom of Great Britain. They returned in 1788 to a house known as the "Old House" in Quincy, which she set about vigorously enlarging and remodeling. It is still standing and open to the public as part of Adams National Historical Park. As wife of the second President of the United States, Adams became a good friend, a very good friend to Martha Washington and helped in entertaining at official functions, (generally known then as levees). Her experience of royal courts and society abroad proved to be invaluable. After 1791, poor health forced her to spend most of her time in Quincy.

1818 - Abigail Adams died on October 28, 1818 of typhoid fever, and is buried beside her husband in a crypt located in the United First Parish Church (also known as the Church of the Presidents).

• "We have too many high-sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them."