31July 22. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Billings sober and steady, persevering in his declaration that he will not drink, these 12 months. Paid Trask in full sixteen Dollars for 24 Days Works. He insisted on 4s. a Day. He has finished clearing the Swamp on Penns Hill this day.
32July 23. 1796. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Rode down to the Barley and Black grass at the Beach. The Barley is better than I hoped. The Clover has taken pretty well in general. Parts where the Tide has flowed are kill’d. Weeds very thick round the Margin of the Salt Meadow, or rather Black grass meadow. Twitch Grass scattering and thin. Billings sober, composed as ever. Bass and Brisler mowing with him. James the Coachman, enjoying the...
33July 24. 1796. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
We are to have for a Preacher a Mr. Whitcomb. Billings is still cool and steady. In the 1st. Vol. of the Life of Petrarch page 52. it is said that Pope John the 22d believed that the Souls of the Just would not enjoy The Vision of God till after the Universal Judgment and the Resurrection of their Bodies. This Opinion is Priestleys and Price was much inclin’d to it. This Popes imprudent...
34July 25. 1796. Monday. (Adams Papers)
Dull Weather but no Rain. The Lathrops with the Team are going to the Swamp on Penns Hill for a Load of Wood that Trask has cutt. Rode up to the Swamp on Penns hill. Sullivan and Bass loaded up a Cord of Wood and Sullivan drove it home. Bass staid and cutt down and cutt up an old Walnut, murdered: by the Women and Children for their Dye Potts, cutt down and cutt up an old Appletree and a...
35July 26. 1796. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Cloudy and begins to rain, the Wind at N.E. The Men gone up the Hill to rake the Barley. In conformity to the fashion I drank this Morning and Yesterday Morning, about a Jill of Cyder. It seems to do me good, by diluting and dissolving the Phlegm or the Bile in the Stomach. The Christian Religion is, above all the Religions that ever prevailed or existed in ancient or modern Times, The...
36July 27. 1796 Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Billings and Sullivan making and liming an heap of Manure. They compounded it, of Earth carted in from the Ground opposite the Garden where the Ha! Ha Wall is to be built, of Salt Hay and Seaweed trodden by the Cattle in the Yard, of Horse dung from the Stable, and of Cow dung left by the Cows, over all this Composition they now and then sprinkle a layer of Lime. Bass and Thomas hoeing...
37July 28. 1796. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
Billings and Sullivan are gone to the Beech for a Load of Seaweed to put into their Hill of Compost. Bass and Thomas hoeing still in the lower Garden. James sick of a Surfeit of fruit. I continue my practice of drinking a Jill of Cyder in the Morning and find no ill but some good Effect. It is more than forty Years since I read Swifts Comparison of Dryden in his Translation of Virgil to The...
38July 29. 1796. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Hot after Thunder, Lightening and an Hours Rain. The two Lathrops threshing. Billing and Bass carting Earth. Lathrops threshing. Billing and Bass brought up a third Load of Seaweed. They go on making the Heap of Compost with Lime, Seaweed, Earth, Horse Dung, Hogs dung &c. Still reading the Second Volume of Petrarchs Life.
39July 30th. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
All hands carting Earth and making Compost, i.e. 4 hands Billings, Bass and the two Lathrops. Billings is in his Element. Building Wall and making manure are his great delights, he says. He says he will cover all my Clover with green Seaweed. Drop part of a Load on the lower Part and carry the rest up the hill to the Barley Stubble. He will make a heap of Compost too upon the Top of the Hill...
40July 31. 1796. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
A fine N.W. Wind, pure Air, clear Sky, and bright Sun. Reading the second Volume of Petrarchs Life. This singular Character had very wild Notions of the Right of the City of Rome to a Republican Government and the Empire of the World. It is strange that his Infatuation for Rienzi did not expose him to more Resentment and greater Danger. In the Absence of the Pope at Avignon, and the People...
41[August 1796] (Adams Papers)
Hands all gone to finish our Equinoctial Line of Wall as Billings calls it.—Hot, sultry, muggy last night Muskitoes numerous and busy, poor sleep, up and down all night. Have my Brothers Oxen to day. Wrote to Mr. Sullivan by Dr. Tufts an Answer to his Inquiries concerning Mitchels Map and St. Croix River. My own Hands with Nathaniel Hayden only and my own oxen only, finished the great Wall...
