by Miriam Liebman, Adams Papers

The newest Adams Papers publication is here! Adams Family Correspondence, volume 16, follows the Adams family from the end of 1804 through the middle of 1809 as John and Abigail Adams spent time at Peacefield and guided their growing family through challenges, big and small. This is one of three blog posts exploring the volume’s main themes.

Part Two: The Adams Family and the Miranda Expedition: Scandal, Intrigue, and Rumor

Adams Family Correspondence, volume 16, contains many political stories, but the Miranda Expedition might be the most surprising one. From their home in Quincy, Mass., the Adamses were drawn into scandal from the involvement of their son-in-law, William Stephens Smith, and grandson, William Steuben Smith, with Francisco de Miranda’s failed attempt to overthrow Spanish rule in Venezuela. From February through August 1806, Miranda, a Venezuelan revolutionary and friend of William Stephens Smith, staged an expedition to liberate Venezuela. Miranda met with President Thomas Jefferson and James Madison seeking financing from the United States but failed to garner their support. William Steuben joined as a member of the expedition. Prior to her son’s departure, Nabby wrote to Miranda asking him to care for her son and stating that due to his long friendship with her husband and her “own observations, I can say that I do not know any person to whom I could with so much confidence entrust him.” As newspapers reported the mission’s failure and rumors swirled regarding the sailors, the Adams family worried about William Steuben’s fate. The family learned he was safe when he crossed paths in Cambridge with his uncle John Quincy on his way to Peacefield. Many others in the expedition were not as lucky; the Spanish executed and imprisoned many of the participants.

William Stephens Smith lost his job as surveyor of the port of New York and was indicted for helping Miranda but was ultimately acquitted of the charges. John Quincy was “very sorry to see a connection of ours so much implicated.” William Steuben Smith struggled to find a career path upon his return and went with his uncle to serve as his secretary in St. Petersburg. For more on his time in Russia, stay tuned for the (already underway!) next volume of Adams Family Correspondence.

The Adams Papers editorial project at the Massachusetts Historical Society gratefully acknowledges support for this volume from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, and the Packard Humanities Institute.