Quincy, Mass. Blog #10: Abigail Adams Cairn

Abigail Adams is the wife of John Adams, second President of the U.S. You "met" her in a previous blog back on August 30, 2023, here. In today's blog, you'll come with us in Quincy, Massachusetts, and visit an historic location where she and her son, John Quincy Adams stood to see the Battle of Bunker Hill. (which you'll also learn about here). 

WHAT IS ABIGAIL ADAMS CAIRN? -  As the Battle of Bunker Hill unfolded in Boston, windows rattled and the ground shook from the cannon fire in Braintree, Massachusetts. Abigail Adams brought her seven-year-old son, John Quincy Adams, up to the top of nearby Penn's Hill (which provided a view of Boston at the time) to watch the battle from afar. The Abigail Adams Cairn marks the spot where they watched the burning of Charlestown on Saturday, June 17, 1775, during the Battle of Bunker Hill. 

WHERE IS IT LOCATED?  On Penn's Hill, now at the corner of Franklin Street and Viden Road in Quincy, Massachusetts.

(Photo: Rob and Tom at the bottom of the hill before the climb. Credit: R.G.) 

WHAT IS THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL? - The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775 during the Siege of Boston in the first stage of the American Revolutionary War. The battle is named after Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts, which was peripherally involved.

(Photo: Dash, Tyler and Cody pose at the foot of the cairn. Credit: T.W.)

HOW DID THE COLONISTS LOSE THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL? - The defenders had run out of ammunition, reducing the battle to close combat. The advantage turned to the British, as their troops were equipped with bayonets on their muskets, while most of the colonists were not.

(Photo: Words from Abigail Adams about that day on June 18, 1775 when she stood atop Penn's Hill, are etched on the side of the monument. Credit: R.G.)

SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE REPORTED - In just two hours of fighting, 1,054 British soldiers—almost half of all those engaged—had been killed or wounded, including many officers. American losses totaled over 400. The first true battle of the Revolutionary War was to prove the bloodiest of the entire conflict. Though the British had achieved their aim in capturing the hill, it was a truly Pyrrhic victory.  For the full article about the battle, click here for Smithsonian Magazine article.

MILE MARKER REVEALS 11 MILES TO BOSTON - Standing atop Penn's Hill in 1775, apparently Abigail and young John Quincy Adams could see and hear the firefight 11 miles north! 

(Photo right, credit: R.G)- Just across the street from the Cairn was a mile marker that was erected in the 1800s, that says ?To Boston 11 Miles (north) with an arrow; and To Plymouth 34 Miles (south) with an arrow in the opposite direction. 

FOR A 4 MINUTE VIDEO ABOUT THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL - 

Bunker Hill: The Revolutionary War in Four Minutes: By Battlefield Trust 

In honor of the 245th Anniversary of The Battle of Bunker Hill, we are releasing a new American Battlefield Trust branded version of our Bunker Hill In4. Join Jim Percoco as he details the battle that followed Lexington & Concord, signifying that full scale war was imminent and there was truly no turning back for American and British forces. VIDEO: https://youtu.be/mgeq7uqqmn8 American  

Quincy, Mass. Blog #1: Cemetery Visit: History: Who Was Theophilus King?

During our interim stay in Quincy, Massachusetts while we waited for our house to be built, we explored the city and surroundings. This is the first of many blogs about historic things we've seen. This time, we ventured into the large "Mount Wollaston Cemetery" and we came across a huge granite globe and investigated the person and history behind it. Today's blog is about Theophilus King, to whom that massive monument honored and we even found his house (still standing). 

NOTE: This cemetery also happens to also be where one of my grandmothers, a great uncle and aunt are all buried. Since it's a big place, and it's a quiet spot in the city, we've driven there with the dogs to walk around and even take a sandwich, which we respectfully eat in our car. 

(Photo: Theophilus King's "tombstone" in Mount Wollaston Cemetery, Quincy, Mass. Credit: R.G.) 

WHO WAS THEOPHILUS KING? He lived from Oct 14, 1844 to Feb 1, 1935. His wife Elen-Louise (one "L" in Elen) lived from July 20, 1849 to April 28, 1942. He was a businessman who tried various businesses, until his last three brought him success. 

According to an article in the Telegram, "Theophilus King, along with his partner, Charles Bryant, formed the leather firm of Bryant & King in 1868. Bryant was the local businessman, living at the corner of High and Prospect streets at the time; King lived in the Boston area. The firm had offices on Pearl Street, in Boston, and a successful tannery in Clinton. The firm was financially successful and the future looked very bright for the partners until the Great Boston fire of 1872.

After he rebuilt his business, just 4 years later, the Bryant & King Tannery was totally destroyed by the famous "Mossy Pond Freshet of 1876" when children caused a dam to break, swamping the business and many other properties.

A TURN OF FORTUNE - The next businesses King got into was cotton, granite (because Quincy is famous for its granite quarry) and banking. Those turned his life around. He set up a "King Family Fund" in 1919 and by the 1930s was giving churches and charities money from the interest earned on the fund. He was a millionaire by 1935.

He got involved in granite and a building (later South Shore Bank) that still stands in Quincy Center at 1400 Hancock Street was erected by his company.  The banking part involved him becoming chairman of the Granite Trust Company, in downtown Quincy.      

(Photo: Baxter-King house on 36 Heritage Road, in Quincy. Credit: R.G.) 

VISITING HIS HOUSE - We learned about his house, and we drove by. Of course, it's in a residential neighborhood, so when we stopped the truck to take photos, people came over asking what the heck we were doing there. (They thought we were casing the neighborhood, I guess). 

ABOUT THE HOUSE  - The Baxter-King house on 36 Heritage Road, in Quincy, is a beautiful home, first built in the 1860s and one of the city’s finest Italianate houses. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Photo Fun: Goofing Around with Rob's Nephew Brian!

Brian and Doug

One of life's simple pleasures is acting goofy and we know how to do that well.
  Just look at our pictures! When I (Rob) visited Boston for the Pet Expo in September, I got to stay with my younger brother Doug, sister-in-law Sue, and nephews Brian (11) and Scotty (10). Even though it was just a short weekend visit we always have fun.  Here are some pictures I took with Brian (and some with Doug) that speak for themselves.  

  The bottom line: By goofy, enjoy your day. Life is short!

#1- Rob and Brian

#2-Rob and Brian

#3- Rob and Brian

#4- Rob and Brian

Brian ready for Dunkin' Donuts

Getting ready for donuts!