The Adams family of Massachusetts was the first American political dynasty. Four generations of “Heroes, Statesmen and Philosophers” and “learned women” shaped the American republic from the eve of revolution through the end of the nineteenth century. Father and son presidents John Adams (1735-1826) and John Quincy Adams (1767-1848), first ladies and writers Abigail Adams (1744-1818) and Louisa Catherine Adams (1775-1852), and congressman and diplomat Charles Francis Adams (1807-1886) and his wife, Abigail Brooks Adams (1808-1889), all dedicated themselves to public service. Included in their number are historians and social critics Henry Adams (1838-1918) and Brooks Adams (1848-1927) and a wide array of children, siblings, and extended family whose collected writings chart an evolution of American society and culture.
For brief biographies of several members of the Adams family, click here.
Family Tree
The Adams Family Tree includes eight generations of John and Abigail Adams's ancestors and descendants, dating from 1583 to 1935.
Timeline
The Adams Family Timeline is a searchable collection of the major events in the lives of Adams family members, from John and Abigail through three succeeding generations.