Monday, March 2, 2015

The Character & Personality of Samuel Adams with Giveaway!



By Amber Schamel
Samuel Adams by John Copley
Public Domain



I have always been a lover of history. Not so much the dates and statistics, but the culture, the way of life,  and the characters that made history happen. So for today's post, I thought I'd share some of the interesting things I learned about the character and personality of Samuel Adams as I studied for the Declaration of Independence anthology.

Today, Samuel Adams is often lost in the shadow of his second cousin, John Adams, but he was an extraordinary man and very influential in the struggle for independence. Samuel was quite a bit older than his cousin, 53 years old at the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  He was close to his cousin, however, and their alliance greatly aided in bringing about the revolution.  It was the two Adams who brought John Hancock into politics, and for a long time, Hancock was a close friend of Sam, though he seemed to be at odds with John.


John Adams, Samuel's Second Cousin
Painting by Asher B. Durand
Public Domain
Many people have the impression that Samuel was a harsh man, and/or hotheaded. The truth is that Sam was a very pious and God fearing individual. He was also a good natured optimist. When it came to liberty, he was extremely passionate and zealous. He often compared the Colonies' struggle for independence to the Israelite's deliverance from Egypt. Samuel was advocating independence before the idea was popular and orchestrated many protests and gatherings, including the Boston Tea Party, and therefore was branded as a hothead. It probably didn't help that he was known for wearing a bright red cloak. 

Samuel Adams had a good singing voice, and his charm and eloquence proved a blessing. He won the hand of a wonderful and graceful woman, but she later died. Written in the family Bible was this note from Samuel: "To her husband she was as sincere a friend as she was a faithful wife...She ran her Christian race with remarkable steadiness and finished in triumph. She left two small children. God grant they may inherit her graces."


Samuel did remarry, and his second wife was also a woman of virtue. Both of his wives were named Elizabeth. 


One of the things I admire most about Sam, is his tireless efforts and work ethics. Galloway, who was the Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly for some time said of him: "Samuel Adams eats little, drinks little, sleeps little and thinks much..." This description was confirmed by other sources. Samuel's articles were published nearly every week in the Boston Gazette, and he wrote under many pen names. He used to write in the study next to his bedroom, and when the night workers would pass by, they would see the flame in the upper window and know that Adams was hard at work. His wife grew accustomed to hearing the scratch of his quill late into the night. 

Among Sam's many accomplishments, though, keeping secrets was not one of them.


There is much more to be said about the Father of Liberty, but I will end with this quote from Samuel Adams' address to the Congress in September 1777, which I think sums up the fervency, zeal, and faith of this man of God. 


"Let us still rely in humble confidence on Him who is mighty to save. Good tidings will soon arrive. We shall never be abandoned by Heaven while we act worthy of its aid and protection."

Now for the giveaway! Since I'm a new blogger here, I'm going to give TWO readers an autographed copy of the second installment of the Declaration of Independence anthology! 
This includes my Samuel Adams story, A Shot at Freedom, as well as stories by Murray Pura, and  John V. Amodeo! Get a peek into the lives of the signers in this exciting and historically accurate series.

Leave a comment below with your email address before midnight to be entered to win.

Amber Schamel writes riveting stories that bring HIStory to Life. She is the author of the Samuel Adams series in the Declaration of Independence anthology.
Connect with Amber on her website, blog, or other major social media sites. 

32 comments:

  1. Amber, Thank you so much for your most interesting post about Samuel Adams.

    mauback55 at gmail dot com

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    1. Melanie! So good to see you over here at HHH. Nice to see familiar faces in a new place.
      Thanks for entering.

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  2. Nice to see you on here, Amber. Great post!

    shelco@centurylink.net

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    1. Thank you, Sandy! It's good to see you too. So glad you enjoyed the post.

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  3. That's interesting about his faith. He was single-minded and passionate.

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    1. Hi Rebecca,
      Yes, he surely was. In fact, his passion and single-mindedness was one of his faults. He had a hard time providing for his family because he was so busy acting for Independence.

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  4. I love history also but I was unfamiliar with Samuel's story. I am glad to learn of his fervent faith and his equally staunch belief in our country! Thank you for your interview and welcome!!

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    1. Hi Connie,
      I'm glad I was able to introduce you to this extraordinary man. He has inspired me in many ways.
      Thanks for commenting. Best wishes in the giveaway!

