Abigail Adams - Our Lost Founding Archives

Abigail Adams and John Adams are renowned for their prolific correspondence. In fact, they wrote each other thousands of letters.

So, to write something along the lines of “On this day in 1776, Abigail Adams writes to her husband, John Adams…” is almost a given.

However, in this particularly noteworthy letter, Abigail urges Mr. Adams and the Continental Congress to “Remember the Ladies” in the battle for independence:

“I long to hear that you have declared an independancy—and by the way in the new Code of Laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make I desire you would Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If perticuliar care and attention is not paid to the Laidies we are determined to foment a Rebelion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.”

Beings

She goes on writing:

“Men of Sense in all Ages abhor those customs which treat us only as the vassals of your Sex. Regard us then as Beings placed by providence under your protection and in immitation of the Supreem [sic] Being make use of that power only for our happiness.”

Abigail Adams is one of only two women to have been both wives and mothers of American presidents.

Can you name the other?

Two years ago today, I learned that God took our daughter Abigail Home to be with Him. This is the post I wrote the following day, while at the hospital awaiting her delivery:

On Sunday, September 16th, 1775, Abigail Adams writes a letter to her husband, Founding Father, and future President John Adams. She makes her trust in God perfectly clear, and gives “thanks… to that Being who restraineth the pestilence,” even while living with the “daily Expectation that” the life of their own daughter would “not continue many hours.”

Yesterday, we lost our daughter only eight weeks before her due date, and today, like Mrs. Adams did, I “set myself down to write with a Heart depressed.”
We named our baby girl Abigail Grace, and fittingly, we find comfort in the words of one of our ‘Founding Mothers’ from that same letter:

“To Bear and Suffer is our portion here.”

And unto him who mounts the Whirlwind and directs the Storm I will chearfully leave the ordering of my Lot, and whether adverse or prosperous Days should be my future portion I will trust in his right Hand to lead me safely thro, and after a short rotation of Events fix me in a state immutable and happy.”

Our Abigail is in that glorious state! “Immutable and happy.”

Despite our present days of adversity, the words on our hearts and on Our shirts ring ever-true:

“the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men”
We are “bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand which conducts the affairs of men”
The Holy Bible “is the best gift God has given to man”
Overall, “In God is our trust”

We will continue to “trust in his right Hand” because that foundation gives us joy, peace and hope in this storm. For that, we are thankful.

Peace and Blessings to you from our family.

Posts

Abigail Adams : “Remember the Ladies… placed by Providence”

Beings

Abigail: “in a state immutable and happy”