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Primary sourceDocument6 June 1776

Signed Receipt by John Adams

John Adams · 6 June 1776

A handwritten receipt signed by John Adams in 1776, while he served as a Massachusetts delegate to the Second Continental Congress.

This receipt was signed by Adams himself during his time as a Massachusetts delegate to Congress.

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Handwritten receipt on aged, yellowed paper with a black border. Text reads: Durham June 6, 1776. Received of Mr. Nathaniel Demerit thirteen shillings and nine pence lawful money in full of what was due to me from the estate of Susanna Henderson deceased. Signed John Adams, underlined. Several small brown stains are visible.
Signed receipt by John Adams, 6 June 1776. National Museum of American History.

About this source

What it is

This is a handwritten receipt dated June 6, 1776, in which John Adams acknowledges receiving a payment of thirteen shillings and nine pence owed from the estate of Susanna Henderson. It is signed by Adams and held by the National Museum of American History.

Why it matters

Written at the very moment Adams was serving as a Massachusetts delegate to the Second Continental Congress, just weeks before independence was declared, this small personal document shows that even leading revolutionaries had ordinary financial affairs to manage alongside their historic political work.

Look closer

  • What does this receipt tell us about Adams's personal life apart from his political role?
  • Why might a simple financial document survive and end up in a museum collection?
  • What does the date tell us about what else was happening in Adams's life at this time?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of John Adams on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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