1826 – Founding Fathers Thomas Jefferson (age 83) and John Adams (age 90) both pass away on this date.
Although Jefferson and Adams were both significant Patriots and Founding Fathers of the United States, after the institution of the Republic and Adams and Jefferson's presidencies they and their parties were adversaries and the two men didn't speak to one another for many years. Late in their lives, Adams finally reached out and over 14 years they developed a extremely warm friendship via letters. When Adams died, he reportedly said: "Thomas Jefferson still survives"...little did he know that Jefferson had died 5 hours earlier at Monticello exactly 50 years after Independence!
Adams and Jefferson were the last surviving members of the original American revolutionaries who had stood up to the British empire and forged a new political system.