I gave the Portrait of my beloved and lamented Sister your dear Mother, to mine, without reserve and to be disposed of at her pleasure—And however gratifying it would be to me, to be the possessor of it myself, I acknowledge your still stronger claim to it, and were it mine to give away again, would ask your acceptance of it—I have no such powers for it is yours, by the donation of her to whom...
There is but one copy of the “Epistle to my Mother” extant, and that is an unfinished fragment—I should be very unwilling that another copy of it should be taken especially in its present situation condition. It was written exclusively for the eyes of her to whom it was addressed, and of my father; and with the exception of perhaps twenty lines at the close, inspired by the grateful affection...
I return the enclosed letter according to your desire, painfully regretting, that I can not consistently with my sense of my duties, comply with the wish of the writer; and yours in his behalf. The reasons of this I cannot fully explain to you, but I trust you will be assured they are not incompatible with that ardent and sincere affection to which you so forcibly appeal, & the power of which...
The Executors of the last Will and Testament of John Adams, late of Quincy deceased, enclose herewith a Copy of the said Will, in which you are interested as Devisees. We also deem it proper to give you notice that the said Will has been proved before the Judge of Probate for the County of Norfolk in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. That we have given the bond required by law for the return...
The Executors of the last Will and Testament of John Adams deceased, have proceeded to the Execution of the said Will, by receiving payment from John Quincy Adams of ten thousand dollars, with interest thereon from the time of the Testators decease, in fulfilment of the Conditional devise to him of the Homestead Estate here, and by making Sale, so far as has been practicable, of all the rest...