Samuel Adams - Boston, MA
Posted by: 
silverquill
N 42° 21.453 W 071° 03.674
19T E 330249 N 4691533
Called by some the "Father of the American Revolution," Samuel Adams played a number of key roles leading up to the war, including influencing and signing the Declaration of Independence, and afterward as Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Waymark Code: WME1VR
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 03/22/2012
Views: 27
The Granary Burying Ground next to Park Street Church in the heart of Boston, is the resting place of a number of patriots of the American Revolution including John Hancock and Paul Revere. Samuel Adam's grave marker is near the south entrance.
Born in 1722 to staunch Puritan parents who were politically active, Samuel Adams was steeped in an atmosphere of public affairs and strict morality, which exerted a great influence on the course of his life. It was the political side of his life that captivated his passions, and he pursued these studies at Harvard, earning a masters degree. He turned his back on a law career, but found he was ill-suited to business and never became a wealthy man. In fact, years later, his friends bought him clothes to attend the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia.
The list of causes that he supported, or opposed, all favoring the rights of the colonies is long. Finally, he become one of the chief instigators of the opposition to the infamous Tea Act, that resulted in the so-called Boston Tea Party. The subsequent reactions of the British Crown led inevitably to open war. Samuel Adams, along with John Hancock, because of their leading roles in the opposition, became particular targets, but were never apprehended by British Forces.
Adams was a delegate to the Second Continental Congress in which he apparently had an influential role, and in 1776 became a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Adams was also a delegate on the committee to draft the Articles of Confederation, which were sent for ratification by the states in 1777.
After the war, Samuel Adams remained politically active in Boston, and was eventually elected Lt. Governor in 1789, became acting-governor upon the death of Gov. Hancock, and subsequently was elected to four terms. He retired in 1796, not seeking reelection, and died died on October 2, 1803, at the age of 81.
Source for the above biographical sketch from: Wikipedia: Samuel Adams.