1Mary 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...
2Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 14 December 1788 (Adams Papers)
I do indeed rejoice with you all upon the happy event which took place in mr smiths Family before your arrival I hope my Neices health is perfectly restor’d that the young gentlemen are both very well—& that you may soon return accompany’d by Coll n. smith whom I wish much to see— you must not think of comeing in the stage. It would be highly improper upon every account— we receiv’d your...
3Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 13 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
I write my dear Sister with a hope that this letter will not find you in Philadelphia but as we have not heard that congress have risen I would not have you without a line of information that we are all well & that your chambers are ready the mason has promis’d to white wash the house & mrs Porter is waiting for orders to clean for your reception I have been fearful for your health & that of...
4Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 20 August 1774 (Adams Papers)
I thank you my dear Sister for all your kind offers. I have not been able yet to get Miss Dolly Read. I expected her yesterday: but what has prevented I cant say. As to moving, we want to see Mr. Russel before we talk again with Mr. Cleavely. Mr. Cranch is so hurried with Work that he does not know how to spare time to see after any thing, and I am so unwell that I am not able too. I do not...
5Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 7 January 1791 (Adams Papers)
What a Succession of troubles have you had to incounter & not one of us to help you through them— I have been very anxious for you & was affraid by my not hearing sooner that something had happen’d— oh my poor Thomas how I pity him—his Patience & fortitude have been put to their trial— he has a great share of it I know, & he will find tis good to be sometimes afflicted he will feel more...
6Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 7 November 1800 (Adams Papers)
welcome thou best of women thou best of Sisters thou kindest of Friends the Soother of ever human woe to the city of Washington. welome to the best of men welcome to a Nephew & neice who Love honor, & respects you take their Sweet ofspring to your benevolent Bosom & say to thus would your Grandmama do if she could hold you in her arms.— I tremble I can scarcly hold my pen other must tell you...
7Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 1-4 November 1789 (Adams Papers)
The dull weather of Last week has prevented sister Shaw from making her visit or she would have been here mourning with me the absence of our dear sister. I hope she will be here on Teusday if she is not I fear she will not come this fall— She has already put it of too long—the fine weather is all over. Doctor Tufts has taken the advantage of it & brought home his wife as snug as can be— Mrs...
Justice & judgment are the habitation of thy throne, O my God! but thy mercy endureth forever— In the depths of Sorrow, I have lifted up mine Eyes, & felt some ray of comfort, when I saw this thy darling Attribute shining with distinguished lustre—“many, very many were the virtues of my Friend”— feign would I hope, they were such as would more than ballance his failings— feign would I hope...
I believe in one of my Letters I told you I had troubles of various kinds— I need to be possessed of more wisdom than the Serpent, joined to the innocence of the Dove, more meekness than Moses, more patience than Job—& to abound richly in the fruits of the Spirit— In one word our people have been very Jealous of me, they were conscious they had not used Mr Shaw well, & thought it imposible for...
If I had received your Letter an hour sooner, I could have sent you an answer the same day, viz. Thursday, by Mr. Badcock who dined here, and would conveyed it as far as Milton Bridge himself. But having lost this Opportunity, I must send by the Post. But since you have signified your Request to Mr. Shaw only mediately, he thinks himself entitled to make use of the same Medium in giving an...
11Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 31 December 1786 (Adams Papers)
I reciev’d a few days since your Letter of Sepr. 12th and yesterday that of october the 12th and thank you most sincerly for them both. Your account of Holland entertaind me much. You must have improv’d your time well to have visited so many places and notic’d so much. The fatigue was too great for you. It was this that made you sick. I was rejoic’d to find your dissorder whatever it was for...
12Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 19 July – 7 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
I have been waiting till I am out of all patience to hear that you are returnd to England. One or two vessels have sail’d for London without taking Letters for you. I did not know they were going till it was too late to write. I sent you a hasty line by Mr. Charles Bulfinch which I hope you receiv’d and to tell you the truth I have written you two letters Since, which I thought proper to...
13Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 13 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
I had a mantua makaker & a Tailor last week which keept me so fully imploy’d that I had not time to write I receiv’d your kind Letter by the Post a thursday & rejoice that you have got into such good order so soon. I do not rise quite so early as you but I should if I could get all my folks to Bed in season you do well to devote so much of the day to riding I hope the difficulty the bad roads...
14Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 29 April 1798 (Adams Papers)
I am doom’d my dear Sister to be the messenger of death to you. I believe for five weeks past my Letters have convey’d you an account of the death of Some Freind or acquaintence & almost all of them Suddenly taken away the death of Sucky warner whos remains I yesterday Saw depositted by the Side of our dear Parents & much belov’d aunt. there to remain till the last trumpet Shall bid them...
15Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 29 June 1787 (Adams Papers)
I have sent one Letter on Board capt Cushing but it is so long since that unless I Write again you will not feel as if you had heard from me for a long time— Cousin JQA & Billy have been at home above a week. Cousin charles was here yesterday. he came to wait upon mrs Hilliard & Daughter— your Sons are all well We are busy prepairing for commencment for although we do so little by way of...
16Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 3 October 1784 (Adams Papers)
Accept my dear Sister a thousand thanks for your charming Journal, it is just Such an one as I wish’d, so particular that while reading it, I could not help fancying my self with you. We hoped as we had Such fine weather for six weeks after you Sail’d, that you would have had a quicker Passage than I find you had. You did not feel more joy when you set your feet upon the British Coast, than I...
17Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 10 January 1787 (Adams Papers)
There is another vessel up which will sail soon. What I may have omited by this I shall write by that. Our uncle Quincy was well a few hours since is glad to see his Friends but cannot be perswaided out. Cousin Cotton remains the same he was, Flying from spray to spray without determining Where to chuse his Partner. If his Father should marry as he will certainly do as soon as he can get time...
18Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 16 October 1791 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you last Sunday by Doctor Welsh & your son who were here & sent it to new-york where you now are I suppose. I hope you found the Letter when you arriv’d as your Sympathytick heart would be in some measure reliev’d by the favourable account I gave you of mr Cranchs Leg— since that time it has continu’d to descharge well the mortified parts have been seperateing from the sound flesh &...
19Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 29 November 1785 (Adams Papers)
How provoking it is to be told that a vessel is to sail next week with our Letters and then have it stay in the Harbour six Weeks. I thought till yesterday that Capn. Young was half way to London at least, and behold he will not leave Boston this week. The Letters will be so old, that they will lose much of their value, but tis no fault of mine. I have been waiting some time without writing...
20Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 8 September 1789 (Adams Papers)
I am quite discourag’d writing by the Post I know not if you have ever receiv’d one Letter Which I have sent by them I have sent two long ones the Last I put into the office a month ago last Saturday. I should have written oftener if I had not suspected that Letters directed to Mr Adams where taken out by somebody who had no right to them— I hope I am mistaken—but I cannot conceive why you...
21Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 9 October 1786 (Adams Papers)
As I was seting quite alone this evening somebody came in from Boston with a Hankerchief full of Letters from you my dear, dear Sister. The Girls are neither of them at home, but I have ventur’d to open their Pacquits also, and a hearty laugh I have had at the extravagant Figures you have sent. Yes my sister our Ladies are foolish enough to deserve some of the ridicule. Those unnatural...
22Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 22 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
I write now because I know how it feels to be disappointed not because I have any thing to communicate of importance. I receiv’d your kind Letter of the 13 th of this month what related to my dear Son has given me great pain tis no more than I have fear’d. but his Father Says if he can get over these difficulties he will be as cunning as the ——— he does not speak wicked words you know. my fear...
23Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 16 July 1787 (Adams Papers)
My dear sister will I am sure excuse me if I send her now but a short Letter—when she is inform’d that there is but one day between this & commencment & that I have but just hear’d that cap t. Folger will sail this week It is true we are doing but little but it makes us more work than Ten such entertainments at home. every thing is dress’d here, & to be cut cold at cambridge except Green Peas....
24Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 4 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
I this day receiv’d your kind Letter from Springfield. I Set you down in Brookfield in my mind that day however I think you did right to go on as fast as you could the President must want both you & mr Brisler & could I think you would have any rest after you arriv’d I should feel better about you. but I do hope you will not think of Staying thro the hot months your Life is of too much...
25Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 22 April and 20 May 1787 (Adams Papers)
Captain Cushing arriv’d last Monday after a tedious Passage It was so long since I receiv’d any Letters from you that I began to be very impatient. Cousin JQA had one in the winter but I have only heard of it. he forgot that I should want to see it & so did not bring it with him this vacancy your sons are now all of them with me. cousin JQA return’d last evening from an excurtion. I perswaided...
26Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 10 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Storer is arriv’d and I have got my Letter and am very sorry to hear you have been so sick. If I had receiv’d this Letter before those by Callahan I should have been very uneasey till I could have heard again. I Will hope you are by this time perfectly recover’d. You will see by mine of November 29th that our thoughts in September and October were imploy’d about the same melancholy...
27Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 18 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
I did not design to write another line till I could get my pen mendid but not a creature can I get to do it, and I am so affraid that Captain Lyde will sail without my Pacquit that I dare not venture to wait till the children come from college tomorrow. I hope to see the dear Boys, and if the ship should not go so soon as I expect I will write again. I shall certainly write by the way of New...
28Mary 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...
29Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 18 May 1798 (Adams Papers)
I too have taken my pen with the rising Sun. I have been so disturb’d with the account of the allarming riot before your Door on the fast day evening that I have not had a moments quiet sleep this night. I had no Idea the faction would have tried their Strength So oppenly I suppos’d the Letters which had been thrown into your house were mear threats. but I hope they have but Staid their time—...
30Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 25 May 1798 (Adams Papers)
Vanity of vanity! & the conseiquenc of it is vexation of Spirit— who ever is inclin’d to live beyond their income let them enter the House where plenty hospitality & an appearence of wealth used to be display’d at the moment the mask is fallen of, & they will behold a Scene of distress & woe enough to tear the heart of love & Friendship I have long Suspected Doctor Welsh’s affairs were...