42August 1. 1796. Monday. (Adams Papers)
Hands all gone to finish our Equinoctial Line of Wall as Billings calls it.—Hot, sultry, muggy last night Muskitoes numerous and busy, poor sleep, up and down all night. Have my Brothers Oxen to day.
43August 2. 1796 Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Wrote to Mr. Sullivan by Dr. Tufts an Answer to his Inquiries concerning Mitchels Map and St. Croix River. My own Hands with Nathaniel Hayden only and my own oxen only, finished the great Wall upon Penn’s Hill. Mr. Benjamin Shaw and his Wife, (Charity Smith,) drank Tea with Us. He is a Clerk in the Branch Bank at 600 dollars a Year, and She is opening an Accademy of young Ladies for Painting...
44August 3. 1796. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Brisler is going to Squantum and Long Island, for my Twin Oxen who are reprieved for a Year. The Lathrops to threshing and Billings and Bass, to manure. Answered Mr. Rutherfords Letter of 28. June. This Day Thomas Lothrop went away to Bridgwater, unwell, and I paid him 9 dollars. Billings brought up a Load of green Seaweed. See John Rutherfurd to JA , 28 June 1796 ( Adams Papers ), relative to...
45August 4. 1796 Thursday. (Adams Papers)
Of all the Summers of my Life, this has been the freest from Care, Anxiety and Vexation to me. The Sickness of Mrs. A. excepted. My Health has been better, the Season fruitful, my farm was conducted. Alas! what may happen to reverse all this? But it is folly to anticipate evils, and madness to create imaginary ones. Went over to Weymouth with Mrs. A., visited Mr. Norton and dined with Dr....
46August 5. 1796. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
A fine day. I have finished Petrarch. Walked up to the new Barn and over to the old Plain. Sullivan and Mr. Sam. Hayward threshing—Billings and Bass carting Earth and Seaweed and liming the Compost. Mr. Wibirt dined with Us. James brought home the twin oxen from Long Island. Trask burning Bushes in the Swamp on Penns Hill.
47August 6. 1796. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Billings and Bass off by Day for Seaweed. Twin oxen sent to be shod. Omnium Rerum Domina, Virtus. Virtue is The Mistress of all Things. Virtue is The Master of all Things. Therefore a Nation that should never do wrong must necessarily govern the World. The Might of Virtue, The Power of Virtue is not a very common Topick, not so common as it should be. Bass and Billings brought another Load of...
48August 7. 1796. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
I am reading a Work of Cicero that I remember not to have read before. It is intituled M. Tullii Ciceronis Si Deo placet Consolatio. Remarkable for an ardent hope and confident belief of a future State. Mr. Whitcomb preached and dined with Us. Prince, having provoked beyond bearing by his insolent Contempt of repeated orders, got a gentle flogging, and went off, i.e. run away. Thomas Lothrop...
49August 8. 1796. Monday. (Adams Papers)
Billing and Bass gone to mowing Salt Grass at the Beach Meadow. T. Lothrop unloading the Sea weed. No Negro but James, who shall be the last.—Agreed with Mr. Reed of Abington to plough for me next Monday &c. Trask half a day mowing bushes.
50August 9. 1796. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
4 hands mowing Salt Grass. Finished the Beach Meadow. Trask mowing Bushes to make room for the plough upon Penns hill. T. Lothrop, threshing Corn—Brisler winnowing Barley.
51August 10. 1796 Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Billing and Bass collecting Compost. Brought up two Loads of Seaweed and carted several Loads of Earth from behind the Outhouse. Mr. Howell of Rhode Island came up to see me and conversed the whole Evening concerning St. Croix and his Commission for settling that Boundary. David Howell , a lawyer and a former member of the Continental Congress, was one of the commissioners appointed to...
52August 11. 1796. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Howell lodged with Us and spent the whole Morning in Conversation concerning the Affairs of his Mission. He said by way of Episode that the President would resign, and that there was one Thing which would make R. Island unanimous in his Successor and that was the funding System. He said they wanted Hamilton for V.P.—I was wholly silent. Billing and Bass brought up a Load of Dulce and...
53August 12. 1796. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Billing, Bass and Sullivan carting Salt Hay from the Beech Marsh. Tirell and Th. Lothrop threshing and winnowing Barley.
