1William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 24 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
M r. Carroll has requested me to communicate the Contents of the inclosed letter, and I hasten to do it lest it you should have given an Answer to M r. Law, before this arrives. M r. Carroll’s description of his house is a very modest one— And I can say in addition to it, that it’s situation is delightful, being the whole of square N o. 736, which is delightf a large square, and has a good...
2William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 20 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have a thousand times wish’d to express to you my gratitude for the attentions I received from you during your residence here; and most particularly, for your kindness to my dear mother and family during her late severe illness; but a consciousness of the inadequacy insufficiency of language to give a faithful representation of my feelings, has hitherto imposed upon me a silence which I fear...
3William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 4 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
I should have answer’d your kind letter of 16 th. ult o. before this time, but I have only this morning return’d from the General Court at Annapolis. I thank you most sincerely for the interest you take in my affairs, and for the parental advice you have given. I have already suffer’d enough by becoming surety for others, to know how to prize that advice, but it requires a kind of hardness of...
4William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 8 May 1798 (Adams Papers)
It has not been from want of the most affectionate Respect that I have suffer’d your kind letter by M r. White to remain so long unanswer’d. The sickness and death of a late worthy friend of mine, M r. James Cook of Georgetown, and the business which has fallen into my hands in Consequence of that Event, have occupied my whole attention and must be my apology. M r. Cook was about my Age, and...
5William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 21 November 1797 (Adams Papers)
I am not only highly gratified, but extremely grateful for your kind communication of 15 th. inst t , with it’s important inclosures.— The fraternal and affectionate friendship, which has so long existed between your sons and myself, has indeed been among the greatest Consolations of my life—and the consciousness that it still continues, brightens many of my passing days.— Having been so long...
6William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 5 August 1797 (Adams Papers)
M rs. Cranch informs me that a kind letter arrived from you at Washington since my arrival here, requesting me to reside at your house while I remained in Philad a. — I need not repeat how much I am obliged by all your goodness & attention. The second day after my arrival here I met M r. Briesler, who mentioned to me your kind request & the orders he had received; & inforced the invitation...
7William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 26 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have no doubt that you retain such an Interest in my happiness as to rejoice with me in the birth of another son. The boy appears strong and healthy and the mother seems very well.— The feelings of a Parent will easily account for such an Event being uppermost in my mind at this time.— When I wrote last to my friends at Quincy, it was my determination to have enter’d again into the...
8William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 28 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
I should have answer’d your valued Letter of 27 th. ult° . , by M r. Shaw, if his stay would have admited of it—but the whole day he was with us was spent in viewing the City and the public buildings &c— I hope he was pleased with them, although he saw them to the greatest disadvantage, on account of the wintry appearance of things, and the badness of the roads. It gave me extreme pain to...
9William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 14 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have just closed a letter to the Pres t. on the subject of my Bro r. Greenleaf.— I do not know whether I have not said too much, but if I had not been restrained by a sense of Propriety I should have beg’d & pleaded that he might have some appointment or other. I consider him as a man of uncommon abilities and attention to Business, & he has no means of exercising his Talents at present,...
10William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 12 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
I thank you, my dear Madam, for your obliging fav r. of 5 th. instant, and for the interest you take in my happiness. Upon further deliberation, I had, before the receipt of your Letter, renounced all ideas of returning to Boston, and had determined immediately to apply for admission to the Bar in this state. I shall for this purpose go to Annapolis on Monday, and as soon after my return from...
11William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 12 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
After a most fatigueing journey I arrived on friday Evening. I travel’d all the first night, & arrived in Baltimore the next night at 9 o Clock, & sat off again at 3 the next morning. The roads as far as Wilmington were extremely bad, the rest were much better, and in this City they are quite settled. I found M rs. Cranch well, altho’ fatigued & worried with watching and attending my little...
12William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 16 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
I inclose a letter to my Mother under Cover to you, because it contains some things which perhaps might give pain to my father in his present weak state of health. You will be so kind therefore as to give it to my Mother in such a manner that she may have it in her power to communicate only such parts as she may think proper. I am rejoiced to hear of your recovery from the dangerous illness...
13To John Adams from William Cranch, 28 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
Colo. Charles Semmes, of Alexandria. This gentleman I have never seen, to my knowledge. General report speaks of him as a man of talents in his profession, of a good moral Character, and friendly to the government. His practice is very extensive. Thomas Swann Esquire.—of Alexandria. I have seen this Gentleman. He appears to be about 36 years old—is very much esteem’d as a lawyer, and a man. He...
14William Cranch to John Quincy Adams, 5 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
I do not know what was the date of my last to you, nor of yours to me, nor is it material to decide on whose part the last omission happend. You may have learn’d from some of my former letters, that I was much engaged, that no opportunity presented itself, to determine me to write at one time rather than another, and that although I have always been extremely industrious, I have always found...
15William Cranch to Thomas Boylston Adams, 30 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
I suppose this session of the supreme Court will decide the point whether M r. Bayard will resign his office of Clerk, and whether I shall be appointed to succeed him. It is an object which has occupied my thoughts and absorbed my wishes, ever since you first suggested to me the Idea. Whenever I have felt the heartake, the hope of obtaining this little unenvied place, has cast a beam of light...