Louisa Catherine Adams was the first lady of the United States from 1825 to 1829 during the presidency of her husband John Quincy Adams. She was born in England and raised in France. Her father was an influential American merchant, and she was regularly introduced to prominent Americans. After her family returned to England, she met John Quincy Adams in 1795, and the two began a tenuous courtship. They married in 1797 after being engaged for a year, beginning a marriage of disagreements and personality conflicts. She joined her husband on his diplomatic mission to Prussia, where she was popular with the Prussian court. When they returned to the United States, her husband became a senator and she gave birth to three sons. John was appointed minister to the Russian Empire in 1809, and they traveled to the Russian Empire without their two older sons, against Louisa's wishes.
Quincy December 8th 1804 My dear Mrs Adams I received yesterday your Letter of Novbr 27th. and was rejoiced to learn that you and the Children were well. I was…
Quincy Jan’ry 27th 1805 My dear Mrs Adams Inclosed you have a Letter, to mr Rutledge which you may if you like send to your Brother if you think it…
Quincy, december 17 1805 My dear Mrs Adams I received your Letter of december 6th on the 14th and was very glad to hear of your safe arrival at washington;…
Quincy Jan’ry 19th 1806 Dear mrs Adams Your Letter of Jan’ry 6 I received last Evening. your Children are very well, and very well taken care of. so do not…
Boston 10. May 1806. My dearest Louisa I wrote you last Sunday, the day after my arrival at Quincy and gave you an account of the progress and termination of…
Quincy 18. May 1806. My dear Louisa. The Children are both in perfect health; both contented with their situations, and both beloved by all around them—George appears to have lost…
Quincy 24. May 1806 My dearest Louisa, I wrote you this day week, last Sunday that I intended to return to Boston the next morning—But, I did not go untill…
Cambridge 9. July 1806. My dearest Louisa I was just going to account as well as I could for your having been two days over the accustomed time, without receiving…
Quincy 13. July 1806. My dearest Louisa. I wrote you from Cambridge last Tuesday, and then promised that my next should be from this place—Yesterday morning I walked from Cambridge…
Cambridge July 28. 1806 My dearest Louisa— From your letter of the 20th: which I have just received, I am in doubt whether even this letter will not reach New-York,…
Washington 8. Decr: 1806. My dear Louisa. Last Evening I received with heart-felt pleasure your letter of the 25th: ulto: which was the first line I had from you since…
Washington 12 December 1806. My dear Louisa. I have nothing new to tell you from this place. I have no letter from you of later date than 25. Novr:—My purpose…
Washington 15. Decr: 1806. My dear Louisa. I have received only one letter from you—that of 25. Novr: since I left you—And none from any of my other friends—Though I…
Washington 17. Decr: 1806 My dear Louisa, Your letter of the 7th: and 9th: came to hand last Evening, and relieved me from the pinches of Imagination which had haunted…
Washington 18. Decr: 1806. My dear Louisa. I now enclose you the two bills, together with an order upon the Bank at Boston for their amount—which I hope will reach…
Washington 19. Decr: 1806. My dear Louisa. I wrote you yesterday that little Walter had been again very ill the night before; but was better—He continued so untill the Evening—Dr:…
Washington 22. Decr: 1806 My dear Louisa. Last Evening I received your’s of the 14th: which makes me anxious to hear from you again—Your sore throat and George’s cough will…
Washington 14. Jany: 1807. My dear Louisa. The last Letter I have received from you was that of the 1st: instt: which I answered last week—I then mentioned to you…
Washington 19. Jany: 1807. My dear Louisa. Since I wrote you, which was last Thursday, I have received three letters from you, which call for a particular Answer—I must however…
Washington 26. Jany: 1807. My dear Louisa. I wrote you last Monday a few lines enclosing a letter for Caroline, and intended further to have written you the following day—But…
Washington 19. Feby: 1807. My dear Louisa. Since I wrote you last I have been a little affected with the rhumatism in my shoulder, so that I did not attend…
Washington 27. Feby: 1807. My dear Louisa. I received yesterday your letter of the 15th: and this morning that of the 17th: enclosing in the former a letter < ,…
Philadelphia Sunday 8. March 1807. My dear Louisa My project of coming from Washington to this place, by the way of Annapolis was disappointed, by the badness of the roads,…
Quincy Novbr 30th 1807 my dear Daughter I received your favour of Novbr 20th and rejoiced to learn that you reachd Washington in safety with your young Charge. it is…