54August 13. 1796 Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Three Load of Salt Hay Yesterday from the Beach Marsh. Got in 51 Bushells of Barley winnowed and raddled. Billing, Bass, Sullivan Lothrop and E. Belcher with Brisler poling off and carting Salt Hay. Tirrell and T. Lothrop threshing. Trask burning Bushes on Penns Hill. Reading Tullys Offices. It is a Treatise on moral obligation. Our Word Obligation answers nearer and better than Duty, to...
55August 14. 1796. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
The Weather hot and dry. One great Advantage of the Christian Religion is that it brings the great Principle of the Law of Nature and Nations, Love your Neigh bour as yourself, and do to others as you would that others should do to you, to the Knowledge, Belief and Veneration of the whole People. Children, Servants, Women and Men are all Professors in the science of public as well as private...
56August 15. 1796. Monday. (Adams Papers)
My Team met the Abington Team at the Bars, and plough’d the Baulk between Burrells Corn and the great Wall, with the great Plough. Ploughed on the North Side of the Wall from the Road to the rocky Vally with the small breaking up plough. Trask mowing Bushes and burning. At Night both Teams came home with both Ploughs. Mrs. Adams went with Mrs. Otis to Situate and Plymouth.
57August 16. 1796. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Reed and Mr. Gurney with Billings ploughing below the lower Garden with 9 Cattle, and the small breaking up plough. It took a long time to fix the Plough with a Wheel &c. In the Afternoon ploughed upon Stony field Hill. Sullivan with one Yoke of oxen, the Steers and Mare gone to cart Salt Hay for my Tenants French and Vinton. Tirrell and Thomas still threshing. James and Prince, idle as usual.
58August 17. 1796. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Seven Yoke of Oxen and a Horse, Mr. Reed, Mr. Gurney, Mr. Billings, Mr. Brisler, Sullivan and Thomas Lothrop and black James, Seven hands ploughing with the great Plough in the Meadow below the lower Garden. Prince gone to Mill. The Weather dry, fair and cool. The Wind Easterly.
59August 18. 1796. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
Ten Yoke of Oxen and ten Men ploughing in the Meadow below my House.
60August 19. 1769 [i.e. 1796]. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Ten Yoke of Oxen and twelve hands ploughing in the meadow. It is astonishing that such a Meadow should have lain so long in such a State. Brakes, Hassock Grass, Cramberry Vines, Poke or Skunk Cabbage, Button Bushes, alder Bushes, old Stumps and Roots, Rocks, Turtles, Eels, Frogs, were the Chief Things to be found in it. But I presume it may be made to produce Indian and English Grain, and...
61August 20. 1796. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Bracket and Vinton left me. We procured Captn. Baxters Oxen and William Field Junr. and went on with Eight Yoke including my red Steers, and ploughed as well as ever. Paid Reed £11. 2s. in full for the Weeks Work of two Men, three Yoke of Oxen and a Horse. The Men I allowed 6s. a day, tho I found them, being one Shilling more than the Agreement. The Oxen I allowed 7s. 6d. a Day, as they found...
62August 21. 1796. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
The hottest day. Unwell.
63August 22. 1796 Monday. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Otis and Family went to Boston. Mr. C. Storer and Mr. Storrow breakfasted. Billings and Sullivan began the Wall against the Road opposite the Corner of the Garden. Very hot but the Wind springs up. Unwell.
64August 23. 1796 Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
All hands and Tirrell, upon the Wall—carting Stones and Earth &c. Went down to Mr. Quincys and up to our Tenants with Mrs. Adams. Unwell. Brisler and the two black Boys picking Apples.
65August 24. 1796. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Billings, Bass and the Lothrops upon the Wall. The blacks going to pick Apples. I took Rhubarb and Salt of Wormwood. Bathing my Feet and drinking balm Tea, last night composed me somewhat, and I hope the Rhubarb and Salt of Wormwood I took this Morning will carry off my Complaints: but the Pain in my head and the burnings in my hands and feet were so like the Commencement of my Fevers of 1781...
66August 25. 1796. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
Billings, Bass and the two Lothrops all this Week upon the Wall over the Way. They make about a Rod and a half a day. Captn. Beale began Yesterday to clear his Brook. So much for the Exemplary Influence of ploughing my Meadow. The Benediction of Ulysses to The Pheacians, B. 13. 1. 60. “Sure fix’d on Virtue may your nation stand and public Evil never touch the Land” comprehends the Essence and...
