1From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 3 May 1824 (Adams Papers)
I have recieved your letter of the 26 ulto. If the proposition which you say has been made to you, is the express desire of my father & it was by his direction that you made it me; & if on the receipt of this letter, he continues to desire that the house should be painted white, I authorize you to comply with his wishes; provided it can be done without inconvenience to the tenant of the house;...
2From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 3 October 1821 (Adams Papers)
List of Keys, left at Quincy by J. Q. Adams—with T. B. A. 1. Padlock large French trunk— marked J. Q. A. 2. Chest—not painted do 3. Chest do do 4. Mahogany box— 5. Small black trunk 6. Trunk de la Volaille 7. Large Hair Trunk. MHi : Adams Papers.
3John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 9 June 1801 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you last week that I expected to sail on board the Catherine, Captain Ingersoll, from Hamburg for New-York— But he goes so much sooner than I expected, that I am unable to take the advantage of this opportunity, and shall be obliged to wait for another— Perhaps even, I may embark for Philadelphia, though from various reasons I am averse to going there; balanced only by the single...
4John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 27 January 1804 (Adams Papers)
We have this day a sort of Holiday, to rejoyce for the acquisition of our new Territories— The Members of Congress of both Houses are to dine together— [The] federalists who opposed the cession however do not join in the party— Those of us who approved the measure, are to be of the feast—where we at least shall find not much congeniality. You will find in the inclosed papers numerous and very...
5John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 16 January 1780 (Adams Papers)
I am always happy to find an opportunity of conversing with you, as we cannot verbally do this it is our duty to do it by writing. I now have a good opportunity to write a few lines to you by Captn. Lovett in a Ship belonging to Mr. Cobet of Beverly, but I can write but a few lines to you for I must write to all my Freinds. We have had the worst 3 Weeks that ever I pass’d in my life. Bad...
6From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 4 July 1812 (Adams Papers)
Since the original of my last letter was written, I have received no letters from America, but there are newspaper Accounts and letters to other persons untill late in May—Universal War seems to be blazing out all at once—Here it has already commenced— I had indulged a faint hope that the tragical catastrophe which terminated the days of Spencer Perceval, was intended by Providence in Mercy to...
7John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 2 September 1792 (Adams Papers)
I believe I am in arrears with you, for two or three Letters, which is owing in some measure to my indolence, but in a greater degree to the stagnation of events worthy of communication— The purpose of my present Letter is to enquire of you respecting a warrant from the Treasury for some money, which it seems must be sent here to be signed by your father before it can be sent back for payment....
8From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 9 March 1818 (Adams Papers)
You have here enclosed, a draft on the United States Branch Bank at Boston to the order of Charles Newcomb, for 172 dollars 54 Cents, being the amount of dividends on the six and three per Cent Stocks due to him standing on the Books here, and for which I have signed receipts as his Attorney. The payment comes down to the second Quarter of 1816—inclusive—Upon the subject of the other...
9John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 13 August 1794 (Adams Papers)
Col l: Hamilton arrived in Philadelphia, the night before you left it, but from the pressure of business more immediately urgent, was not prepared for me untill last Friday. On that Evening I left the City, in company with Gen l Knox, and arrived here (quite overcome with fatigue, and somewhat unwell of the complaint which you brought from the same place) on Saturday at about 6 in the Evening....
10John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 24 March 1796 (Adams Papers)
M r: Clagett has this moment delivered me your favour of the 29 th: ult o: and informs me that he goes again for Holland to-morrow morning. I have therefore only time to tell you that I am still waiting for that permission to return which I have been more than two months in hourly expectation of receiving. My detention here is doubly mortifying from the consideration that as my presence is...
11From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 28 June 1819 (Adams Papers)
It is only within these very few days that I have found a moment of time to examine the particulars of your account with me for the year 1818 which you transmitted to me last January, upon which, I find occasion to make very few, and unimportant remarks—Under date of 20. June it gives credit for $550.. Dividend from the Fire and Marine Insurance Office, instead of which it should be the...
12John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 2 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have just now wrote to my Brother charles & you would not like it if I did not write to you also. but now I have my pen in my hand what shall I write you about for you do not encourage by writing to me; you should ask mamma to write for you I have wrote very often to you but Mamma says that you have not recd. but once from me but I hope that you have recd. some more before now surely you...
