Podcast Summary: Here's Where It Gets Interesting
Episode: Abigail Adams Abroad
Host: Sharon McMahon
Date: September 1, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, Sharon McMahon explores a lesser-known chapter of American history: Abigail Adams’s transformative years spent abroad in Europe after the American Revolution. Focusing on her time in France and England alongside her husband, John Adams, Sharon paints a vivid portrait of Abigail as an independent, intellectually curious, and resilient First Lady—one deeply affected by personal challenges and global events. The episode highlights both the personal and political currents shaping the Adams family and underscores Abigail’s enduring legacy in American history.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Abigail Adams: Early Life and Marriage (02:29–09:45)
- Abigail, born Abigail Smith, grew up in Massachusetts in a politically active family and was home-educated, enjoying unusual access for a woman of her era to extensive English and French literature.
- Her love story with John Adams begins with parental skepticism:
"He was a very small time lawyer making not a lot of money... he did not have any level of aristocracy to him. He wasn’t refined." — Sharon McMahon (04:18)
- The Adamses had six children (four survived to adulthood), moved frequently due to John’s political activities, but always retained strong family bonds.
- Notably, the Adamses did not own slaves, hiring free labor instead, though they held cautious views about abolition.
John Adams Abroad and Family Separation (09:45–11:25)
- John Adams’s diplomatic assignments frequently separate the family, with Abigail managing home and children alone for years.
- Sharon highlights the poignancy of their correspondence:
"Let me entreat you to keep up your spirits and throw off cares as much as possible... We shall yet be happy, I hope and pray." — John Adams in a letter to Abigail (08:38)
Anxiety and Preparation for Life Abroad (09:45–13:00)
- Abigail’s apprehension about leaving Massachusetts for cosmopolitan Paris—a leap from a small-town life to a city of 650,000—mirrors her courage and adaptability.
- Her daughter, Nabby, then 18 and lovesick for Royal Tyler, reluctantly accompanies her.
- The episode delves into Nabby's engagement to Royal Tyler, her heartbreak, and eventual breaking of the engagement—a relief to her parents.
Paris: Adapting, Friendship with Thomas Jefferson, Cultural Observations (13:30–19:38)
- Abigail initially struggles with the grandeur of their Parisian residence and the demands of managing numerous servants, along with a language barrier.
- Over time, she embraces Parisian social life, the arts, and friendships—including with Thomas Jefferson and Marquis de Lafayette.
"When I arrived at the door, the Marquis... caught me by the hand and gave me a salute upon each cheek... most heartily rejoiced to see me." — Abigail Adams, quoted by Sharon (18:37)
- Abigail’s observations on French women:
"The dress of the French ladies is like their manners, light and airy and genteel... their voices are soft and musical. Their attitudes are pleasing." — Abigail Adams (19:01)
London: Alienation and New Roles (19:38–23:36)
- A reluctant move to London brings difficulty; Abigail feels isolated and unwelcome in elite British society.
- A major bright spot: Abigail’s guardianship of Thomas Jefferson’s young daughter, Polly, forging a lifelong emotional connection.
- Sharon details the journey of Polly Jefferson from America to London with Sally Hemings (then about 15 or 16), adding layers to the Jefferson-Adams relationship and the complexities of early American history.
Nabby’s Later Life and Tragedy (26:02–29:45)
- Nabby marries William Stevens Smith—initially a promising match, but his mismanaged finances lead to family hardship.
- A deeply moving segment on Nabby’s battle with breast cancer:
"She returned to Boston and had a mastectomy without anesthesia... Both Abigail and John held her hands while she sat through the surgery." — Sharon McMahon (28:28)
- Nabby eventually dies with her mother at her side, a moment Sharon recounts with solemn empathy.
Return to America & New Roles (29:45–32:30)
- The Adams family returns to Massachusetts, hoping for respite, but John soon becomes the first Vice President of the U.S., a role he finds stifling.
"He wrote letters to Abigail and was like, this is the worst job of all time, said in a much more formal language." — Sharon McMahon (31:20)
- Abigail divides her years between the capital (first New York, then Philadelphia) and home, providing continuity and support as First Lady.
Becoming First Lady in the White House (32:30–33:50)
- Abigail is the first First Lady to live in the White House—she finds it crude and unfinished but hosts the inaugural New Year's reception, starting a tradition.
Reflections on Legacy and Final Years (33:50–34:42)
- After John Adams’s defeat in 1800, Abigail looks forward to retirement:
"At my age, with my bodily infirmities, I shall be happier at home." — Abigail Adams (34:09)
- Abigail and John endure losses (including Nabby and, later, reconciliation with Jefferson spurred by tragedy); Abigail’s correspondence offers condolences after the death of Jefferson’s daughter Polly, rekindling their connection.
- Abigail dies in 1818, remembered as an influential wife, mother (to a future president), and resilient figure in her own right.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On John and Abigail’s partnership:
"The pure and undiminished tenderness of wedded love. The filial affection of a daughter who will never act contrary to the advice of a father or give pain to the maternal heart." — Abigail Adams, letter to John (09:13)
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On Parisian society:
"The dress of the French ladies is like their manners, light and airy and genteel... their attitudes are pleasing." — Abigail Adams, quoted by Sharon (19:01)
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On Vice Presidency:
"He wrote letters to Abigail and was like, this is the worst job of all time, said in a much more formal language." — Sharon McMahon (31:20)
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On Nabby’s mastectomy without anesthesia:
"Can you imagine that? ... Both Abigail and John held her hands while she sat through the surgery." — Sharon McMahon (28:28)
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On Abigail’s legacy:
"Abigail Adams had what they called at the time, rheumatism... Today, Abigail Adams has the distinction of being one of only two women who were married to one president and mother to another." — Sharon McMahon (34:25)
Timeline of Important Segments
- 02:29 — Recap of Abigail Adams’s early life
- 08:30 — John Adams departs for Europe, Abigail’s letter
- 09:45 — Abigail’s fears about living abroad; move to Paris
- 14:44 — Nabby’s engagement to Royal Tyler; heartbreak
- 18:37 — Abigail’s descriptions of French society and Lafayette
- 19:38 — Move to London; Abigail’s unhappiness
- 22:30 — Guardianship of Polly Jefferson; Sally Hemings’s role
- 26:02 — Nabby’s marriage, struggle, and illness
- 29:45 — Return to America; John Adams as Vice President
- 32:30 — Transition to First Lady in the new White House
- 33:50 — Final years, losses, and reflections on legacy
Conclusion
This episode illuminates Abigail Adams not simply as the wife of a Founding Father, but as a cosmopolitan, independent thinker who adapted to upheaval and maintained the heart of her family across continents. Sharon McMahon’s engaging storytelling and use of primary sources bring Abigail’s voice and era vividly to life, recasting her as both a witness and a shaper of history.
Stay tuned for future episodes exploring the lives of other influential women in early American history, including John Quincy Adams’s wife, Louisa.