John Adams was the second president of the United States. He had five children and a wife named Abigail Smith. He was in office March 4, 1797 – March 4, 1801. Adams's parents were devout Puritans, and members of the Old South Congregational Church. The family lived on Purchase Street in Boston. The younger brother,Samuel Adams, attended Boston Latin School and then entered Harvard College in 1736. His parents hoped that his schooling would prepare him for the ministry, but Adams gradually shifted his interest to politics. Adams first rose to prominence as an opponent of the Stamp Act 1765, which was imposed by the British Parliament without consulting the American legislatures.