13From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 18 December 1818 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letters of 29th. Novbr.—4 and 5 Decemr. 6th. and 7th. December—numbered 5. 6. 8. 9. with the correspondence between you and the Society for the suppression of Intemperance at Hanover enclosed in number 6 and the copy of your Letter to Mr Rush, enclosed in number 9 which copy conformably to your request I herewith return.— Before receiving these last two Letters I had...
14From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 22 March 1824 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters of 29. Decr. (enclosing your annual account) and of 4. February last have been duly received, but I have not had, and have not yet time to examine or remark upon them. I must rely upon your discretion for the management of those concerns of mine in your hands to which it is impossible for me now to attend— My present object is to transmit the enclosed Letter from the Secretary of...
15From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 20 August 1812 (Adams Papers)
Since I wrote you last, I have had no letter from you, or indeed from any person in the United States. The Embargo, and the Declaration of War, have effectually superseded all arrivals here directly from America. To this general fact there is an exception occasioned by the Declaration of War itself.—A Pilot Boat was on the 22d of June dispatched from New York by certain Merchants of that City...
16From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 30 March 1808 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your kind attention to my affairs, as detailed in your last Letter which I have received within these two days— I confide entirely in your judgment and discretion, and shall approve of any arrangements you shall make for the present disposal of my farm— R. Dexter holds or held a note from me of a little more than three hundred dollars—I left a request with Shaw to pay it as...
17John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 11 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
I Now Sit Down to inform You That I have Safely arrived at Paris which we Did on Wednesday evening when We went to 3 hotels Before we could Procure a Lodging which we Did for 2 days the next Morning we Went To a place Calld Passy where we found Dr franklin his Son and some other Gentlemen where we stayd about an hour when Mr. Deanes son and another Gentleman and I Went about the City which we...
18John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 15 October 1803 (Adams Papers)
I presume you had not left Bristol two hours before we arrived there— Your advice to us to stop at the Fox-Chace, we could not follow— For we should not have known how to get forward— Neither can we go into the City, because, if we did they would exclude us from Baltimore.— We are now at Dover’s—The Rising Sun—Close by the Bridge— We shall stop here to-morrow, and proceed on Monday— We hope...
19From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 3 July 1818 (Adams Papers)
They have at length found on the Books of the Bank, the dividend of 24 dollars due to your father, and have given me for it the check on the Branch Bank at Boston which is herewith enclosed—I shall pass over to the proper office in the War Department, the Affidavit in behalf of William Oliphant, and as soon as I can get information of what has been done in the case of Peter Ellins will inform...
20John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 14 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
I last week informed you that I had withdrawn from Amsterdam all the stocks I held there, and had remitted to M r: King, in London fourteen hundred pounds sterling, for which I authorised you to draw, and requested you to place the proceeds in the most advantageous manner; but not in any institution or fund depending upon our national Union; for the generality of our Countrymen are so far from...
21From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 24 June 1826 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter of the 17th. with deep concern at the purport of its contents—I will endeavour towards the close of the next, or the beginning of then succeeding month to visit you and our ever honoured Parent—In the mean time should any thing further occur to make it necessary for me still more to anticipate the period of my journey, I rely upon your attention and affection to...
22From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 23 May 1817 (Adams Papers)
Since my last letter to you, which was of 28 February I have received yours of 6 and 12 Feby both numbered 24. of 19 Feby. N 25. & of 13 april N. 26 with all their enclosures. Mr Ogdens Bill for £877.10. has also been duly received and paid. I am now so much hurried by the preparations for my departure that I have no time to trouble you with observations upon my affairs. The only instruction I...
23From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 22 February 1819 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter N. 12 of the 14th. instant is before me—I approve of every thing which can contribute to the comfort of my father’s life: and of every thing which may at the same time contribute to your welfare and that of your family—Though I do not fully perceive in what manner my assistance can be required for your removal to his house, I am not aware of any manner in which, I shall hesitate to...
24John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 20 November 1793 (Adams Papers)
Your father will be the bearer of this Letter, and probably will find you at Philadelphia, which our late accounts represent as being totally free from the pestilence, which raged with so much violence for two or three months.— Remember however and be cautious— In the midst of the general calamity, for which your friends participate in the general affliction, they recollect with pleasure,...
25From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 26 November 1804 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 14th: came to hand Saturday Evening—24th: I suppose you were not inconsolable at the loss of your election, and that your expectations had not been raised very high of a different issue—As to the electoral Ticket, I am certainly not one of those who can say I told you so—Nor am I one of those who can say I am not sorry for it—But I do not think crimination against any body can be...
