1From Ward Nicholas Boylston to John Quincy Adams, 15 August 1826 (Adams Papers)
I meant to have addressed you, immediately after I heard of your arrival at Quincy, but my health & spirits have been so much affected by the painfull event, which has summond you to the house of mourning, that I have been unequal to it and even now I require greater consolations, than I am able to offer you—But alas? what is left me, it is only the hope that the mantle of my Dear and...
2To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 16 June 1826 (Adams Papers)
I am deeply sensible of all your kind feelings towards me, as express’d in your affectionate Letter of the 24th Ultimo. my wishes are in union with yours, that we were nearer each other, than we are, the sigh, is at present vain—I often contemplate a possiblity that if I sent my carriage & Thos. Alker a faithfull & well experienced driver, & you could feel strong enough to bear a ride of 10...
3From Ward Nicholas Boylston to John Quincy Adams, 29 May 1826 (Adams Papers)
As you are now relieved from congressional claims upon your time, & attentions, I venture to intrude on your leisure, by incloseing a Book containing some additional information respecting the first Introduction of Innoculation into North America by our ancestor Dr Zabdial Boylston, which may be usefull should you, at any future period be disposed to give more light upon the subject, than the...
4To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 29 April 1826 (Adams Papers)
I wrote before I left Roxbury expressing as I really felt my deep regret that I could not see you before I set out for this place—for the first since the 28’ of Jany I tried my strengh on Sunday last, but a ride of a mile wch I endured with wch the hope I should be able in the course of the week to have reachd Quincy, but the next day Tho’ Alken injured his hand so much as to render him...
5To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 22 April 1826 (Adams Papers)
I have from day, to day, for the last fortnight flatter’d myself with an improvement, so far as to enable me to take the air, but in this I have been sadly disappointed. The utmost I have been able to do has been to walk from one Room to another, & even that with pain—my feet and ancles, being so much enlarged, tho’ I conclude in some measure from long confinement, & in some degree from the...
6To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 13 April 1826 (Adams Papers)
I was made very happy in hearing by Mr G W. Adams (who was so kind as to Take his birth day dinner with us,) that you continued as well as you had been for sometime past—also that all our Friends at Washington were as we wish them in, perfect health— I have my Dear Cousin, sent another Barrell of the same Cask, from wch. the last I sent you was drawn,—if you find it as good I shall be...
7To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 27 March 1826 (Adams Papers)
Your kind concern for me, fills me with deep feelings of gratitude—I am as yet confined to my Room, where I been suffering varieties of pain & debility in so much that in various stages, I began to consider I shd never have the happiness of seeing you again—but after a hard conflict the violent inflamation in my lungs, yielded to a constant blistering of more than five weeks—& would have been...
8To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 19 January 1826 (Adams Papers)
It has been a great mortification to me, that in every attempt in every direction I have sought, I did not untill yesterday, succeed, in procureing the two Barrels of Cyder now sent—its declared to me, to be three years old, its perfectly clear & fit for immediate use. I wish you to taste it, & let me know if the quality that suits your palate—I have also sent half a Dozen pints of the same...
I am honor’d with your Letter of 8th of Novr with the devise & explanation, when which is truely beautifull & interesting. I shew’d to Mr Stuart with your wishes, he expressd great pleasure in Complying with them, but I regret to add, that in defiance of every persuasion of mine, & many of his Friends, Mrs Adam’s and your portraits, are as you last saw them. My first visit to Boston, after our...
10To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 6 October 1825 (Adams Papers)
You cannot Immagine the comfort your Letter of 22d Ultimo gave me I fear’d Indisposition had so far disabled you to dictate a Letter, as to leave me expossed to the contradictory accounts I now, & then had by transient visitors, who had heard from others something concerning your health; young Mr Quincy exceptd who gave me a more direct account of you, and since then thro’ Mr T P Davis who...
11From Ward Nicholas Boylston to John Quincy Adams, 4 October 1825 (Adams Papers)
You can hardly conceive the dissappointment and regret I felt from the Information I rec’d from my beloved Friend your Father of the 22d Ultimo, that he had no expectation of your being able to leave Washington this season,—two days after my despondency was dispel’d by the Public prints announcing your arrival at Philadelphia on your route to Quincy, in this however there was great alloy at...
12To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 28 June 1825 (Adams Papers)
It seems an age to me , since we parted, and have not since had any accounts from those who have visited me here what has been the state of your health since that period, the best evidence I have rec’d has been thro the medium of the public News papers, in one of wch. is given the toast you sent the charitable masonic association Dinner given to Gen. LaFayette. If I can draw an Inference from...
13To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 28 March 1825 (Adams Papers)
Your kind letter just rec’d is a Cordial to my spirits, in the lengthend days of my confinement to a sick room since the 22d of last January, without any exercise but that of patience, under pain and debility, or even a Rocking Chair to give releif— I am now convalesing, tho’ at one time I apprehended from the attack being similar, I was soon to follow Govr Eustis & Gen Brooks—& a multitude of...
14To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 27 March 1825 (Adams Papers)
I rejoice to hear you are in better health than when I left you on Sunday Evg and earnestly hope that your approaching birth day will give a promise of greater improvement—I count with impatience the pleasure we have promised ourselves of finding our hopes confirmd— Yesterday my Nephew my Sisters only Son arrived from England by the way of Canada—with your leave, we shall bring him to pay his...
15From Ward Nicholas Boylston to John Quincy Adams, 15 March 1825 (Adams Papers)
I had the pleasure to address our amiable friend Mr Adams last week, expressive of my Intentions of offering you my heartfelt felicitations on your elivation to the most honourable and important rank the Nation can confer— I have not its true, (from the enfused state of my health) been in the front rank of your Frinds who have at an earlier day offerd you their congratulations—but to this I...
