1To John Adams from Tobias Lear, 15 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
It is with inexpressible grief that I have to announce to you the Death of the Great and the Good General Washington. He died last evening between ten and eleven O’clock, after a short illness of about twenty hours. His disorder was an inflamatory sore throat, which proceeded from a cold, of which he made but little complaint on Friday.—On Saturday Morning, about three o’clock, he became ill....
2To John Adams from Tobias Lear, 1 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have duly received, by the hands of Mr Shaw, the letter which you did me the honor to write on the 24th of December;—and have communicated to the Family at this place, your kind assurances of regard and sympathy; for which they request you to accept their grateful and respectful acknowledgements.— For the feelings which you have had the goodness to express for my loss, I am truly...