He Liked To Dance

John Quincy Adams had to study dance in Europe as a young boy, possibly because his father was such a terrible dancer. However, he declared that dancing was "one of the most pure and sensible amusements that were ever conceived" and that he enjoyed it. From his undergraduate years until his 80th birthday, he went to dances. He considered making fun of bad dancers to be petty, which was a sign of his nature. This is one of the interesting facts about John Quincy Adams.

John Quincy Adams used dancing to relieve boredom from his laborious studying and to practice his pride and prejudice. They made Haverhill livable for him. There was just one issue. The dominating Baptist pastor in the community wanted dancing outlawed because he was "violently opposed to it."

The Reverend Hezekiah Smith was a formidable figure. He had the distinction of having preached in every colony. He was a ferocious reform Baptist preacher and former chaplain in the Revolutionary War. In the same sentence, at times, he was described as being both elegant and menacing. "A son of thunder to the wicked, and a son of solace to the saints," said one individual who witnessed him preach. Someone else remarked, "His preaching made my very soul quake."