John Quincy

John Quincy's Grave

Colonel John Quincy (21 July 1689 – 13 July 1767) was an American soldier, politician and member of the Quincy political family. His granddaughter Abigail Adams named her son, John Quincy Adams, after him. The city of Quincy, Massachusetts is named after him.

Biography

John Quincy was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Daniel and Anna (née Shepard) Quincy. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Braintree, Massachusetts and established a homestead at Mount Wollaston, or Merry Mount, in what is present-day Quincy. Daniel died when John was one-year-old; his mother subsequently married the Reverend Moses Fiske.

Quincy attended Harvard College, graduating in 1708. He married Elizabeth Norton, daughter of the Reverend John Norton of Hingham, on 3 September 1715. Although officially only achieving the rank of major in the British army, he was commonly referred to as "Colonel".

In 1717, he was elected to represent Braintree at the Massachusetts General Court, was re-elected in 1719, and served in that capacity until 1740. From 1729 to 1741, he served as the Speaker of the House. In 1741, Quincy was voted out of office, but was returned there in 1744, where he served four additional years. He died on 13 July 1767 at the age of 77, only two days after the birth of his namesake.

Further reading

• Wilson, Daniel Munro, and Charles Francis Adams. John Quincy, Master of Mount Wollaston. Boston: George H. Ellis Company, 1909.