John Quincy Adams II facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Quincy Adams II
Adams as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 6th Norfolk district
In office January 3, 1866 – January 1, 1867
Preceded by	Henry H. Faxon
Succeeded by	George Gill
In office January 1, 1868 – January 6, 1869
Preceded by	George Gill
Succeeded by	Henry Barker
In office January 4, 1871 – January 2, 1872
Preceded by	Edmund B. Taylor
Succeeded by	Henry H. Faxon
In office January 7, 1874 – January 5, 1875
Preceded by	James A. Stetson
Succeeded by	William A. Hodges
Personal details
Born	(1833-09-22)September 22, 1833 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	August 14, 1894(1894-08-14) (aged 60) Quincy, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political party	Republican (before 1867) Democratic (1867–94)
Spouses	Frances Cadwallader Crowninshield ​ ​ (m. 1861)​
Children	5, including George and Charles III
Parents	Charles Francis Adams Abigail Brown Brooks
Alma mater	Harvard University
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch/service	United States Army Union Army
Rank	Colonel
Battles/wars	American Civil War

John Quincy Adams II (born September 22, 1833 – died August 14, 1894) was an American lawyer and politician. He was a member of the famous Adams political family. He served as a representative for Quincy in the Massachusetts House of Representatives for four terms. After the American Civil War, he became a key leader in the Massachusetts Democratic Party. He was even nominated to be governor of Massachusetts every year from 1867 to 1871.

Early Life and Education

John Quincy Adams II was the son of Charles Francis Adams and Abigail Brown Brooks. He had several siblings, including Louisa Catherine, Charles Francis Adams Jr., Henry Brooks Adams, Mary Gardiner, and Peter Chardon Brooks Adams.

His family was very important in American history. He was the grandson of John Quincy Adams, who was the 6th President of the United States. He was also the great-grandson of John Adams, the 2nd President. His mother's father was a wealthy shipping businessman named Peter Chardon Brooks.

John Quincy Adams II went to Harvard University and graduated in 1853. After college, he studied law and became a lawyer in Boston. He practiced law for a short time. Later, he became very interested in agriculture. He started a large experimental farm near Quincy, Massachusetts.

Political and Public Service Career

During the American Civil War, John Quincy Adams II served as a colonel. He worked on the staff of Governor John Albion Andrew.

He held several local positions in Quincy. He was a town meeting moderator, a school board chairman, and a judge in the local court. He was first elected to the state legislature as a Republican. However, he soon changed to the Democratic Party. This was because he disagreed with the Republican Party's policies for rebuilding the country after the Civil War, known as Reconstruction.

Adams served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1865, 1867, 1870, and 1873. He ran for Governor of Massachusetts as a Democrat every year from 1867 to 1871, but he did not win. At that time, governors in Massachusetts served one-year terms.

In 1872, some Democrats did not want to support the main presidential candidate, Horace Greeley. They nominated Charles O'Conor for president and John Quincy Adams II for vice president. Both men declined these nominations, but their names still appeared on the ballot in some states.

After 1876, Adams mostly stepped away from politics. However, in 1893, President Grover Cleveland considered him for a position in his cabinet. In 1877, Adams became a member of the Harvard Corporation, which helps manage Harvard University.

Personal Life and Family

Portrait of Fanny Crowninshield by Samuel Worcester Rowse

Illustration accompanying Adams's biography in 1913's Lamb's Biographical Dictionary of the United States, Volume 1

In 1861, John Quincy Adams II married Frances "Fanny" Cadwalader Crowninshield. Fanny came from the powerful Crowninshield family. Her grandfather, Benjamin Williams Crowninshield, had been the United States Secretary of the Navy.

John and Fanny had several children:

• John Quincy Adams Jr. (1862–1876), who passed away young.
• George Caspar Adams (1863–1900), who became the head coach for the Harvard University football team.
• Charles Francis Adams III (1866–1954), who later served as the United States Secretary of the Navy.
• Frances "Fanny" C. Adams (1873–1876), who also died in childhood.
• Arthur Charles Adams (1877–1943), who worked as a vice president for several trust companies.
• Abigail "Hitty" Adams (1879–1974).

John Quincy Adams II died at age 60 on August 14, 1894, in Wollaston, Massachusetts. He was buried at Mount Wollaston Cemetery in Quincy. His wife, Fanny, passed away in 1911.

Notable Descendants

Through his daughter, Abigail, John Quincy Adams II was the grandfather of George C. Homans (1910–1989). George Homans was a well-known sociologist who helped create the field of behavioral sociology.

Family Tree