1Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 February 1804 (Adams Papers)
We have this Day quite and old fashiond Snow Storm, after an unusual pleasent Feb’ ry . the Snow is much deeper and more Drifted than We have had, for Several Winters. the wind Very high at North-East, from our parlour Windows the Stone walls are not to be Seen. it began yesterday noon to snow, after Evening, the wind rose, and has continued through the night, and to this time without...
2Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 September 1801 (Adams Papers)
Welcome, Welcome, my dear Son to your native Land after a seven years absence from it, God be praised that you and Louissa, and my dear John George &c have arrived in Safety. but I have trembled for you, least the extreem Heat you must have experienced since your arrival Should be too much for you all. the Sudden change we have experienced of no less than 30 degrees, is equally trying to weak...
3Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 December 1803 (Adams Papers)
I did not expect a very frequent correspondence with you when You left me; however interested we each of us feel in the happiness and prosperity of our Country, there is little hope that observation, upon the measures pursued, or anxiety for the event of them: would alter or amend them: The Group Which compose the National Counsels is certainly Such an one, as has not heretofore been collected...
4Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 May 1801 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of March the 10 th is before me; Your Brother informs me that he has one of April. It is true my dear Son, that I have read with much interest, and sincere pleasure, Your Letters to your Brother Thomas, and with many others, have been highly entertaind with Your journey into Selicia Whilst those Letters convey usefull information, to the Merchant, the Mechanic, and the Farmer, they...
5Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 October 1803 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter from Providence and rejoiced in the favorable account you gave of your journey thus far, but a Letter Since received by your Sister dated at Newark gave us all much anxiety upon Mrs Adams’s account. We hope her disorder was only occasiond by over fatigue; and that a little rest would restore her. She is a veteran in journeying, and has frequently gone through what would...
6Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 11 December 1803 (Adams Papers)
We have not a printer in Boston who gives us any of the debates in either house of Congress: I have seen the National intelligencer for a few weeks past. I there read the debate which I presume was the cause of Dr Eustice writing to mr Jos Hall the following, “You will probably have heard of the bold an independant manner in which J Q A. voted away from his party, having gained credit with us...
7Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 January 1804 (Adams Papers)
I am indebted to You for two Letters Since I Wrote to you. Your Letter of december 22 d I thank You for, as well as the other; to me your conduct wanted not any justification or explanation. I am fully Satisfied that You have Weighed every measure, looking much further into concequences than those who censure and condemn. Yet I like to have some reasons to give to those who feel anxious upon...
8Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 January 1804 (Adams Papers)
I am sorry to say that I write you from my Sick Chamber, where I have been confined for near a week with the Severest attack of the Rhumatism Which I have experienced for many Years in my Limbs. I hope it will not be very durable, but Submission is my lesson, and patience my Study— We last Evening received the port folio containing the Character of your much Loved Friend. I read it with a...
9From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 17 December 1805 (Adams Papers)
I began a Letter to you on the 10 of this Month left it unfinishd, and so it is like to remain, an old Letter being of no more value than an old almanack—for to know how things are, when absent from the Scene, is better than to learn how they were a week before. At that period I had not heard of your safe arrival at Washington. Since I have received two Letters, one dated the 29st Novbr and...
10From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 December 1804 (Adams Papers)
I last week received your Letter of december 3d in replie to mine of Novbr 11th, not having made any mention of it before I thought it had miscarried. I am very sorry to learn by it, that you have been unwell. you must not let the mind wear so much upon the Body. Your disposition to a Sedentary Life prevents you from taking that regular excercise which the Body requires to keep it in a healthy...
11From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 9 January 1806 (Adams Papers)
This is the first Snow which we have had of any concequence; and this promisses to be keep. It began last night and has continued increasing all day. It is now mid day, and the storm is cold and severe, the wind North. I cannot tell you how the Glass stands, for when I went in the absence of your Brother & Sister; to take an observation as I promissed, the window was frozen down So tight, that...
12From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 July 1806 (Adams Papers)
I sympathize with you in the loss you have sustained, and rejoice that the event did not prove fatal to the mother, as well as Child. Let me hear from you when you get a Letter from Washington. your affectionate MHi : Adams Papers.
13From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 9 February 1806 (Adams Papers)
I begin my Letter by announcing the Health of your Children, that your mind and that of their Mothers may be at ease & “they cannot speak for themselves it is true,” but there are Mothers who are not less anxious for those who can speak for themselves; and it is with much pain that I learn from your Friends that your Health does not appear to have been mended by your journey, or change of...
14From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 11 November 1804 (Adams Papers)
I am desirious of writing you a few lines just to assure you that I am able to hold a pen, and that I hope my Health is not in a more declining state than when you left me, altho I have not been able to leave my chamber since; except to ride a little way a few times; I think I have gained a little strength the last week tho I have not got the better of the most debilitating of my complaints—a...
15From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 May 1806 (Adams Papers)
When Mr. Hall was here your Father told him that he would leave to you the adjustment of the shares in the cannal. the Sale of them was undoubtedly a great Sacrifice of property at their present valueSo was the payment of the assesments. but I hope it will prove for the best. Your Father says that he would have you take as of his Shares in the New England Insurence as will repay you what you...
