151Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 7 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
I know not what could have become of a Letter written to You upon the 18 of December, that upon the 30 th You should not have received it.— I have written You more than once since that period, but do not recollect the Dates— I forget whether it was before or since then; that I inclosed to you a croun of a cap & Band. since, that I have sent the Border and a Cap for Mrs Norten, which I think...
152Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 28 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
I yesterday received Your Letter of the 19 th . I think You have testified Your proportion of Respect in a handsome manner to the Memory of the good and virtuous Washington— that he ought to live in our Memories, and be transmitted to posterity as a Character truly worthy Imitation, is Right; but some Eulogyst have asscribed to him solely, what was the joint effort & concert of Many. to no one...
153Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 27 February 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have not written to you since I received your Letter giving me an account of the ordination, the fatigues of which I should have been glad to have shared with you, and I could not but blame myself, that I did not write to request mrs Porter to have opend our House, and Stables, and to have accomodated as Many persons as they could; it is now happily over and I congratulate the Town in having...
154Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 5 March 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received Your Letter of Feb ry 23. and was glad to learn that you were well, for from not hearing from you from the time of ordination I was fearfull that the fatigue had made You sick. we have now arrived to the 5 th of March with a small quantity of snow upon the ground and the weather mild. with You I suppose there is much more; Congress might easily accomplish the buisness necessary for...
155Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 15 March 1800 (Adams Papers)
I find the best time for writing, is to rise about an hour earlier than the rest of the family; go into the Presidents Room, and apply myself to my pen. now the weather grows warmer I can do it. His Room in which I now write has three larg windows to the south. the sun visits it with his earliest beams at the East window, and Cheers it the whole day in winter. all my keeping Rooms are North,...
156Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 22 March 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received Your Letter yesterday. I know from what I Saw and heard whilst I was at home that there was pains taken to make Mr & Mrs Porter uneasy, and that they were too apt to listen to stories which were in themselves Idle, and [ra]ised from Envy. many would be glad to get into their hands such a charge as is left with mr & Mrs Porter, who would not be so honest in their care and attention...
157Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 7 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday mr Johnson and his Mamma arrived here, in good Health. by her I heard from mr & Mrs Cranch. she poor thing has had a mishap. I rather think it good than ill luck however for, it is Sad slavery to have children as fast as she has. she has recoverd tho she is thin & weak. your son is rising Rising in his own estimation, which was the place where he most wanted it. he plead a cause,...
158Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 15 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received a few lines from You Yesterday. in replie to mr Bates queries, I would have the Room above finishd off the same Size with the lower Room, the North clossets to remain in the Room and chamber, the stairs to be one flight, a portico with a flat Top which I would have leaded, and a smilar one built over the front door of the House, the two trees cut down, but I do not wish to have the...
159Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 24 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
It is with great pleasure my dear sister that I can say to you, Your Son has recoverd from a Dangerous complaint which threw us all here into great Distress and anxiety upon his account. he returnd from court sick. it proved to be a Billious Cholic. mr Johnson wrote Mrs Johnson that he had been to see him, but that he was so ill that he could not be seen. the Children too were all Sick, and...
160Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 3 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
I think You have been exercised in Deeds of Charity to that poor forlorn Man who would once have said, is thy Servant a Dog, that he should become a living prey to worms, or what is worse? He is a most striking instance of Indolence; and having no stimulous to action! none of those tender endearing ties of wife, child, sister, or Brother.— Indolence created first an apathy—and apathy crept on...
161Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 5 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
after I had closed my Letter Yesterday, I received Yours of the 28th. the Garden seeds are in a small Wooden Box in the garret Chamber over the best Chamber, made for the purpose of Securing them from the mice. the Box is locked and Mrs Porter has the Key, tho she may have forgotten it, it is a long Box unpainted I should like much to have a passage to the Kitchin from the entry; my intention...
162Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 26 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
detained here by a cold North East rain, I write to inform You I am thus far on My journey to Quincy 100 44 miles from Philadelphia which I left this Day week in the afternoon; I tarried one day in Nyork and have taken Little susan on with me— I went to the incampment upon scotch plains and lodged one night in the col’s Log House, which I found quite a comfortable habitation. Mrs smith was...
163Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, ca. 18 October 1800 (Adams Papers)
It is a great Grief to me my dear sister that I can do so little for you in your trouble when I owe So Much to you. beside being much of an invalide myself Jackson is very sick keeps his Bed—and a thousand cares devolve upon me in concequence of the sudden determination very reluctantly enterd into from a sense at this late period, without any previous arrangment— but all this is small in...
164Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 10 November 1800 (Adams Papers)
I arrived in this city last Evening & came to the old House, now occupied by Francis as an Hotel. tho the furniture and arrangment of the House is changed I feel more at home here than I should any where Else in the city, and when sitting with my son & other friends who call to see me, I can scarcly persuade myself, that tomorrow I Must quit it, for an unknown & an unseen abode— My Journey has...
165Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 21 November 1800 (Adams Papers)
I arrived in this city on Sunday the 16 th ult— having lost my way in the woods on saturday in going from Baltimore we took the road to Frederick and got nine miles out of our road. You find nothing but a Forest & woods on the Way, for 16 and 18 miles not a Village, here and there a thatchd cottage without a single pane of glass— inhabited by Black’s— my intention was to have reachd Washington...
166Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 1 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have written to You my Dear Sister twice since my arrival here. I know not but one of the Letters was in the lost mail I miss your pen which used to detail to me both public and private affairs I have reason to bless God, that Your Life is spared to your family, and Friends.— I hope You will not be induced by any Means to over exert yourself, or try Your strength beyond its bearing; a...
167Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 8 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
I know My Much loved Sister that you will mingle in my Sorrow, and weep With me over the Grave of a poor unhappy child who cannot now add an other pang to those which have peirced my Heart for several years past; cut off in the midst of his days, his years are numberd and finished; I hope my Supplications to heaven for him, that he might find Mercy from his maker, may not have been in vain—...
168Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 21 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
on fryday the 19th I returnd from mount Vernon, where at the pressing invitation of Mrs Washington I had been to pass a couple of day’s. the Shades of that solitude corresponded more with my present feelings than the company which I am obliged to See in the city of Washington— the sight of an old Friend, and the cordial reception I met With from every branch of the family, Served to sooth my...
169Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 15 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
I received from you two kind Letters which I have not yet acknowledged; I am surprized to find that the frost & cold have not yet put a stop to the fever. I hope it will not be permitted to make a renewed visit, at the approach of the summer with a severity never before experienced in our healthy and delightfull Village— I cannot Say that I have enjoy’d So Much health this winter as the last....
170Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 7 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
I Suppose the reason why I have not had a Letter from You for a long time, arrises from Your expectation that I am upon my Journey; the Roads have been represented to me as so intolerable bad, and I know them to be So, that I have been prevaild upon to remain longer than I designd. I now think I shall stay untill after the 13 th of Feb ry , the great important Day which may in its concequences...