Today is the birthday of Abigail Adams, wife of founding father John Adams. Ever since reading David McCullough’s book John Adams, I have been fascinated and inspired by this beautiful woman. Abigail was beautiful, witty and incredibly intelligent as evidenced by her many letters written to her husband John while he was away in Philadelphia and France.
One of Abigail’s biggest regrets in her life was her lack of education. Only a small number of academies in Massachusetts admitted girls during Abigail’s childhood, but her parents’ desire to protect her from the many epidemics that swept that part of the country kept her from attending. However, Abigail took much of her education into her own hands and learned to write well and think deeply because of her parents and grandmother. She once stated that her grandmother possessed a “happy method of mixing instruction and amusement together,” which makes me smile as a piano teacher!
Richard Cranch, who was to become Abigails brother-in-law also had a profound influence on Abigail’s education as he:
…put proper Bookes into my hands, who taught me to love the Poets and to distinguish their Merrits.
Abigail loved to read and would often get together with various people to discuss the books they had read.
One of my favorite one-word descriptions of Abigail is one which John assigned to her early in their courtship: “Saucy.” Abigail’s wit and and self-confidence earned her the title and I love that her spirit was indomitable!
So perhaps it’s no surprise that Abigail was the inspiration for my American Portraits book. When I’m playing, “Letters from Abigail,” I envision Abigail seated at a small desk on the ground level of her house. The windows are open with the white curtains gently blowing in the wind and her children’s voices are heard outside in the distance. Abigail sits quietly, writing a letter to her husband John who has been gone for almost a year. She writes slowly, then lifts her head and glances outside of the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of her husband walking down the road toward her.
Listen to Letters from Abigail
I am currently reading Abigail Adams by Woody Holton and thoroughly enjoying this new take on her life. I would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in her life.
Happy Birthday Abigail!
