Louisa Catherine Adams, the wife of John Quincy Adams, served as First Lady of the United States from 1825-1829. Born in London, she was the first First Lady to be born outside of the United States.
Early Life
Louisa Catherine Johnson was born on February 12, 1775, in London, England. Her English mother, Catherine Nuth Johnson, and her American, Joshua Johnson, of Maryland, were unmarried at the time of her birth.
Louisa spent a large portion of her youth in Nantes, France, where the family took refuge during the American Revolution. Louisa studied math, philosophy, music, needlework, stitching, and drawing and embraced French culture. Upon returning to England, she needed to relearn English before continuing her studies.
Marriage to John Quincy Adams
Louisa’s family lived a lavish lifestyle in London. She met John Quincy Adams at a party hosted by her father in 1794. They married three years later and went on to have four children. Louisa accompanied her husband on his diplomatic missions throughout Europe. They also spent time at Adams’ home in Quincy, Massachusetts, and their own home in Boston.
In 1817, President Monroe appointed John Quincy as his Secretary of State. The Adams family moved to Washington, D.C., where Louisa’s drawing room became a popular gathering place for the diplomatic corps and other D.C. elite. As described in her White House biography, “Good music enhanced her Tuesday evenings at home, and theater parties contributed to her reputation as an outstanding hostess.”
First Lady of the United States
Bitter partisan politics, poor health, and deep depression cast a shadow over Louisa Adam’s tenure as First Lady. Though she still held her weekly “drawing rooms” and hosted elegant social events when required to do so, she preferred to spend her evenings reading, composing music and verse, and playing her harp.
Later Life
After her husband lost his re-election bid, the couple returned to Massachusetts. After a brief retirement from politics, John Quincy Adams was elected to the House of Representatives, where he served for 18 years. He died in 1848.
Louisa Adams died four years later on March 4, 1852, at the age of 77, in Washington, D.C. The day of her funeral was the first time both houses of Congress adjourned in mourning for a woman. She is buried with her husband at the United First Parish Church in Quincy, Massachusetts.
