July 4th

Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States, died the same day in 1826 as John Adams, second president of the United States, on the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. A few years later, fellow founding father, and fifth President of the United States, James Monroe passed away on July 4th, 1831. Interesting that three of the first five American presidents died on the 4th of July.

Incidentally, The people of France offered the Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World to the people of the United States on July 4th, 1884.

Lawyers and Law School

Well-known American lawyers who did not go to law school or who did not finish
Patrick Henry (1736-1799) governor of Virginia
John Jay (1745-1829) first chief justice of the Supreme Court
John Marshall (1755-1835) chief justice of the Supreme Court
Daniel Webster (1782-1852) secretary of State
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) president, did not go
Stephen A. Douglas (1813-1861) representative, senator from Illinois
Clarence Darrow (1857-1938) defense attorney in Scopes trial of 1925, dropped out
Benjamin N. Cardozo (1870-1938) justice of the Supreme Court
Strom Thurmond (1902- ) US senator, governor of South Carolina
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson.

They Quoted Me

One of my books, “Greatest Jokes of the Century, Book 22” is cited on a wiki about president John Adams.   http://simple.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Adams

Another source, Snopes is a site that debunks the myths floating around in cyberspace. Many of the popular emails asking for money, or promising that Microsoft will donate if you forward this email, etc. This valuable site became even more valuable recently when it cited another of my joke books "Greatest Jokes of the Century, Book 14"  for a story about Nancy Pelosi.  http://www.snopes.com/politics/pelosi/captaincook.asp


Here is another from my "Profound Thoughts, Book 1"  http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Clarity


I just love it. Now I am a credible source. . .  Such a dubious distinction!

John Adams and Independence

After the members of the Second Continental Congress approved and signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776, John Adams wrote about the occasion in a letter to his wife Abigail, "I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding Generations as the great anniversary Festival." He suggested that it should, "Be commemorated as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shows, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more." It would be nice if some of our current batch of politicians would read the words of who came before them.

Abigail Adams

She was the first Second Lady and the second First Lady. She was the wife of  John Adams, who was the first Vice President and second President of the US.

She said something to remember around election time, "Many of our disappointments and much of our unhappiness arise from our forming false notions of things and persons."

Stephen Collins Foster

July 4 is important to U.S. history and on July 4, 1826, in addition to being the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, it was also the date both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died. It was also the birth date of Stephen Collins Foster.

Foster has been often cited as the father of American music and was the pre-eminent songwriter of the 19th century in the United States. He published his first song when he was only 18. His songs remain popular to this day, with such favorites as "Oh! Susanna," "Camptown Races," "Old Folks at Home" (known as "Swanee River"), "My Old Kentucky Home," and "Beautiful Dreamer." Foster was born and lived in what is now Pittsburgh (Lawrenceville). Doo Dah, Doo Dah!

Founding Fathers Papers

LINK  thousands of unpublished documents from our nation’s founders in a free online resource. Collected over many years by the Founders Documentary Editions, these letters and other papers penned by important figures such as James Madison, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson offer Americans of all ages and interests, a unique view of the early Republic.