1[January 1766] (Adams Papers)
Severe cold, and a Prospect of Snow. We are now upon the Beginning of a Year of greater Expectation than any, that has passed before it. This Year brings Ruin or Salvation to the British Colonies. The Eyes of all America, are fixed on the B ritish Parliament. In short Britain and America are staring at each other.—And they will probably stare more and more for sometime. At Home all day. Mr....
2[March 1766] (Adams Papers)
Spent a Part of last Evening with Mr. Jo. Cleverly. He is a Tiptoe for Town Meeting. He has many Schemes and Improvements in his Head—vizt. for seperating the offices of Constable and Collector.—Collecting Taxes has laid the Foundation for the Ruin of many Families—John Vesey, Ben. Owen, Jed. Bass. He is for 5 select Men and will vote for the old ones Mr. Quincy, and Major Miller. He hears...
3[April 1766] (Adams Papers)
At Plymouth. Court open and Business proceeding. This was the Inferior Court of Common Pleas. Went to Boston. The Superior Court adjourned again, for a fortnight. Hutchinson, Cushing and Oliver, present. What Insolence And Impudence, and Chickanery is this? Fleet of Yesterday, gives us, a Piece from Lon don Gaz ette Jany. 8th. signed Vindex Patriae. The sole Q uestion he says is, if the...
4[May 1766] (Adams Papers)
Returning from Meeting this Morning I saw for the first Time, a likely young Button Wood Tree, lately planted, on the Triangle made by the Three Roads, by the House of Mr. James Brackett. The Tree is well set, well guarded, and has on it, an Inscription “The Tree of Liberty,” and “cursed is he, who cutts this Tree.”—Q. What will be the Consequences of this Thought? I never heard an Hint of it,...
5[June 1766] (Adams Papers)
Mem. to search the Books, with the Regard to the following Clause in the late Mr. Borlands Will, vizt. “Item, to my Son Francis Lindall Borland, who hath been long absent, and I fear is not now in Life, to him, if now living, I give all my Lands in Billerica, all my Lands in Sturbridge, my Messuage in Milk Street in Boston wherein Joseph Calef now lives, all the said Lands and Messuage to my...
6[July 1766] (Adams Papers)
Monday after Commencement. Last Saturday, I accidentally found a curious Volume, which Oaks Angier found in a Chest of Books be longing to an Uncle of his who died 45 Years ago. The Title Page and all the rest is gone till you come to the 18th. Page. It seems to be a Collection of Pamphlets, published in the memorable Year 1640, bound up together, in one Quarto Volume. Lord Digbies Speech. 9....
7[August 1766] (Adams Papers)
Satt out with my Wife for Salem—dined at Boston—drank Tea at Dr. Simons Tufts’s at Medford —lodg’d at Mr. Bishops. Simon Tufts (1727–1786), Harvard 1744 , an older brother of AA ’s uncle by marriage, Dr. Cotton Tufts ( Charles Brooks, History of the Town of Medford , Boston, 1855 , p. 305–306). Satt out from Mr. Bishops, oated, at Norwoods alias Martins, and reached Brother Cranches at 12 o...
8[November 1766] (Adams Papers)
Sett off, with my Wife for Salem. Stopped 1/2 Hour att Boston, cross’d the Ferry, and at 3 O Clock arrived at Hill’s the Tavern in Malden, the Sign of the rising Eagle, at the Brook, near Mr. Emmersons Emerson’s Meeting House, 5 Miles from Norwoods, where vizt. at Hills we dined. Here we fell in Company with Kent and Sewal. We all oated at Martins, where we found the new Sherriff of Essex...
9[December 1766] (Adams Papers)
Dined at Dr. Tufts’s. Drank Tea at Dr. Halls Pembroke. Lodged at Captn. Littles Kingston.—I find a general Opposition in the County of Plymouth, to Compensation. Jacobs tells me, that Scituate voted vs. it with great Warmth. Judge Cushing Moderator did not think fit to say a Word, nor was there a Word said or an Hand up in favour of the Bill, tho they had voted for it in October. Keen of...
10[1766?] (Adams Papers)
Q uery . The Service done by Tommy Hutchinson, for the Province, for which he had a Grant of 40£. and his fathers application for Pay, for the same Service and saying, he never had any Pay for it. The Bill drawn by Mr. Hutchinson, and carried in Council and sent down to the House, to enlarge the Power of the Judges of Probate, and empower them to appoint a few freeholders to set off Widows...