Federal Period
1797 “PAINS OF MEMORY” Poem by ROBERT MERRY Inscribed: "Thomas B. Adams presented to him by his Grandfather”
1797-Dated Federal Period, Imprint Booklet titled, “THE PAINS OF MEMORY. A POEM by ROBERT MERRY,” A.M.” printed at “Boston: Printed by Manning & Loring, For David West,” Good to Fine.
This Imprint Booklet has its rough and chipped original outer heavy plain paper period wrappers, Half title, measures 8.5” x 7.25” with 39 pages. Rebound, hand-stitched at the spine, the first page mistakenly placed as it was meant as the second page and has the word “father” handwritten, which is the continuation of the presentation sentence from the frontis page. This Booklet is somewhat water toned with scattered stains to the outer covers and has two torn leaves with well worn rough margins having scattered folds and small marginal chips and splits. However, this rare copy is whole and complete, the internal text being mostly sharply printed and clean. Of interest yet not confirmed and we do not guarantee, this rare Booklet is said to have been passed down through the family of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, to Thomas B. Adams the son of John Adams and brother to John Quincy Adams. This cataloger can NOT verify that statement or provenance. There is nothing specific written other than on the inside of the half title page, written in brown ink, it reads: "Thomas B. Adams presented to him by his Grand-father". Written in pencil directly underneath that line in another hand is "John Q. Adams" (Not in Adams’ hand). Nonetheless a rarity with unproved and speculative apparent good pedigree.
(THOMAS BOYLSTON ADAMS) (1772-1832) of Quincy, Massachusetts was Son of John Adams, 2nd President of the USA, Signer of the Declaration of Independence and Abigail Adams (Smith), First Lady of the United States, the third and Youngest Son of John and Abigail Adams, younger brother of John Quincy Adams, 6th President of the USA.

In 1784 Abigail Adams traveled to Europe to accompany her husband on his diplomatic missions. While both of his parents were abroad, Thomas Adams lived with relatives in Haverhill, Massachusetts. In 1790 he graduated from Harvard University where he had studied law - according to his family’s wishes. His elder brother, John Quincy Adams, did not believe he had sufficient skills to practice law successfully.

Adams accompanied his brother John Quincy to the Netherlands and Prussia, serving as his secretary from 1794 to 1798. In 1805, he married Ann Harrod of Haverhill and the couple produced seven children in only eleven years. They settled in Quincy, Massachusetts and Adams served as his town's representative to the Massachusetts legislature from 1805-1806. Four years later, Adams was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1810.

In 1811, he was appointed Chief Justice of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the Southern Circuit of Massachusetts. Like his brother Charles, Thomas had problems with alcoholism. His father, John Adams, disowned his son due to failure. Thomas later died in Quincy in 1832, deeply in debt