26From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 19 August 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have now barely time to enclose you a Press-Copy of my last Letter; the original of which I sent to England, to be forwarded by the earliest opportunity from thence. It is of no inconsiderable importance to me, and I must request your particular attention to the enquiry, how you have disposed of the balance of $2528..26 due to me on your account ending 31. December 1810; and why you have...
27John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 2 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
I arrived here last Evening and this morning received your cover, enclosing the Letter from the Secretary of the Treasury.— There are Letters here from America, as late as the 29 th: of April. M r: Murray had then sailed so that he may be looked for every day. I have not yet seen M r: Damen, and of course have made no arrangements. I shall make none immediately for my own departure. I feel a...
28John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 16 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
I cannot send you a duplicate without adding a line to it; for there is a pleasure in knowing that our distant friends are well, though but one day later than we have already heard from them We have been spending several days at Charlottenburg with D r Brown’s family, and Louisa’s health which never fails to droop at Berlin in the summer, has derived benefit from it— To morrow morning we set...
29From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 3 February 1818 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letters of 13 and 17 Jany, the Letter numbered 7. and enclosing your account to the close of the year—The other two Powers of Attorney, both of which I am obliged to return to you re infecta . Mr. Cutting’s Letter will explain to you the state of things with regard to the Land-Claims, and you must ascertain whether you can furnish the proof required As to the Stock, the...
30From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 2 July 1825 (Adams Papers)
In compliance with your letters of 2d and 23d ulto. I have executed a deed of my share of Land in Salem Vermont, which as soon as I can get it acknowledged, I will forward to Mr Baxter at Brownington I am not certain whether you intended to advise that I should buy out the rights of the heirs of Norton Quincy to the Wood Lot which you mention. If you do I shall readily consent to the purchase;...
31From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 8 February 1805 (Adams Papers)
I have two or three letters from you which I am afraid will never be answered in the manner all your letters deserve to be answered; but I know you will make all the proper allowances for my situation, and the shortness of my Time.—There is however a question or two which I can no longer delay to answer.—And first; respecting the enlargement of the Meeting-House, I have to say that I cannot...
32From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 13 February 1818 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of 5 Feby. has been received.—I shall attend to its contents as it regards Mr S. Codman, if the Bankrupt Law should pass—But I recommend no kinsman of mine for any thing—I think the proposed Bill for making national Justices of the Peace will not be adopted but if it should, and your name should be proposed as a Candidate there will be opposition—You know I presume that there is a...
33From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 17 January 1825 (Adams Papers)
The Laws of descent, & of devisee of intestate are so intricately involved in the case stated by your letter of the 9th. instt. & it may be so much affected by Statutes of the Commonwealth passed since I was in the practice of the Law, that I can only say that I will sanction any act of my father which can dispose of my eventual title to a portion of the estate So far as I understand your...
34From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 18 May 1818 (Adams Papers)
On examining the Register which you sent me, I find that your Court sits at Nantucket the second and at Edgar Town the third Monday in May—This Letter may therefore find you, upon your return home—At the same time I trust you may will also receive the Register just published here, and also the Intelligencers containing the five Letters on Amelia Island. You must give me more particular...
35John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 29 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
I having wrote to my Mamma Sister and Brother Charles it is my duty to write to you also for if I do not write to you how can I expect that you will write to me for which reason I write to you as often as I can as you must also to me. Providence my dear Brother has seperated us so that we cannot expect to see one another very soon but there is yet one consolation Left us which is that we are...
36From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 5 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 24th. ulto. with the draft on the Branch Bank for 3000 Dollars in received.—Messrs: Payne and Co wrote me lately mentioning the opinion of our friend Mr. Jos: Stall Senior, that there would be no dividend upon the Canal Shares next January.—I immediately answered them that if that was now their own opinion, I wished them to suspend further purchases on my account.—I say the same...
37John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 2 April 1803 (Adams Papers)
The House of Bird, Savage and Bird have stop’d payment, and probably the bill I drew upon them which you negotiated last November, will come back protested— In that case, settle the amount to be paid, with the indorsee duly entitled to it, who may call upon you; let me know the amount and I will send you a post note for it— Be careful to see that the protest and proceedings have all been...
