One of the Founding Fathers of the United States, he was a delegate of the Continental Congress and signed the Articles of Confederation.

[1] His father was a native of London, England, who settled in Virginia previous to 1714 and received grants in Henrico and New Kent counties.

[2] His first political position was as a clerk of Henrico County and vestryman of that parish, from 1757 to 1761, and later a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses, and churchwarden until 1762.

He became chairman of the New Kent County Committee of Safety and signed the Virginia Association entered into by the House of Burgesses, on May 27, 1774.

[1] Adams was chosen as a delegate from Virginia to the Continental Congress in 1778 and 1779,[2] and signed the Articles of Confederation.