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.
Atkinson March 24th. 1808 My Dear Niece, Your Letter did not reach me untill several Weeks after it was written, & as I had a few days before addressed a…
[ , Start insertion, ca. 1809–1810 , End, ] Permit me, Madam, to lay before you these few lines put together at your request. You may indeed in some sort…
New York Sunday noon 29. Jany: 1809. My dear wife, I write you a line from the Stage–Office: having just this moment arrived, and intending in half an hour to…
Baltimore 1. Feby: 1809. My dear Wife. On leaving Boston I had formed the Resolution of travelling only in the day-time, but at the close of the second day, arriving…
Washington City 5. Feby: 1809. My dearest Louisa The day after I wrote you from Baltimore, that is to say on Thursday, I came to this place; though in the…
Washington 8. February 1809. My dear wife. I thank you for your letter, and Kitty for her watch paper— I had like to have had no watch-case to put it…
Washington 9. March 1809. My dear Louisa. I wrote you on Sunday, and the same Evening I received yours of 26. Feby:—Yesterday yours of the 1st: instt: came to hand—I…
Washington 12. March 1809. My dear Louisa. Last night I received your kind favour of the 4th: instt: with the information the most delightful to my feelings, that my mother…
Quincy Janry 12 18010 my dear daughter I congratulate you upon your safe arrival in the cold Regions of the North: to which I hope your constitution will get enured:…
Quincy Janry 15th 1811 my dear daughter It is a long time since I addresed a Letter to You, and a much longer since I received a Letter from you.…
Quincy Jan’ry. 21 1811 my Dear Daughter The season was so far advanced, and several vessels had arrived from the North without Letters, that I had given up the Idea…
Quincy Jany 21d 1811 I feel asham’d My Dear Neice when I think how few Letters I have written to you since you left us. I should be inexcusable indeed…
Quincy Feb’ry 28th 1811 my Dear Daughter your Letter of Novbr 16th was an unexpected pleasure, for after yours of october the 13th, I had given up the Idea of…
Quincy June 8th 1811 I Sit down to write to my dear daughter, almost without a hope, or wish that She Should receive it at St. Petersburgh. for as Letters…
Stockholm. August. 11. 1811. I have a thousand apologies to make to you, Madam, for not having troubled you sooner with a line, which to avoid fatiguing you, I omit…
Quincy Novbr 26 1811 my dear daughter do not think that I have not participated in your Joy, upon the Birth of your daughter, because I have not sooner congratulated…
Dimanche 31. Décembre 1811. Le Département des Cérémonies a l’honneur d’annoncer à Madame Adams et à Mademoiselle Johnson, sa sœur, qu’Elles sont invitées au Bal masqué de la Cour, Lundi…
[ , Start insertion, ca. 1812 , End, ] I send you my dear Madam—the two Books you were curious to see—I was sorry the other evening we did not…
23 Feb. 1812 La Communauté Impériale de Demoiselles Nobles a l’honneur d’inviter aux examens publics, qui auront lieu les, ———, ———, et 23, du mois de Fevrier courant pour les…
Quincy. Feb’ry 24 1812 my dear daughter I beleive I have written you only one Letter since the commencment of the present Year, and I have received only one from…
Quincy October 24th 1813 My dear Daughter I have had Such repeated melancholy tidings to communicate to you, Since your absence, and your own Bosom has been so often wounded,…
Reval 9. May 1814. My dearest friend. Mr Rodde informs me that before he left St: Petersburg the twenty-five English Mails had arrived, from which I conclude that the Gulph…
Reval 1/13 May 1814. What can I say to my beloved friend, but that I am still the prisoner of the ice and the winds?—It is a poor Consolation, but…
Reval. Saturday Evening 14. May 1814. My dear Wife After I had closed my Letter for you which is to go by this night’s Post, I received a Letter from…