Elizabeth Palmer Cranch to Abigail Adams, 27 December 1799
Elizabeth Palmer Cranch to Abigail Adams
West Point Decr: 27th 1799—
Madm:
Mr: Cranch has taken the liberty to address a short letter to the President containing a desire to be tho’t of in the various appointments now making in the line of his business— as he did not chuse to trouble the President with any details—embolden’d by your known condescention I have taken the pen to observe that since Mr Cranch’s letter to my Uncle—relative to the Armory at Harpers Ferry (Potomack) we have made enquiry and have reason to think all the vacancys are fill’d up— Mr William Cranch writes thus,—“one Jacob Perkins is master workman—he is an old man, and seems infirm, and not active enough for the place”—1
I mention this circumstance Madm: that in case Mr Perkins should decline the business—it might be an opening for us— we presume not to chuse— we only wish for a decent living.—
Permit me Madm: to congratulate you on your recover’d health— long may you enjoy this and every earthly blessing— I have the honor to be with Perfect / respect your most obedt: servt:
Eliza Cranch.2
RC (Adams Papers).
1. Joseph Cranch wrote to JA on 27 Dec. (Adams Papers), asking that he be considered for appointments at U.S. military arsenals. Cranch, for whom see vol. 8:148, had until recently served as superintendent of the U.S. armory at West Point, N.Y., and sought to succeed Thomas Anneley as master armorer at Harpers Ferry. James McHenry assured Cranch that he would be appointed to the post, but in a 16 May 1800 letter to Samuel Hodgdon, superintendent of military stores, Cranch withdrew himself from consideration because of ill health. Joseph Perkin (d. 1806) was superintendent of the arsenal at Harpers Ferry from 6 Aug. 1798 until his death (Merritt Roe Smith, Harpers Ferry Armory and the New Technology: The Challenge of Change, Ithaca, N.Y., 1977, p. 37, 54, 56, 60; Joseph Cranch to Samuel Hodgdon, 16 May 1800, DNA:RG 94, Papers of the War Dept.; , 15:561).
2. AA replied to Elizabeth Cranch, but the reply has not been found. In a similar request for patronage, Watertown, Mass., justice of the peace William Hunt wrote to AA on 6 Feb. (DLC:Shaw Family Papers) requesting assistance in securing a U.S. Army position for his son, Charles. The elder Hunt wrote, “A Parents Anxiety for a Sons hapiness will I hope be an Apology for my writing you“ (vol. 10:86; AA to Mary Smith Cranch, 7 Jan., below).