121Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 6 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Tyler has this moment reciev’d a Letter from Cousin Nabby by Captn. Lyde. I hope there are some in Boston for me. I have not heard one word from you Since you left England. The time has appeard very long. The Scenes you are now ingag’d in are so very different from any of your former ones, that I fear you will not have so much time to devote to your Pen as your Friends could wish. I am all...
122John Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 December 1788 (Adams Papers)
Before this time I hope you have the Happiness to See your Daughter out of all Danger and your Son in Law and your two grand children in perfect health. I have no Letter from you, Since that you wrote at Hartford, and I cannot find fault because this is the first I have written to you. We are all very well, and go on very well. Charles came home and Thomas went to Haverhill, last Week.— We are...
123Mary Palmer to Abigail Adams, 11 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
This is the fourth attempt my Dear Madam that I have made to reply to your unmerited favour of the 30th. of April last, long since reciev’d, but ill health and dejection of Spirit have hinder’d me from writing, for what cou’d I write that cou’d give you half the entertainment, that excellent Letter gave us? Nothing certainly; I will not therefore attempt it. Your recollection of the Scenes of...
124Charles Storer to Abigail Adams, 21 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
I am persuaded you will be pleased with this letter, if you were not ever before with one from me, because in the first place, it will inform you of my safe arrival among my friends, and at the same time may give you some information respecting yours. I write you therefore with pleasure on my part. Our arrival here be assured was attended with much satisfaction on all sides. I need not paint...
125Elizabeth Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 2 January 1786 (Adams Papers)
Yes! My Dear Sister, Mr. and Mrs Allen are just gone from here, and carried away my Betsy Smith to tarry a few Days with them. After sleeping four years, he rose up like a Lion. He kept the Carpenters to work upon his House, till nine Clock at Night, and before the new painted and papered Rooms were really fit to go into, he harnessed two Horses, put them into a Sleigh, and set out on Friday...
126John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 6 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
I am afraid my dear Mamma, will accuse me again of neglect for not having written to her, since I left her, before now; several Circumstances have concurred to prevent me; and among the rest, the want of an opportunity to convey any Letters; the stagnation of commerce, has of late been so great; that no vessel since my arrival, at Boston has sailed from thence to any port in Great Britain, and...
127From Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 9 August 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
It is an age since I have had the honor of a letter from you, and an age and a half since I presumed to address one to you. I think my last was dated in the reign of king Amri, but under which of his successors you wrote, I cannot recollect. Ochosias, Joachar, Manahem or some such hard name. At length it is resumed: I am honoured with your favor of July 23. and I am at this moment writing an...
128Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 22 December 1787 (Adams Papers)
I last week heard from all your sons they were well. After this you may read on calmly— We are all well excepting great colds & coughs. I think in this Letter I shall not have to mention the death of any new Friend many very many of my Letters have convey’d the sorrowful tydings of some dear Friend departed, & if you should live to return to us you will find vacancys which will draw Tears from...
129Elizabeth Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 8 February 1787 (Adams Papers)
My Uncle Smith has been so kind as to send me word this Morning, that a Nephew of Mr Gill’s was to sail for London, in a Vessel from Boston next Saturday. Though I fear I shall not get a Letter into Town soon enough, yet I will write, a few Lines (though I have nothing very particular to communicate,) hoping I may meet with some favourable Conveyance. The State of our publick Affairs engrosses...
130Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 21 May 1787 (Adams Papers)
I rec d. your several Letters of Jan y. 24. Feb y. 8 t & March the 10 th. by Cushing, Barnard & Scott who all arrived in the latter End of April. Before the Receipt of M r. Adams Letter I had purchased the Half of the House & Land occupied by Belcher at £70— although it appeared to me to be dear— yet as it stood connected with your Land and the other half of y r. Building would go to Ruin...
131Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 5 January 1786 (Adams Papers)
I have to thank you for your Communications of Sept and Octob. which came to Hand. And I have many Things which I wish to write but must confine myself to some few matters that have relation to your Affairs. Your Bro Adams informs me that he has your Note for £30. I wish to know whether you would have me discharge it. I this day paid your Mohr. Hall 5 Dolrs. for the ft. Quarter having...
132John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 1 August 1787 (Adams Papers)
At length the scene of my collegiate life is closed, and about a fortnight ago I made a public exit from the university: by the public papers you will have some account of the performances of the day. In one of them (the centinel) you will see it very positively asserted that Freeman, who spoke the other oration is my indisputable superior in style, elegance and oratory. in another paper that...
133Elizabeth Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 1 November 1786 (Adams Papers)
Two Vessels arrived from London while I was upon my little southern Tour. It was in vain that I enquired after Letters directed to me. “You have received one from Mrs Smith.” Yes, It was a sweet Morsel, it informed me of her Marriage, but not half enough to reperuse by our chearful fireside, no particulars of the proceedings , to satisfy the Curiosity of an hundred inquiring Friends. I cannot...
134Elizabeth Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 12 June 1785 (Adams Papers)
I have but just returned, my much loved Sister, from my Southern Excursion. You know how agreeable these always were to me. To see, and to visit my Friends constitutes a great part of my Happiness. To behold the Smile of Benevolence and Friendship, heightened by the Ties of Relationship is a rich ingredient in the Cup of Life. The pleasure it gives cannot be described, but we find, that indeed...
135John Adams to Abigail Adams, 8 November 1783 (Adams Papers)
I have this Day, by Special Permission from their Majesties obtained by Mr. West the Painter who with Mr. Copely do so much honour to our Country, Seen the Appartements in the Queens House, as it is called, or Buckingham House. It is a great Curiosity indeed. There is an inestimable Collection of Paintings by the greatest Masters, Raphael, Rubens, Vandyke, and many others. There is one Room...
136Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 27 May 1787 (Adams Papers)
I went to Boston yesterday & had the mortification to find my Letters did not go by Barnard or Davis although they had been on Board each of them. they got to town just as the vessels were sailing. Knox the Pilot took them as he was going on Board, & promiss’d to deliver them to the captain, but forgot it So after wearing them in His Pockit four or five days he return’d them as dirty as I...
137Elizabeth Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 23 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
Mr Sparhawk called for my Letter Just as I was giving you an account of my Aunt Smith’s Death. I was going to tell you that Mr Thaxter had lost his youngest Sister, Mrs Cushing, who had been married about 15 months died in Child-bed. Upon finding herself ill, they sent for Dr Barker, but before he got there, she was seized with Convulsion Fits, from which she never reccovered. She has a fine...
138Katherine Hay to Abigail Adams, 7 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
I intended writing you before this but have been waiting very impatiently for letters from Mr. Hay, (but hitherto in vain) as they will fix the time of my leaving France. I have expected my next letter to you wou’d be to ask the favour of you to take a lodging for me, but I am now under the Necessity of troubling you very unexpectedly upon an affair that has given me a good deal of uneasiness....
139Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 12 January 1786 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you last Week by Capt Lyde, expecting that He would have sailed the next Day. I find that He is still here And as Mr. Jenks the Bearer hereof, is going in his Vessell I am loth to omit the favourable opportunity of writing by Him. I propose to send by Him Our December Magazine, in which you will find a succinct Accountt of the Proceedings of the Genl Court in their last Session and...
140Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 21 July 1787 (Adams Papers)
The Day—the mighty Day is over, & our Sons have perform’d their Parts—& receiv’d the Honour of the college in a manner which will do them credit while they Live— never did you see two Happier Faces than theirs when they return’d from meeting— I do not believe they will ever feel so happy again— If to excell where all did well—can give pleasure your Son must feel a peculiar one. He has a...
141Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 19 August – 1 September 1787 (Adams Papers)
The vacancys of our Sons always produces a hurry in our business & although we endeavour to keep every thing in good order for them from week to week—yet when they come home they have many wants which we could not foresee— we have sent your two youngest Sons in good health & good repair to college & are now fixing your eldest for Newbury & our own for Boston Cousin Tom has made a visit to...
142John Cranch to Abigail Adams, 7 November 1786 (Adams Papers)
Being much ignorant of the republican distinctions of preeminency in title, as well as of American etiquette in general, I must anticipate your pardon for any errors in that kind, while I acknowledge the honor of your Excellency’s obliging letter and present of books: Both have afforded me great satisfaction; only the latter moving now and then, to some untempered gusts of resentment against...
143John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 4 June 1785 (Adams Papers)
I had a few days since the pleasure of your favor of the 20th. of March last. Your reproofs are always accompanied with so much delicacy, that the reproved forget the Censor in the Friend. I confess I have been strangely inattentive to my friends on your Side of the Atlantic, and that I am entitled to a large Share of their Remembrance. ’Tis but an indifferent Apology to say, that I seldom...
144Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 14 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your agreable Letter of May. 10. from Auteuil I received by your Son. His Absence You will feel and I do not wonder that you parted with him with Regret as his Ability to relieve his Parents from many Cares and Burdens must have been great. He is now pursuing his Studies with his Uncle Shaw, more especially in the Latin and Greek Languages. In other Respects he was qualified to have entered in...
145Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 22 February 1787 (Adams Papers)
I am to acknolege the honor of your letter of Jan. 29. and of the papers you were so good as to send me they were the latest I had seen or have yet seen. They left off too in a critical moment; just at the point where the Malcontents make their submission on condition of pardon, and before the answer of government was known. I hope they pardoned them. The spirit of resistance to government is...
146William Stephens Smith to John and Abigail Adams, 8 August 1786 (Adams Papers)
We were pleased by the receipt of yours of the 5th. inst. from Harwich, to find that your jaunt to that period and place had proved so agreable, you have our earnest wishes for its continuance. But we have been apprehensive since, that the fine Sun and fair Brieze which invited you on board in the morning, forsook you before, you had crossed the Channel. At this place, the after part of the...
147Elizabeth Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 14 February 1789 (Adams Papers)
You cannot think how mortified & grieved I was, by being so unexpectedly disappointed, of seeing my dear, long absent Friends last night— Mrs Smith had kindly given me information of the intended Visit—& as the Weather was uncommonly fine, though it had injured the smoothness of the road in some measure, yet here it was no impediment to any ones business— In the full assurance of seeing you...
148Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 19 April 1785 (Adams Papers)
It is now a violent Snow Storm (PM) and I hope it will be the last for this Spring, for the Snow has been on the Earth through the Winter and from January to the first Instant the Sledding has continued; on the 26th. of March I rode to Abington, from Mr. Williams’s Meeting House, in one of the Roads for near two Miles the Snow was level with the Walls and the Crust so hard as to bear my Horse,...
149Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 2 February 1788 (Adams Papers)
The silk you desired was delivered to mr̃ Parker a month ago, on the eve of his departure for England, as he supposed. he went however to Holland. mr̃ Valnay is so kind as to take charge of that now, as also of the silk stockings. I doubt whether you may like the stockings on first appearance: but I will answer for their goodness, being woven expressly for me by the Hermits of Mont Calvaire...
150Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 9 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
The vacancy is up and our Sons are just return’d to their Studies at college. Were they Brothers they could not be fonder of each other than they now are. They have spent eight or Ten days at Haverhill, and have rov’d about visiting their Friends till they both long’d heartily for the methodical Life they left at Cambridge. I have promiss’d them a chamber and a Fire too themselves if they...