Amid the many methods U.S. presidents have used to enrich their personal lives while in office, one has stood the test of time: pets. Pets of all sorts have accompanied nearly all U.S. presidents, and President John Adams was no exception.
Born in 1735 in Massachusetts, Adams graduated from Harvard when he was only 20 years old and became a lawyer.
According to UShistory.org, Adams quickly rose through the political circles in Massachusetts, gaining power and respect from his peers through his disapproval of the Stamp Act and his involvement in the patriot movement. In 1770, he became an elected member of the Massachusetts Assembly, and he was selected as one of five men to represent the colony of Massachusetts for the First Continental Congress in 1774. He was elected vice president under George Washington in 1789 and became the second president of the U.S. in 1796.
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Although the second president, Adams was the first to live in the White House. This means that his pets were the first to live in and around the White House, too.
The Presidential Pet Museum reported that Adams had a favorite horse, Cleopatra, and at least two mixed-breed dogs while living in the White House. The president's love for his horse spurred him to build the first White House stables.
The family also seemed to love dearly their two dogs, Juno and Satan. Although there are no records of the dogs' specific breeds, it is believed that they were both mixed breed. Juno and the first lady, Abigail Adams, were particularly close: she wrote fondly of the dog to family members and friends. The Presidential Pet Museum said she once wrote to her granddaughter, Caroline Smith, "If you love me … you must love my dog."
It is likely that Cleopatra, Satan, and Juno helped the president through some trying times in office, and it is obvious that they were valued members of the family.
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