John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 November 1801
John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams
Philadelphia 16. Novr: 1801.
My dear Mother.
We left Washington on the 3d: instt: as I informed you in my letter from that place of the 1st: it was our intention to do.—1 Mr: and Mrs: Johnson and their two youngest daughters accompanied us to Frederick— But Mr: Johnson and my child were both taken so ill on the road that we had some difficulty to complete our day’s journey— Mr. Johnson’s illness detained us a week at Frederick-town, where I meant to have stop’d only two days— Even when we came away he was still confined to his bed, and Mrs: Johnson could not part with Caroline— The child’s complaint was in the bowels— We expect him to cut some teeth soon— Dr: Thomas imputes his disorder to this cause—2 He recovered so far that on the 11th: we left Frederick, and the next day arrived here. But stage travelling at such a rate, is too violent for my wife’s state of health, and she has been very unwell here— We must however get along as we can— This day I hope to get as far as Trenton; and to-morrow as far as Newark— There to see Mrs: Smith and sister Adams—and go into New-York the next day morning.— It is I find, utterly impossible, travelling with such a family, to fix a day when I can expect to reach any given place— My journey has already been unavoidably protracted a fortnight beyond the time I had prescribed to myself, and I can scarcely hope it will not be again delayed by some accident or other— Instead of the 25th: which I mentioned in my last as the day when I should hope to see you, I must now reconcile myself to think of the 30th: as that when I may promise myself the satisfaction— I believe we shall go from New-York to Providence by water— It is by far the most comfortable, and in my mind the safest way for us to perform the journey— At any rate we shall be with you as soon as possible.
My brother is in very good health, and fattening upon celibacy— I wish his estate were fattening as much as his person; but he preserves at least an Independence, and I hope will ere long do something better.
Most affectionately your’s
John Q. Adams.
RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “John Adams Esqr / Quincy / near Boston. / Massachusetts.”; internal address: “Mrs: Adams.”; endorsed: “J Q Adams 16 / Nov’br 1801”; notation: “Free.”
1. After departing Washington, D.C., for Quincy, JQA, LCA, and GWA stopped in Frederick, Md., with the Johnsons. During their visit, Joshua Johnson fell seriously ill, and GWA’s health also declined. On the 11th, however, JQA insisted that he, LCA, and GWA continue their journey. After stopping in Philadelphia to visit TBA and in Newark, N.J., and New York City to visit AA2, WSS, and SSA, the trio traveled on the sloop Cordelia, Capt. Anthony, to Providence, R.I., and arrived in Quincy on 25 November. On meeting AA and JA for the first time, LCA remarked, “Both Mr & Mrs. Adams received us very kindly, and were much pleased with the Child: for whose sake I had been thus hurried on from the South to gratify their wish” (JQA to AA, 1 Nov., above; D/JQA/24, 3, 11, 17–20, 25 Nov., APM Reel 27; , 1:159–160, 162).
2. Probably Dr. Tristram Thomas (1769–1847), of Easton, Md., who had trained with Dr. Benjamin Rush and been recently appointed to Maryland’s Medical Board of Examiners (Richard Henry Spencer, Thomas Family of Talbot County, Maryland and Allied Families, Baltimore, 1914, p. 28–29; Washington Federalist, 22 June).