2nd align="left">A Love Letter written by Abigail Adams to John Adams 1872

This love letter was written in December 23, 1782

 Abigail Smith Adams

Abigail Smith Adams was born in 1744 in Massachusetts into a highly regarded family. Although like other women of her times Abigail lacked any real formal education her strong desire to absorb knowledge and her high level of intelligence caused her to read as many books as she could acquire locally.

However this desire to be constantly learning and reading created a strong bond between her and the young John Adams who having graduated recently from Harvard was launching his new career as a lawyer. (Yes this is the same John Adams who was to become the 2^nd President of the United States of America.)

Later in 1764 the young couple married and went to live in John’s small farm. Over the next ten years she had thee sons and two daughters but was left for long periods to look after their family at home while her husband went on tours to work in various circuit courts.

Abigail Adams started to write her first novel in December 1773 entitled, "How Many Snow Banks Divide Thee And Me …..”.  She continued to write and get involved in her husbands career in politics whilst still educating her children at home and manage the farm at which she proved to be extremely proficient.

Her letters to family members as well as closeconfidantss were filled with strong emotions but also very witty her sense of humour shining through the problems they encountered in their married life. As part of this wit she often spelt the words just as they sounded in her local accent.  There are references to the hard work she was left to do on the farm on her own particularly as due to the war being fought there was a real shortage of any hired men in the area. 

My Dearest Friend,

…should I draw you the picture of my heart it would be what I hope you would still love though it contained nothing new. The early possession you obtained there, and the absolute power you have obtained over it, leaves not the smallest space unoccupied.

I look back to the early days of our acquaintance and friendship as to the days of love and innocence, and, with an indescribable pleasure, I have seen near a score of years roll over our heads with an affection heightened and improved by time, nor have the dreary years of absence in the smallest degree effaced from my mind the image of the dear untitled man to whom I gave my heart.

 But the greatest number of words in her love letters were left for the severe loneliness she felt without her husbands support “her Dearest Friend” and his company as she provided all the education for her children. Very few of these romantic love letters to her husband remain after all these years however we are able to publish extracts from some of these letters where we can.

In 1784 she joined her husband in Paris when he took up his first major diplomatic post before moving to London the following year when John became the first USA ambassador to Great Britain following the war of independence. As you can imagine this would not be an easy task for her given the still very recent war of independence.

Three years later Abigail and John Adams returned to Massachusetts buying a new house which they renamed “Quincy” which was to be their home for the rest of their lives.  As the wife of the vice president and close friend of Mrs Washington she proved to be a very valuable asset when they were hosting international parties and gatherings.

After severe health problems in 1791 Abigail Adams was forced to spend most of her time at Quincy although it was some ten years later before John was able to retire and enjoy the companionship that they had been unable to experience while John was so prominent in his political career.  However despite her poor health she was still able to take her part in running campaigns especially those promoting the role of women in public life.

Abigail Adams died in 1818 — just six years before her son was elected the sixth President of the United States — and was buried beside her husband in their local United First Parish Church.

Abigail Adams writing to John Adams, her husband who later became the second President of the United States.