1Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 8 January 1791 (Adams Papers)
I received, by Mr. King, your letter of December 30th. I am uneasy if I do not hear from you once a week, though you have not any thing more to tell me than that you and your little ones are well. I think you do perfectly right in refusing to go into public during the absence of Colonel Smith. The society of a few friends is that from which most pleasure and satisfaction are to be derived....
2Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 3 April 1790 (Adams Papers)
I congratulate you and my dear Neice upon the late happy event in your Family. can you really believe that you are a Grandmamma? does not the little fellow feel as if he was really your own. if he does not now, by that time you have lived a year with him, or near you, I question if you will be able to feel a difference. have you been so much occupied by these New cares as not to be able to...
3Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 September 1790 (Adams Papers)
I received by your Brother on fryday last your kind Letter; he did not get here, oweing to contrary winds untill the tenth. he appears to think of the Law, but I fear it is rather from necessity than inclination, and because he finds that his Father is fond of having him study it, and that he does not See any opening in any other buisness. I shall be better able to judge when your Father...
4Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 30 October 1791 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you upon my journey whilst I was at Brookfield the sunday after I left you and was sorry to find by your Letter, that you had not received it. I wrote to you from N york but have been so engaged in moveing, & so embarressd with company in the midst of it, tho only a complimentary call, that I have had scarcly a moment that I could call my own. it was kind in you [to l]et mr Cranch...
5Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 25 January 1791 (Adams Papers)
You must not flatter yourself with the expectation of hearing from Colonel Smith until the February packet arrives. It is as soon as you ought to think of it. You see by the papers, that a minister is in nomination from England, and Mrs. C—— writes, will come out soon. Mrs. P——, from whom I received a letter, writes me by the last packet, that Mr. Friere is certainly appointed from Portugal,...
6Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 18 April 1790 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favour of the 5 th Instant came safe to Hand. I know our interest at Braintree can be of very little Service to us, seperated as we are from it, and lying so much in Buildings. I do not know what benefit was last year derived from the great Garden but unless Bass could carry manure upon it, it would soon become good for very little. if any method could be devised by which the Rent...
7Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 25 December 1792 (Adams Papers)
Prince will bring this to you; the inclosed Letters I wish you to direct, the thin Paper, to your Father The other to Thomas; Prince is to return on thursday morg̃ by him send the papers and any Letters which you may have; if the weather should prove pleasent, I shall send a Horse for you on saturday. I have seen the dr since I wrote to you, and talkd with him about the meddow. he thinks that...
8Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 September 1792 (Adams Papers)
As we have some skitish persons in the Family who are apprehensive of the small pox, and of every Body from your infected city, we shall not have the pleasure of your company, nor the office a visit from you this week. your cousin Lucy informd me to day that you had a letter from your sister. pray send it me or such extracts from it as will inform me how she does and the col and Boys. I am...
9Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 6 February 179[1] (Adams Papers)
I received your kind Letter of Jan ry 7th by my son. in replie to the Buisness part, I think upon reflection and to save trouble, I would wish you to Loan my Notes as Trustee to me. I as well as many other should have liked the system of Finnance much better if the Faith pledged had been literally fullfilld; by the payment of Six pr ct interest, then let the new Loan have been fill’d at 4 or...
10Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 21 April 1790 (Adams Papers)
I received your two kind Letters of April 1 & 5 I am extreemly sorry to hear that mrs Norten is afflicted in the way that you write me she is, but tell her to keep up a good Heart. I can Sympathize in her Sufferings a Bath of Hot Herbs was the most salutary means made use for me. a poultice of Camomile flowers is also very good, but I hope she is relieved before this time. painfull experience...
11Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 3 October 1790 (Adams Papers)
do you not pitty me my dear sister to be so soon all in a Bustle? and wary of Removing again, as much Boxing and casing, as if we were removing to Europe. our furniture may well be stiled movables . the expence attending the various removals would very handsomely furnish one House. I feel low spirited and Heartless. I am going amongst an other new set of company, to form new acquaintances to...
12Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 18 December 1791 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you on the 27 of Nov br but company comeing in call’d me from my pen, and I have not since had leisure to reassume it. I have so little Time that I can call my own whilst here that I think when I return to Braintree I ought without suffering from any reflections to be able to live retired. on Monday Evenings our House is open to all who please to visit me. on twesdays my domestick...
13Abigail Adams to John Adams, 28 December 1793 (Adams Papers)
The weather is so extreemly cold that my Ink almost freezes whilst I write, yet I would not let a week pass without writing to you tho I have few occurrences to entertain you with; I received last saturday your two Letters one of the 12 and one of the 13th december; I have not yet had a Philadelphia paper. when the pamphlets are out containing the correspondence between the ministers I hope...
14Abigail Adams to John Adams, 29 December 1792 (Adams Papers)
I received your two kind favours of 7 th & 12 of this Month. I have written to you regularly every week since you left me. we have not had any deep snow since the first in which you was caught upon the road. the greater part of that soon left us, & has been succeeded by two slight snows of a few inches depth. the weather has however been steadily cold & generally with a clear Sun shine. I find...
15Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 30 May 1790 (Adams Papers)
your kind Letter of various dates came safe to Hand. I was allarmed at not hearing from you, & feard that you were all sick. the disorder termd the Influenza has prevaild with much voilence, & in many places been very mortal, particularly upon long Island. not a Creature has escaped in our Family except its Head, and I compounded to have a double share myself rather than he should have it at...
16Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 21 February 1791 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of February 13th, and was happy to learn that you and your little ones were well. I wrote to you by the Chief Justice, and sent your silk by him. He promised me to visit you, and from him you will learn how we all are. We have had, ever since this month began, a succession of bad weather, and, for this week past, the coldest weather that I have experienced this winter. The...
17Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 10 October 1790 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you last Sunday, and on Wednesday received your kind Letter. we have begun to pack up our furniture, and expect to get it on Board by the 20th perhaps we may make it later, but I hope not as the weather will every day become more & more uncomfortable. the Idea of going so much further from you is painfull to me, and would be more so if I did not hope to Spend the next summer with...
18Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 February 1792 (Adams Papers)
Tis a very long time since I wrote to you, or heard from you I have been more engaged in company than is my choice but living in Town has necessarily devolved more of it upon us than heretofore, and tho we have not seen more than in reality we ought to considering our publick Character, yet it is much of an Egyptian task, and fall some times much heavier upon me than my state of health will...
19Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 December 1793 (Adams Papers)
I inclose to you your Brothers Letter I should have Sent for you last saturday but I expected a snow storm. I suppose your Father has written to you. he is vex’d with the Printer for Publishing in three Numbers what ought all to have been in one. he says the writer of Columbus had better publish in a pamphlet by which a printer may get money, and as pamphlets are much in vogue at present....
20Abigail Adams to William Stephens Smith, 16 March 1791 (Adams Papers)
Although we have reason to expect, and hope for your speedy return, yet I would not let so good an opportunity as this, by the Portland packet, pass without writing you a few lines, partly to inform you, that your son is in perfect health, and has been so through the winter; that he is full of mirth and glee, and as fine a boy as you can wish him: and partly to congratulate you upon your...
21Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 November 1790 (Adams Papers)
perhaps a few lines from my own Hand may serve to put you more at your ease than an account of my Health from any other person. I have indeed had a very severe sickness in which both Body and mind sufferd, and the care which devolved upon me in consequence of my being in the midst of Removal I found too much for me. the least buisness put me into such a Tremour as would prevent my getting any...
22Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, after 8 January 1790 (Adams Papers)
I have to acknowledge two kind Letters from you which I should sooner have replied to, but the post office would make me pay more than I thought my Letters would be worth. the Members of both Houses have been more punctual in meeting this year than they were the last, & the third day they made a House. you will see, & I doubt not be pleased with the Presidents Speach. great National objects...
23Abigail Adams to Susanna Clarke Copley, [after 15 November 1792] (Adams Papers)
I was not a little Surprizd at receiving intelligence through mrs smith soon after her arrival that you had never received the Money for the Silk you was so good as to purchase at my request three years ago— I am extreemly sorry that your delicacy prevented you from giving me this information at an earlier period. most assuredly Madam I would not have askd such a favour for myself nor could I...
24Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 12 March 1791 (Adams Papers)
I was just going to set down to write to you, when I received your Letter of I am sensible I was much in Arrears to you, as well as to some other of my Friend’s Since the Recovery of Thomas we have had Health in our dwelling, for which I have great reason to be thankfull. I have been happy with my three sons round me, but a sigh of anxiety always hung about my Heart, for mrs smith who ought to...
25Abigail Adams to Elizabeth Smith Shaw, 20 March 1791 (Adams Papers)
I received, by Dr. W——, your kind letter of February 14th. He was very punctual to his commission. He has been three times to visit us. He came out this afternoon to let me know that he should leave Philadelphia on Tuesday. By him I have to thank my dear sister for three letters, and to confess myself much in arrears. ’Tis in vain to say that I have had a sick family; that I have had a large...
26Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 24 January 1790 (Adams Papers)
I embrace this opportunity By my Brother to write you a few lines tho it is only to tell you what you would have learnt from him, Namely that we are all well. he is come in persuit of Betsy Crosby. how well the child might have been provided for if the dr had lived, I cannot pretend to say, but two thirds of her property is already consumed, every minutia being charged to her as the account...
27Abigail Adams to John Adams, 26 November 1792 (Adams Papers)
Such has been the weather Since you left me, that I cannot form any accurate judgment where you now are. I sometimes conjecture that you are not farther than Brookfield. at any rate you must have had an unpleasent week, tho perhaps not so severe a snow storm as we have had here. Monday afternoon & all twesday it raind then cleard up very cold and blustering. on fryday came on a snow storm wind...
28Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 April 1791 (Adams Papers)
owing to an accident your Letter of April 1 t did not reach us till the 14 th I have got the power compleated and inclose it to the dr. I hope your trunk & the Porter which accompanied it came safe to Hand. I put in an article or two upon the top of the Trunk which if any opportunity offers you may send to Braintree. the Porter was directed to the care of mr Smith but I did not as I ought...
29Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 21–28 November 1790 (Adams Papers)
I suppose you wish to hear from me and from your little boy. He is very well, and very amusing, as usual; talks of William, and of the other papa; is as fond as ever of the “fosses,” and has a great edition to his amusement and pleasures from a flock of sheep, which are daily pastured by a shepherd and his dog upon the lawn in front of our house. Bush Hill, as it is called, though by the way...
30Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 25–29 March 1792 (Adams Papers)
I received your kind Letter of march eleventh yesterday. I wrote to you last week which was the first time I had been permitted to use my pen, or indeed was able too, for six weeks. I have not yet been out of my chamber. the weather has been very unfavourable this Month. I was to have tried the carriage to day but the weather is against me. I am so feeble & faint, if I move that I do not think...