Susanna Adams, or Suky as she was affectionately called, was the youngest daughter of John and Abigail Adams, the second president and first lady of the United States. She was born on December 28, 1768, in Quincy, Massachusetts, and was baptized on New Year’s Day, 1769. She was a bright and lively child, who enjoyed playing with her siblings and cousins. However, her life was cut short when she died on February 4, 1770, at the age of one year and one month. What was the cause of her death, and why is it still a mystery today?
A Childhood Illness or a Smallpox Inoculation?
The official cause of Susanna’s death is not known, as there are no records of her illness or burial. However, there are some clues and speculations that can help us understand what might have happened to her. One possibility is that she died of a common childhood disease, such as diarrhea, measles, or whooping cough. These diseases were often fatal for young children in the 18th century, and many of the Adams’ relatives and friends lost their children to them.
Another possibility is that she died of complications from a smallpox inoculation. Smallpox was a deadly and contagious disease that caused fever, rash, and blisters all over the body. It killed about 30% of those who contracted it, and left many survivors scarred or blind. Inoculation was a method of preventing smallpox by deliberately infecting a person with a mild form of the disease, hoping that they would develop immunity. However, inoculation was risky, as it could cause severe reactions or even death.
The Adams family was familiar with both the dangers and the benefits of inoculation. John Adams had been inoculated in 1764, and Abigail Adams had been inoculated in 1776, along with their children John Quincy, Charles, and Thomas. They had also witnessed the death of their son and brother, Elihu, who died of dysentery after being inoculated in 1775.
It is possible that Susanna was also inoculated, either by her parents’ choice or by accident. According to some sources, Susanna was exposed to smallpox by her uncle, Zabdiel Boylston, who was a famous physician and a pioneer of inoculation in America. He had inoculated himself and his family, and had visited the Adams’ home shortly before Susanna’s death. However, there is no conclusive evidence that Susanna was inoculated, or that she contracted smallpox from her uncle.
A Legacy of Love and Grief
Whatever the cause of her death, Susanna’s passing was a great loss for her parents, who loved her dearly. John Adams wrote in his diary on February 4, 1770: “My sweet little Suky was taken this morning, about 5, with a convulsion fit, and expired in the arms of her Mamma, before 6.” Abigail Adams wrote to her sister on February 6, 1770: “I have not fortitude enough to write you a long letter. I have lost my dear little Suky. She expired on Sunday morning, about six o’clock, in a fit. She was perfectly well the day before, and died almost without a groan. I need not tell you how much we are afflicted. She was a lovely child, and had the sweetest temper that ever I knew.”
Susanna was buried in an unmarked grave in the Hancock Cemetery in Quincy, Massachusetts. Her parents never forgot her, and often mentioned her in their letters and diaries. John Adams wrote to Abigail Adams on December 28, 1776: “This is the anniversary of the death of our dear Suky. Six years have rolled away since that affecting scene. How much has intervened!” Abigail Adams wrote to John Adams on December 28, 1782: “This day, my dear friend, completes twelve years since I was made to drink the bitter cup, and to tread the thorny path. I have mourned the loss of my dear Suky, and felt, at times, as if I could not support the weight of my affliction.”
Susanna Adams was a brief but precious part of the Adams family, and her cause of death remains a mystery to this day. She was one of the many children who died young in the 18th century, and whose lives and deaths are often overlooked by history. However, she was not forgotten by her parents, who cherished her memory and honored her legacy.