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  5. I love history just like you. I am now more intrigued about Sam Adams! I'm curious as to how bad of a secret keeper he is.
    Lattebooks at hot mail dot com

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Susan. So glad you enjoyed getting to know Sam.
      Haha, me too! I stumbled across his mention of that in a letter. He admitted to his friend that he couldn't keep secrets. Interesting man, he is.

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  6. I'm starting to enjoy History through this blog, such interesting topics ... :)
    I'd enjoy reading this book ..
    dkstevensneAT outlookD OtCoM

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    1. Hi Deanna! Good to see you!
      History can really be fascinating and inspiring. Thanks for stopping by.

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  7. Thank you for sharing this great post and giveaway, Amber. Samuel Adams was such an interesting man! I'm so glad you've joined HHH. It's a wonderful blog and I look forward to your posts!

    texaggs2000 at gmail dot com

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    1. Thank you for the warm welcome, Britney! So glad you enjoyed the post. :)

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  8. My husband's family have John Adams in their genealogy. I would enjoy reading your historicals. Sm. wileygreen1(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Wow, Sharon, how cool is that? What a legacy to have in your family background. I have someone in my lline that was scalped by Indians, and one that fought in the Revolution, but they weren't famous.

      Thanks for stopping by! Best wishes in the giveaway.

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  9. Fascinating. A wonderful opportunity thank you.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  10. I sure enjoyed this Amber. very interesting. I would love to be a winner. Maxie > mac262(at)me(dot)com <

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    1. Hello Maxie! Glad you enjoyed meeting Sam. Best wishes in the giveaway!

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  11. Thanks for a great post, Amber! So glad you've joined ranks HHHistory.com!!
    kam110476 at gmail dot com

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    1. Thank you so much, Kam! I appreciate you stopping by.

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  12. Thanks for a great post, Amber! So glad you've joined ranks HHHistory.com!!
    kam110476 at gmail dot com

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  13. Hey, Amber. I wish that I felt I had more opportunity to learn about history. Maybe now's my chance. What's the lowest reading level, do you think? I've got a couple of mature nephews, middle graders, whose dad might take the opportunity.

    pcparamedicdave at gmail dot com
    (Everyone else was doing it like that so I guess I will, as well.)

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    1. Hi David,
      Thanks for stopping by! In my opinion, history is so important, especially for the generation coming up. One of my favorite quotes is:
      “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” ~Santayana
      It's so true. I think it's so important for us to know where we came from, what this nation was founded on, and the part that God had in that.

      As far as suggestions for historical reading, here's a few resources that I've enjoyed. These are suitable for younger folks too.
      Drive Thru History is a video series that is designed for children. It's fun, Christian based, and great for young'uns.

      America's Providential History by Mark A. Beliles and Stephen K. McDowell

      Little Bear (Richard) Wheeler is also a FANTASTIC source for good history. Especially for young boys.

      Anything from David Barton http://www.wallbuilders.com/

      That should give you a good start. :)
      Leaving your email gets you entered in the giveaway too, so there you go.

      God bless!
      Amber Schamel
      Bringing HIStory to Life
      www.AmberSchamel.com

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  14. Thanks so much for giving us the opportunity to learn more about our founding fathers.
    bettimace at gmail dot com

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  15. Amber,
    It's great to see you here ! I absolutely love history, researching it, going and seeing it and reading about it. Thank you for the very interesting and informative post ! I would love to read this. Thank you for the opportunity.
    Deanne Cnnamongirl(at)aol(dot)com

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    1. Thank you for welcoming me so warmly, Deanne. :) I'm excited to be here.Best wishes in the giveaway!

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  16. Thank you so much for the glimpses into the past where grace, strength , honor and love for God built America . It is so wonderful to read your articles and feel transported to that long forgotten time. I love history and all it has to offer . Unfortunately I feel so sad for this generation cursive is not even being taught anymore those children will not be able to read their grandparents letters . Thank you again for sharing and help in keeping history alive for me and all the others that I am share appreciate what your doing. Debrupp7@gmail.com

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    1. Debbie,
      Thank you for stopping by. I'm so glad you enjoyed the post.
      I agree. The fact that our younger generation is not being taught history is detrimental to our nation. That's one of my main passions for writing. To bring HIStory to life. HIS-story meaning that God has a hand in all of it.
      It's like Rudyard Kipling said, "If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten."
      That's what I want to do.
      Thanks for your encouragement.

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  17. Congratulations to Sharon M, who is the winner of the second installment of the Declaration of Independence series!

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