Charles Adams

Charles Adams (May 29, 1770 – November 30, 1800) was a member of the Adams family, the son of John Adams, the second President of the United States, and Abigail Adams, née Smith. He was the younger brother of John Quincy Adams, who served as the sixth President of the United States.

Early Life:

Charles Adams was born in Braintree, Massachusetts, in 1770. During his childhood, a smallpox epidemic affected the region, resulting in widespread mortality. Charles and his family received inoculations for smallpox; however, Charles and his younger brother Thomas did not respond as expected to the treatment, necessitating multiple procedures. His mother, Abigail Adams, along with his younger brother Thomas and older sister Nabby, experienced mild symptoms, while Charles and Nabby endured more severe illness but ultimately recovered within a few weeks.

In 1780, at the age of nine, Charles traveled to Europe with his father and older brother John Quincy, studying in Passy, Amsterdam, and Leiden. He enrolled at Leiden University on January 29, 1781. In December of that year, eleven-year-old Charles returned alone to America, citing homesickness as the reason for his departure. In 1784, Abigail and Nabby moved to England to reside with John Adams, who was serving there professionally; John Quincy later joined them.

Education:

Charles Adams began his college education at Harvard University in 1785 at the age of 15. During his time at Harvard, in June 1789, he and his friends engaged in a notable incident involving heavy drinking and running naked through Harvard Yard, which is recorded as the first case of what became known as Primal Scream. One of his friends was expelled as a consequence. Both John Quincy and Thomas Adams would later attend Harvard.

Legal Career:

After graduating from Harvard College in 1789, Charles moved to New York City, where he was initially set to work in the legal office of Alexander Hamilton. However, when President George Washington appointed Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton's law practice was affected. Consequently, Charles transferred to the law office of John Laurance and continued his legal studies. He was admitted to the bar in 1792.

Personal Life:

On August 29, 1795, Charles Adams married Sarah "Sally" Smith, the sister of William Stephens Smith, his brother-in-law. The couple had two daughters: Susanna Boylston Adams (1796–1884) and Abigail Louisa Smith (1798–1836). Charles's personal life was marked by struggles with alcoholism, extramarital affairs, and financial difficulties. These issues led to his disownment by his father and periods of separation from his family.

His daughter Abigail Louisa married the banker and philosopher Alexander Bryan Johnson. Abigail Louisa died at the age of 37 from uterine cancer. Their son, Alexander Smith Johnson (1817–1878), was appointed to both the New York State and federal benches.

Death:

Charles Adams died on November 30, 1800, at the age of 30. Contrary to some beliefs, there is no definitive evidence that his death resulted from cirrhosis caused by alcoholism. A letter from his wife Abigail indicates that he died in New York City of "dropsy of the chest" or pleurisy. Pleurisy can result from various respiratory illnesses, including tuberculosis, pneumonia, or cancer.

He was the first child of a U.S. president to die while his father was in office.

In Popular Culture:

In 2008, the HBO miniseries "John Adams," based on the book by David McCullough, portrayed John Adams as being a neglectful father to Charles, suggesting that this negatively impacted Charles's development. However, historians have noted inaccuracies in this depiction regarding their relationship.

References:

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External Links:

The Adams Family Charles Adams