calendar HISTORY OF THE 4th OF JULY
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Perhaps no one person is more associated with the 4th of July in American History than Thomas Jefferson, probably because he penned the immortal Declaration of Independence. Though friends in their youth, disagreements separated Thomas Jefferson and John Adams in later years. They were eventually reconciled toward their twilight years and though they never saw each other again after Adams left the White House to be replaced by Jefferson, in the last 14 years of their lives they exchanged 156 letters, some of them quite warm.

They both died on the same day, July 4th, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, two of the last three signers. At the age of 91 John Adams died that afternoon, his last words were, "Thomas Jefferson still lives." But Jefferson would have said "wrong, as usual." In his last days his health had failed and he passed in and out of consciousness. On the 4th of July, 1826 just a few hours before Adams died -- in his home in Monticello, Virginia -- surrounded by his daughter and some special slaves, shortly after noon, at the age of 83, Thomas Jefferson died. His last words were, "Is it the 4th?"

Bill Petro, your friendly neighborhood historian