John Adams, the former president from Massachusetts, died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of American independence.
Adams had been a leading advocate for independence in the Continental Congress and later became the second president of the United States. He died at his home in Quincy, Massachusetts, on the same day that Thomas Jefferson died in Virginia. Adams was 90 years old.
The coincidental deaths of the two former presidents became one of the most striking episodes associated with the nation’s 50th anniversary. Adams reportedly uttered words expressing regret that Jefferson still lived, unaware that Jefferson had died earlier that day. The exact wording and timing of his final statement have been debated.
Jefferson’s death is often the answer to similar questions about the other president who died that day. The wording here identifies Adams by his Massachusetts connection. Both men had been members of the revolutionary generation and had supported the Declaration of Independence.