11John Adams to Abigail Adams, 18 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
I am in such a situation that I cannot see the way clear for you to come on, till some resolution is passed in the House.— You will be as ready as you can, and I will write you the Moment to come on . any Thing is done.— I will resign my office rather than bring you here to be miserable. Yours eternally RC ( Adams Papers ); addressed: “M rs Adams / Braintree.”
12Abigail Adams Smith to Abigail Adams, 13–29 September 1792 (Adams Papers)
It has been a subject of no small disappointment to me, not having received but one letter from you since you have been at Braintree, and only two since I left America. * * * * I have written you and my brother several times, and have forwarded the newspapers, by which you will see the distressing situations in which the French are at present. The accounts from Paris are shocking to...
13Eunice Paine to Abigail Adams and Abigail Adams 2d, 7 July 1784 (Adams Papers)
It is now the 7th. of July, the 18th. day Since we Saw You Quit our shores to seek a happier Climate. We perceived the Active passing as we went up to Publick worship, there we did not forget to ask favour for our friends (who had commited themselves to the Variable Elements) of him who alone Governeth. Our fondest wishes have been granted as far was we can yet know; a happier season for the...
14John Adams to Abigail Adams, 25 September 1776 (Adams Papers)
I have only Time to say, by Mr. Taylor, that I am not worse than I have been—that however, I think, the G eneral C our t might have sent somebody here, before now—and that it will not be many days before I shall sett off. I shall wait for the Completion of a few Things and then go—perhaps in a Week or ten days. RC ( Adams Papers ).
15John Adams to Abigail Smith, 1762 – 1763 (Adams Papers)
I have taken the best Advice, on the subject of your Billet, and I find you cannot compell me to pay unless I refuse Marriage; which I never did, and never will, but on the Contrary am ready to have you at any Time. I hope Jemima’s Conscience has as good a Memory as mine. RC ( Adams Papers ); addressed: “To Miss —— Weymouth.” There is no clue to the precise date of this note, the “Billet” to...
16Abigail Adams Smith to Abigail Adams, 11 March 1791 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter of March 7 th my Dear Mamma and was very happy to find you so far recovered as to be able to use again your Pen —altho I doubt not you find yourself very feeble and fear it may be long before you regain your strength; yet I hope by care and attention you will soon subdue this fever which afflicts you— I confess that I am but a novice in Phisick—yet I cannot reconcile it...
17Abigail Adams Smith to Abigail Adams, 15 and 22 June 1788 (Adams Papers)
We are anxiously expecting, by the arrival of every post, to hear of your safety and health. I begin to be very impatient to hear of an event in which I am so much interested. I fear that you have been detained in England longer than you expected, perhaps, by the receipt of the letters Col. Smith forwarded from Bath to my father. Mr. Jay was very much surprised that the gentlemen to whom he...
18Abigail Adams Smith to Abigail Adams, 27 March 1792 (Adams Papers)
I this day received your Letter of the 23 d inst and was rejoiced once more to see your own hand writing— I have for some time feared that you were more indisposed than you would permit me to be informed of, I have suffered much anxiety on your account— inded my hands head and heart have been fully employed since I left you the former in preparing for my voyage and the latter by the...
19[From Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 7 January 1787] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Paris, 7 Jan. 1787. Recorded in SJL under this date. Not found; but see Mrs. Adams’ reply, 29 Jan. 1787.]
20Abigail Adams Smith to Abigail Adams, 13 August 1788 (Adams Papers)
We came to town last evening to dine (by invitation) this day, with the President of Congress, and this morning I had the pleasure of receiving your letter of the 6th. * * * * I am very sorry to hear that you have had so much sickness and so many other perplexities to encounter, since your return; it increases my desire to be with you, to assist you all in my power. I hope you will escape...