67August 26. 1796. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Cloudy. Wind. N.E. but not rainy. The shower last night has refreshed Us. The Corn, the Gardens, the Pastures, The After feed, the Fruit trees all feel it. Sullivan gone for a Load of Seaweed. The other Men upon the Wall. In digging a Trench for the Wall We find Stones enough, in Addition to the old Wall to compleat the New one. Four hands with a Yoke of Oxen have done Six Rods in four days...
68August 27. 1796. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Sullivan carting Seaweed, spread one Load among the red Loam in the Cavity in the Yard. Trask mowing Bushes in the meadow below the Garden. James cutting the Trees. Billings, Bass and Thomas, about the Wall. Brisler absent on Account of his sick Child. The Wall, the Alterations of the Road, and the Carting of the Earth, Soil, Loam, Gravel and Stones, out of the Way, whether We spread them on...
69August 28. 1796. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Hot. Went not out. Mr. Strong preached. Reading Bryants Analysis of ancient Mythology.
70August 29. Monday. 1796. (Adams Papers)
Warm. Billings, Bass and two Sullivans with James on the Wall. Carted 9 or 10 Load of excellent Soil into an heap, below the lower Garden Wall, and put it to two Loads of Seaweed and some Lime, for manure for the Corn in the Meadow next Year. Carted besides, 3 Loads into the Hollow in the Cowyard. An extream hot day. Reading Bryant. Wrote to Phila. to Wolcot and Pickering. Probably an error...
71August 30. Tuesday. 1796. (Adams Papers)
Prospect of another hot day. Pursuing the Wall. Tirrell worked with our Men. Trask cutting Bushes on the ploughed Meadow at the other Place. Wind shifted to the North and then to the N.E. and the Air became very cold. Rode up to see Trask. Carted Mould into the Yard all Day.
72August 31. 1796. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Wind north and Air cold. Working on the high Ways. Carried a great Part of my gravel and spread it on the Road to the Meeting House.
73[September 1796] (Adams Papers)
The Summer is ended and the first day of Autumn commenced. The Morning is cold tho the Wind is West. To Work again on the high Ways. Billings out upon his Wall a little after Sunrise. Captn. Hall Surveyor of High Ways finished the Road between my Garden and new Wall. To work again on the high Ways. They have taxed me this Year between forty nine and fifty days Works on the Roads besides the...
74September 1. 1796. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
The Summer is ended and the first day of Autumn commenced. The Morning is cold tho the Wind is West. To Work again on the high Ways. Billings out upon his Wall a little after Sunrise. Captn. Hall Surveyor of High Ways finished the Road between my Garden and new Wall.
75September 2. 1796. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
To work again on the high Ways. They have taxed me this Year between forty nine and fifty days Works on the Roads besides the other Farm in Quincy and the farm in Braintree. This is unjust, more than my Proportion, more than Mr. Black or Mr. Beale. Stumbled over a Wheelbarrow in the dark and hurt my Shin. Moses Black , an Irishman who had acquired the house and farm formerly owned by Col....
76September 3. 1796. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Pursuing the Wall. Tirrell is here and We expect French with his Team. Some soft warm Showers in the night and this morning. French came not, because it rained. Anniversary of Peace, which has lasted 13 Years.
77September 4. 1796. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Fair. No Clergyman to day.
78September 5. 1796. Monday. (Adams Papers)
The Anniversary of The Congress in 1774. Sullivan brought a good Load of green Seaweed, with six Cattle, which We spread and limed upon the heap of Compost in the Meadow. Carted Earth from the Wall to the same heap. Tirrell here. Stetson opening the Brook three feet wider, Two feet on one Side and three feet on the other, at 9d. Pr. rod. Billings has never laid up more than a Rod and a half a...
79Sept. 6. 1796. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Walked up to Trask mowing Bushes.
80Sept. 7. 1796. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Belcher, Bass and Sullivan gone to mow the Marsh and get out the Thatch at Penny ferry. Billings laying Wall. Thomas, carting Earth. Stetson, widening the Brook to seven feet at 9d. Pr. Rod and a dinner. Brisler and James preparing, Yesterday and to day, the Cyder Mill, Press, and Casks. Yesterday Jackson Field came to offer me Mount Arrarat at Three hundred Dollars. I could not agree. He fell...