16To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 14 February 1825 (Adams Papers)
Had I strength enough remaining to have left my Room, to which I have been confind by severe & threatening indisposition for more than Three weeks past, I should not have made my congratulations, and participations of Joy on the event wch has this morning been announced by the Election of your beloved Son to the Presidency— An event which I have been earnestly looking forward to for the last...
17To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 26 December 1824 (Adams Papers)
With deep concern I heard late last Eveng. that you had recently recieved a severe injury by a Fall as had at first appear’d to threaten your existance—I feel so much paind and anxious to know the cause as well as to hope that the effects of the injury has subsided, that I lose no time in making the enquiries, that I have sent my young man with this in the hope that I shall receive such...
18To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 30 August 1824 (Adams Papers)
Your affectionate Letter of 24th Ultimo, I had the pleasure to receve and would have acknowledged before this, had not the daily interruption of accidental visitants—and likewise an injury I rec’d from a restive Horse; an injury, (which at first I tho’t trivial) has been followed by effects which threatend a speedy abruption of all my worldly schemes & desires. I am still confin’d to the House...
19From Ward Nicholas Boylston to John Quincy Adams, 26 July 1824 (Adams Papers)
With sincere pleasure I rec’d the assurance of my beloved Friend, your Father, that you intended very soon to make him a visit—I use thus early to claim your and Mrs Adams’s flattering promise of passing sometime with us before your return to Washington—en route, either going to Quincy or returning thither:—as its now assertain’d by the establishment of a new post stage Line which passes thro...
20To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 18 July 1824 (Adams Papers)
With great pleasure I saw it announced in the public news papers that you was able to attend the celebration of the 4th Instant—it was at least an evidence that your Health & Strength had improved since the date of the last letter you favor’d me with—I have since been solicitous to gather from every wayfareing passenger thro’ this place who have called on me, what they knew or could learn of...
21To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 29 June 1823 (Adams Papers)
I lament to say, that I have been at this place two months, without a Line from you—or seeing any person, who had within that period seen you—I have some degree of pleasure in flattering myself, that you will releive my anxieties by a Letter in reply to one I wrote you a fortnight since.— The Inclosed Letter was closed to go by the Stage tomorrow morning, but Dr Thayer who preached here today...
22To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 14 June 1823 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you, for it was out of my power to see you before I left Roxbury for this place, and afterwards found my intentions of sending you some of that species of Fish you say, you are most fond of—and are only caught at one particular season—had been so far fullfilld as to be put into the Hands of a person who faithfully promised you should have them the day they were caught—I hope he...
23To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 27 April 1823 (Adams Papers)
My Dear and ever Honor’d And beloved Father and And Friend—For such I shall ever consider you.—it greives & mortifies me to think I am obliged to leave this place tomorrow Morning without the Happiness of seeing you—my Health for sometime back has been miserable indeed— I have rode out but twice, & that but a short distance, since last Thursday week; and since that , I found as much as I could...
24To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 20 September 1822 (Adams Papers)
Nothing but the want of Sight has delay’d the acknowledgement of your most kind Letter of the 24th Ultimo—it reminded me of an Inscription Cut out of the frontace piece of a Church, I went to see at Millnor viz Full, & Intire Indulgences, Granted for all Sins, Past, Present, & to come—what can I say in return—only that it is impossible I thus can say or willingly do any thing Not for a moment,...
25To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 21 August 1822 (Adams Papers)
When I rec’d your Letter dated from Badimage Hall, I then read it, according to the meaning of the French term—but I since find by the News paper of Saturday last, that it was in plain English—no joke—but that you have carried your truely magnificent Intention into immediate effect—the object as announced in the papers do not exactly define the purport of it as your Letter Mentions—no doubt...
26To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 29 July 1822 (Adams Papers)
How unfortunate I am, that I was not ealier informed of your magnificent intentions with respect to your establishment at Quincy—my Hundred Thousands would be some help to be sure, but a small one in comparison with the extended of the many that are to be blessed with it— But what will you say to me, when you hear of my building a large stone edifice on the summit of Wachusetts—for the...
27From Ward Nicholas Boylston to John Quincy Adams, 29 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
As you are in some degree releived from the pressure of Public Business, by the termination of congressional calls upon your labours—I avail myself of the leisure it may afford you in reading the Inclosed extract of a Letter recently rec’d from my worthy Friend Dr: Nicholls.—it may appear somewhat strange that he should refer to you in what he says about the slave trade.—but a few words will...
28To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 18 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
The promised extract of my old Friend Dr: Nicholls Letter, as given you in my Last Letter which went by Mail—is now Inclosed; it may serve to give you some information respecting the state of things in England, wch are not, likely to come in view thro’ the medim of the public papers—and some points wch. could be known among the parties Interested at those periods in events that were passing—I...
29To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 12 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
Nothing but an absolute impossibility prevented my seeing you at Quincy before I we came to this place—I was obliged to Employ every moment for a fortnight before I set out in settleing some very important pecuniary demands, wch. the death of any one of the parties (of which there were 6 in number), would have defer’d a close untill after my Death—I had agencys & attornies to attend to, in...
30To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 28 January 1822 (Adams Papers)
When I had the pleasure of meeting Judge Adams in Boston on Saturday last, & to whom I gave a Note wch I took out of the Post—he intimated that it was probable you would not want for a Snow Storm, but would indulge us with Happiness of seeing you & the family some day this week, wch I was rejoiced to hear, as every appearance of Snow has passed off without leaving enough to make it possible to...