21John Adams to Abigail Adams, 8 July 1777 (Adams Papers)
Yours of June 23d. have received. I believe there is no Danger of an Invasion your Way, but the Designs of the Enemy are uncertain and their Motions a little misterious. Before this Letter is sealed, which will not be till Sunday next, I hope I shall be able to inform you better. I rejoice at your fine Season, and still more at my Brother Cranches Attention to Husbandry. Am very glad he bought...
22John Adams to Abigail Adams, 11 July 1777 (Adams Papers)
This Letter will go by the Hand of the Honourable Samuel Hewes Esqr., one of the Delegates in Congress from North Carolina, from the Month of September 1774, untill 1777. I had the Honour to serve with him upon the naval Committee, who laid the first Foundations, the Corner Stone of an American navy, by fitting to Sea the Alfred, Columbus, Cabott, Andrew Doria, Providence, and several others....
23John Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
I have all along flattered myself with hopes that I might with Propriety have taken Leave of the Senate and returned home, as soon as the Roads might be settled: But such is the critical State of our public Affairs, and I daily hear Such Doctrines Advanced, and Supported by almost and sometimes quite one half of the Senate, that I shall not prevail on myself to abandon my Post. This Day the...
24John Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
Gen. Warren writes me, that my Farm never looked better, than when he last saw it, and that Mrs. —— was like to outshine all the Farmers. —I wish I could see it.—But I can make Allowances. He knows the Weakness of his Friends Heart and that nothing flatters it more than praises bestowed upon a certain Lady. I am suffering every day for Want of my farm to ramble in.—I have been now for near Ten...
25John Quincy Adams and Louisa Catherine Adams to Abigail Adams and John Adams, 28 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have now the happiness of presenting to you another daughter, worthy as I fully believe of adding one to the number of those who already endear that relation to you.— The day before yesterday united us for life. My recommendation of her to your kindness and affection I know will be unnecessary. My sentiment of her merit, will not at this moment especially boast its impartiality , but if...
26Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 21 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
I this day Received a few lines from my Friend, whose Long silence I have not been able to Account for but suppose her Letters are Directed southward. Have you any Late private Inteligence from that quarter, and do our Friends their Really think we shall be Invaded on all sides, or do they mean only to advise us to be Ready. My heart at times almost dies within me only with the Apprehension...
27Mary Smith Gray Otis to Abigail Adams, 23 April 1802 (Adams Papers)
Indolence shall no longer prevent my acknowledging, the pleasure I felt (my dear M rs Adams) from your kind & affectionate letter which I received some time ago. Your sentiments on the subject of friends are so congenial with my own, that I wish by every means in my power, to cherish with the warmest affection, the few that are spared to me. The last respects were paid to our friend M rs...
28William Tudor to Abigail Adams, 3 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
You may depend on my giving your Letter to Capt. Marston who sets out for Philadelphia on Monday. A safer Hand it could not go by. Pray let your Fears subside about Tumults—there have been none. There was an Assembly of 4000 Patriots at Cambridge yesterday—where the utmost Regularity was observ’d, and after finishing their Business they all repair’d to their homes in Quiet. They procur’d a...
29Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 14 March 1800 (Adams Papers)
There is a great deal of pain: taken to make mischief between you & Mr & Mrs Porter many wish for his birth but I am confident no one who has offer’d would take better care of your things in the house or to whom you could trust them with equal Satefy James Howard is very busy & very abusive, told mr cranch that he heard mr Porter was going, & that it was time he should— he knew his tricks: you...
30John Adams to Abigail Adams, 10 February 1777 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday, I took a long Walk with our Secretary Mr. Thompson to a Place called Fells Point, a remarkable Piece of Ground about a mile from the Town of Baltimore. It is a Kind of Peninsula which runs out into the Harbour, and forms a Bason before the Town. This Bason, within thirty Years, was deep enough for large Tobacco ships to ride in, but since that Time has filled up ten Feet, so that...