38John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 2 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
I am very much gratified to find by your favour of the 26 th: that your Journey from Brussels was so pleasant, and that you are so well satisfied with what you had seen.— I shall request Mess rs: Moliere to extend your credit with their correspondents at Paris. There is a Danish vessel going to Lisbon from Amsterdam in the course of three weeks or a month. I shall go to Amsterdam in a few days...
39John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 27 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your very laconic favour enclosing a draft upon the bank for 500 dollars which I shall pay over according to your directions. We are in great apprehension of being forced into a War. The last intelligence we have from the West Indies is that they capture and condemn all our vessels without discrimination— A Man arrived yesterday with an account of more than thirty sail...
40From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 8 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 25 last Month; contains some particulars relating to my property the condition of my Estate in Boston, which as you anticipated, were not altogether welcome None however that gave me so much concern, as your declining ill management of it for the future.—Yet as it is so essential to your happiness to be relieved from it I cannot insist upon your retaining it any longer; and...
41From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 19 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
Your N. 5. of 2. and 4. January has been duly received As I have but little time to think of my own affairs, I have every thing of mine in your hands, at your discretion—In the way of advice only, I think it best not to purchase Armstrong’s land—With Homer, and Spear, and all other tenants you must do as you think proper, and for the Rent of the house in which you dwell, fix it at your own...
42From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 21 November 1814 (Adams Papers)
Mr: Nichols who gave the promissary note of which I now enclose the duplicate saild in the Chauncy from Ostend for Newyork on the first of this month—By the same Vessel I wrote you a Letter of which the within is a copy, and conformably to which I wish you to obtain payment and so dispose of the money. I retain the triplicate in my own hand, of the note, and request you to give me notice as...
43John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 9 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
Mess rs: Moliere, will this day extend your credit with their correspondent at Paris, to the amount of 4000 livres more. This I presume will amply suffice for your occasions. I requested you by my last letter, to be here not later than the 25 th: of this month. There is to be a Ball on that day at the Hotel de Suéde. The Count desires me to tell you, that you will be very much wanted as a...
44From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 12 September 1820 (Adams Papers)
I have to reply to at least three Letters to you, the reason of which I will tell you hereafter, if it please God—At present I only write to give you full power to do with my Penn’s Hill farm and both the Houses as you think best.—The same with that at Mount Wollaston—except that you must not strip the latter of any good wood—And beware of running me too much in debt for repairs. I was much...
45John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 22 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I am once more settled down in a school and am very content with my situation. I was the other night at the Foire St Germain in Paris which is a publick place and full of curiosities. We went and saw a Woman who (in truth) was not very tall but who weigh’d 450 weight. The large part of her arm was as big round as my body and she cover’d With her thumb a Crown peice. Her thimble was big enough...
46From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 4 November 1819 (Adams Papers)
On the 7th. of last Month, I left at the Branch Bank, Boston, a Check payable to you, requesting it might be passed to your credit, as my agent, which was no doubt accordingly done, and which as you recollect was to be reserved to pay for the timber, for which you had agreed, for building the Barn upon the Mount Wollaston farm, and for the work and other expenses of building it—The check was...
47From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 3 December 1826 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 26th. ulto. with one from President Kirkland enclosed in it, and your answer were received yesterday—I suppose the genealogical narrative in your Letter, contains all the information that he may desire—It comprizes as much of the family history as we have to tell for a century preceding the birth of your father—The short and simple annals of the poor—If I had leisure, I...
48John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 30 October 1802 (Adams Papers)
I received last evening your favour of the 21 st: inst t: and now enclose you a set of three bills at sixty days sight, drawn on Mess rs: Bird, Savage and Bird, London, for one thousand pounds Sterling— With them I send a letter of advice, unsealed; at the bottom of which you may add that you have endorsed over the bills, when you shall have sold them. Then seal it up, and be careful to send...
49John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 12 October 1803 (Adams Papers)
We have been detained here since Sunday the 9 th: inst t: by the severe illness of my wife— We think however to go on this day, as far as Elizabeth-town, and to proceed by easy Stages to-morrow as far as Princeton, and the next day, (God willing) to Frankfort, where we hope to find you— If you can procure for us in that place, or on the other side of the City, towards Baltimore, convenient...
50From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 27 November 1824 (Adams Papers)
I return with thanks, Mr Jarvis’s Letter, enclosed in your’s of the 6th.—The sense of the People, throughout New. England, as signified by their suffrages in the choice of Electors, has been very gratifying to me—If in other parts of the Union it has been less favourable, I have in almost every part of it been honoured with a support for which I ought to be grateful—The opposition in...