Abigail Adams to John Adams, 24 July 1776
Abigail Adams to John Adams
[Boston, 24 July 1776] 1
[First part of text missing.]
Respectfull Regards to Mr. Hancock with thanks for his very polite and generous offer and Let him know that I entertain a gratefull Sense of his kindness. My Regards to his Lady too who I hear is in thriveing circumstances. I wish they may be blessed with a fine Son.—Mr. Winth[r]ope deliverd me yours of july 7. Mr. Gerry is not yet arrived. We have not any news. My Eyes will suffer for this exertion. Adieu ever Ever Yours.
RC, fragment only (Adams Papers); addressed in Richard Cranch’s hand: “To the Honble: John Adams Esqr. at Philadelphia”; postmarked: “BOSTON 25 IY”; endorsed: “Portia. ans. Aug. 3,” to which was later added the date “July 24. 1776” in the hand of William Gordon(?). This is a detached leaf of folio size, the third and fourth pages only, of what was originally doubtless a large sheet folded to make four pages, with the text of AA’s letter on the first through the third page and the address on the cover or fourth page. The first leaf was missing when this group of JA–AA letters was bound up in the 19th century; it may have been one of the specimens of AA’s handwriting that JQA or CFA gave away to an autograph hunter.
1. Date supplied from the docketing note (which must have been taken from the head of the letter) and confirmed by JA’s acknowledgment in his reply of 3 Aug., below. That acknowledgment indicates that the missing portion of AA’s letter had furnished a “particular and favourable Account . . . of all the Family.”