James Monroe

At a Glance

Term: 5th President of the United States (1817-1825)

Born: April 28, 1758, Westmoreland County, Virginia

Nickname: "The Last Cocked Hat," "Era-of-Good-Feelings President"

Education: College of William and Mary (graduated 1776)

Religion: Episcopalian

Marriage: February 16, 1786, to Elizabeth Kortright (1768-1830)

Children: Eliza Kortright (1786-1835), James Spence (1799-1800), Maria Hester (1803-1850)

Career: Lawyer

Political Party: Democratic-Republican

Writings: Writings (7 vols., 1898-1903), ed. by S. M. Hamilton; Autobiography (1959), ed. by Stuart G. Brown and Donald G. Baker

Died: July 4, 1831, New York City, New York

Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia

A Life in Brief: James Monroe was the last American President of the “Virginia Dynasty” -- of the first five men who held that position, four hailed from Virginia. Monroe also had a long and distinguished public career as a soldier, diplomat, governor, senator, and cabinet official.

John Quincy Adams

At a Glance

6th President of the United States (1825-1829)

Born: July 11, 1767, Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts

Nickname: "Old Man Eloquent"

Education: Harvard College (graduated 1787)

Religion: Unitarian

Marriage: July 26, 1797, to Louisa Catherine Johnson (1775-1852)

Children: George Washington (1801-1829), John (1803-1834), Charles Francis (1807-1886), Louisa Catherine (1811-1812)

Career: Lawyer, Senator, Diplomat

Political Party: Federalist, Democratic-Republican, Whig

Writings: Memoirs (12 vols., 1874-1877); Writings of John Quincy Adams (7 vols., 1913-1917)

Died: February 23, 1848, Washington, D.C.

Buried: First Unitarian Church, Quincy, Massachusetts

A Life in Brief: Reared for public service, John Quincy Adams became one of the nation’s preeminent secretaries of state, but he proved to be the wrong man for the presidency. Aloof, stiff-necked, and ferociously independent, he failed to develop the support he needed in Washington, even among his own party