31John Bishop to Abigail Adams, 16 October 1780 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of the 14th. ultmo., should not have defer’d answering it so long had I been able to have wrote you, but have had a lame hand, and was unable to put Pen to Paper when I receiv’d it. I sent you a b arre l of Flower which you acknowledge the Rec eip t off in your Letter. I hope it will prove good. I got Mr. Hall (Baker of this place) to exammine all the Flower we then had in...
32John Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 November 1800 (Adams Papers)
I rec d last night your Letter of the 11 th. Your Girls and M r shipley arrived in good health and Spirits. I shall Send the Charriot this morning to meet you. It would be a great pleasure to me to go in it, but I am so engaged in indispensable business that I know not how to leave it and another thing of some importance is your Son may take a seat with you & Suzan in the Charriot and that...
33Martha Washington to Abigail Adams, 4 September 1791 (Adams Papers)
Your frindly letter of the 29 th of June —I should not have suffered to remain so long unacknowledge from any other cause than that of the severe illness of my dear Little Washington—who was confined to his bed with a cruel fevor for three weeks in the Months of July & August— I beleive it is heardly necessary my dear madam for me to tell you that, during the time of his illness I was not in a...
34James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 11 August 1779 (Adams Papers)
This Evening I have satisfactory Intelligence of the real Embarkation of your very dear Treasure at Nantes l’Orient the 17th. of June and that he was left well 12 days after, off the western Islands. The Secretary of Arthur Lee arrived at Metompkin, Virginia, Augst. 1st. in a very swift sailing Vessel. Mr. Adams told him at parting that he had good News for Congress and sent his Respects. The...
35William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, October 1801 (Adams Papers)
Some time since Andrew Foster, a relation of Mrs. Otis, applied to Mr. Otis for admission as student of law in his office— Mr. O. told him, that he then had his full number, the bar having limited themselves to three students at one time—that he could not then admit him, but that probably on Mr Adams return, I should prefer studying in his office, and if so, Foster then might fill my vacancy....
36John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
The Weather still continues cloudy and cool and the Wind Easterly. Howe’s Fleet and Army is still incognito. The Gentlemen from South Carolina, begin to tremble for Charlestown. If Howe is under a judicial Blindness, he may be gone there. But what will be the Fate of a scorbutic Army cooped up in a Fleet for Six, Seven or Eight Weeks in such intemperate Weather, as We have had. What will be...
37Margaret Allison Caldwell McHenry to Abigail Adams, 8 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
It was with the greatest concern I heard of your late illness, since which time I have felt very sollicitous to hear of your recovery, & hoped before this to have had that gratification— I therefore was greatly disappointed, when M r M c Henry told me a day or two since, that you were still indisposed.— this information so contrary to my wishes is the cause of my troubling you with this letter...
38John Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 September 1776 (Adams Papers)
The Postmaster at N. York, in a Panick, about a fortnight ago fled to Dobbs’s Ferry, about 30 Miles above N.Y. upon Hudsons River, which has thrown the Office into disorder, and interrupted the Communication so much that I have not received a Line of yours, since that dated the Second of September. Nor have I received a News Paper, or any other Letter from Boston since that date. The same...
39John Adams to Abigail Adams, 23 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
It is now no longer a Secret, where Mr. Hows Fleet is. We have authentic Intelligence that it is arrived, at the Head of Cheasopeak Bay, above the River Petapsco upon which the Town of Baltimore stands. I wish I could describe to you the Geography of this Country, so as to give you an Adequate Idea of the Situation of the two great Bays of Cheasopeak and Delaware, because it would enable you...
40John Adams to Abigail Adams, 22 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
Last night for the first time I slept in our new House.— But what a Scene! The Furniture belonging to the Publick is in the most deplorable Condition— There is not a Chair fit to sit in. The Beds and Bedding are in a woeful Pickle. This House has been a scene of the most scandalous Drunkenness and Disorder among the servants, that ever I heard of. I would not have one of them for any...