16From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1808 (Adams Papers)
Those of the family who could not attend yesterday at Cambridge yesterday as well as those who did, are very desirious of reading the lecture. if you will be so good as to let William take it, to day, I will return it on Monday. I wish a few of the Reviews if you can spair them. I carried to Town yesterday your Shirt overalls & waistcoat & handkerchiefs which you left here. as mrs Adams was...
17From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 21 November 1805 (Adams Papers)
Your trusty driver took such care of your Letter that he kept it close in his pocket for a whole week after he returnd, untill ragged and dirty it reachd us last Evening 10 days after it was written. it was however very welcome, being the first intelligence which had reachd us of you, from the time you left us.— I requested your Brother to write to you to Philadelphia, as I was unable too,...
18From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 March 1806 (Adams Papers)
I fear your Father may have given you unnecessary anxiety; I told him at the time it was not best to mention an indisposition so slight as John’s was, but he said if he wrote; he must tell all. I had observed for several days about noon a high coulour in his cheeks, and at that time, he was unusually irritable, Some other Symptoms indicated a redundancy of Bile, which proved to be the case....
19From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 January 1807 (Adams Papers)
We have had in the Week past the coldest Weather that has been through the winter, yet we have not had Snow enough through the Season to cover the ground. I expet Febry and March will pour upon us the whole quantity which the cold must have engenderd through the Winter. The Season has been very healthy. few cold’s or coughs. George after spending a fortnight with me and getting quite rid of...
20From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 March 1806 (Adams Papers)
I was much pleased at receiving your Letter of March 14th. It was a much longer interval than had occured before, without receiving a line from you. but Mrs Quincys kindness in always mentioning you to my sister had relieved me from the fears that you might be sick. it is with Sincere Satisfaction that I learn from your own hand that your Health is much mended. When a Man enjoys good Health,...
21From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 December 1804 (Adams Papers)
You have been so good in writing to your Father and Brother that I ought not to complain that you have not particularly addrest a Letter to me, tho I wanted to know how George was grown, and whether he rememberd you and what he had to say to you. John I think you told me was quite different in his temper and disposition, more sturdy and harder to manage. these are subjects much more...
22From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, February 1809 (Adams Papers)
The Saturday after you left Boston, I went to Town, and brought up George. he went the next week to his uncle Cranch’s, and goes daily to school to mr Whitney. he appears well pleased, and learns to the Satisfaction of mr Whitney as I hear, who has put him into Lattin, which George Says is not so hard as French, in his French Bible his Aunt hears him daily. he is a Good Boy, save now and then,...
I address you jointly and congratulate you upon the fine weather we have had since you commenced your journey I hope e’er this day, you have reached washington in safety , with your dear little Boy; for whose Safety, I was not a little anxious through so long and fatigueing a journey. We had the pleasure to receive a Letter from you, informing us of your arrival at New york— The week after you...
24From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 December 1804 (Adams Papers)
Your affectionate Letter of December 19th reach’d me a few days since, and found me and the rest of the family in good Health, and Spirits, blessing for which we ought to be truly thankfull. as all the Gifts of providence are enhanced and enjoyed with tenfold pleasure when attended by them, we can never so justly appreciate the blessing we enjoy, as when we are deprived of them. I was glad to...
25From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 27 February 1807 (Adams Papers)
I fully designd writing to you so that my Letter should have reachd you at Washington, but ten days of very severe sickness has prevented me from holding a pen, and now I do it against many expostulations. I duly received your two kind Letters, and thank you for them. Mrs Adams Caroline and the two Boys made me a very pleasent visit of a fortnight. I enjoyd their society in my usual health,...
26From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, April 1808 (Adams Papers)
A1tho I have not so frequently written to you It has not been oweing to Your having been less frequently in my Thoughts than formerly; I found it so difficult to determine from a partial view, what were the wisest and best measures for the government to pursue, in a day so dark, and in times so perilious, that Silence was best for me, after having once given my opinion upon a subject where we...
27From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 November 1805 (Adams Papers)
The reason that you did not receive a Letter from me when you arrived at Philadelphia, was oweing to my being so sick that I could not write. I got your Brother to write, but not so soon as I should, if I had been able. as soon as I could hold my pen I wrote you a few lines, since which I have received your Letter from Newyork; I have rejoiced in the fine weather which has followed you ever...
28From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 16 January 1807 (Adams Papers)
I think it is full time to take my pen and inquire after your Health, and to assure you that I should not have been this long silent if I had not known that Mrs Adams was a constant and punctual correspondent, and would inform you of the welfare of herself and children. John has made me a visit of a couple of weeks; on Saturday I brought out George in hopes that a change of air; and a little...
29From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 11 March 1805 (Adams Papers)
As Congress are now up for this Season, you will be thinking of returning as soon as the Roads will permit, and that will be soon, unless we should have a renewal of winter. the two last weeks of Feb’ry and March as far as it is gone, has been very fine weather. uncommonly so, the grass springs, and the trees bud, too soon I fear for a climate so liable to sudden changes; I fear you will not...
30From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 February 1808 (Adams Papers)
I take it for granted that you will neither in public or private Life do any thing which you are unwilling to own, or to affix your Name. I write to ask you if uninvited you attended the Caucus at Washington of which mr Bradley was President? It is not the scandalous publication in Jacksons Register at Philadelphia, which has induced me to ask this question, but because I have considerd it as...