1John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 10 March 1801 (Adams Papers)
I am almost asham’d to acknowledge how long it has been since I wrote you last, and can only hope you will consider my numerous letters to my brother, most of which I intended as much for you as for him, to be a sufficient apology— I have not received a line from you or from my father since last June, though I think it impossible but that you should have written more than once— My last letter...
2Hannah Quincy Lincoln Storer to Abigail Adams, 14 March 1801 (Adams Papers)
Permit Me, dear Madam, to offer My thanks for Your care of letters, from Our dear Children— And to congratulate You on your return to peace feild. I feel assured that You and Yours, will injoy a tranquility, that is Not in the power of the World to give , Or take away — I reflect with triumph that M r Adams can adopt those pleaseing lines of Our favourite Poet— May I confess? that I feel My...
3Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody to Abigail Adams, 29 March 1801 (Adams Papers)
A mind agitated by the Vicissitudes attendant upon the present juncture of publick affairs, & oppressed by a large portion of domestic concerns, cannot often be disposed, nor find leisure to delineate its feelings upon paper— To the almost impossibility of portraying the various sentiments, passions, & exercises of the heart which have been roused in the past winter, I attribute Yours, & my...
4Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 March 1801 (Adams Papers)
Your kind letter dated this day week, has just come to hand. I rejoice to hear of your arrival once more at the farm house & that you have so far recovered from the unlucky accident, which befel you, as to be able to walk about. The return of my father was announced in the newspapers & with the addition of a line, signifying that “his worth would make him welcome there.” It is a source of...
5John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 April 1801 (Adams Papers)
I received a few days ago your kind letter of 29 January. After having been so many months without a line from you, it gave me sincere pleasure to see your hand-writing again, though I could not but sympathise with the afflictions under the immediate burden of which it was written— I have cordially and deeply lamented my poor brother, and will obey your injunction respecting his child I learn...
6William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 16 April 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have received the things you sent me by Townsend and my Aunt Cranch with your letter of this morning and the shirts, for which please to receive my thanks. I find this town so very noisy and the present situation in which I am so very different, on many accounts from any in which I have ever before been, that it will take some time before I shall become naturalized. This circumstance and not...
7Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 26 April 1801 (Adams Papers)
Ten days ago, I shipped your Carriage on board a Schooner called the Hannah of Nantucket bound for Boston, and as there was no room below, I had to consent to its being secured upon Deck. Since the vessel sailed, we have had, until this day, a constant Succession of North Easterly storms, which has given me uneasiness on account of your property on board, and in order to cover the loss, in...
8Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 May 1801 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 22 d: ult o: has been a few days in hand. I thank you kindly for “the word intended for my private ear,” and shall avail myself freely of the offer, when occasion may require. Since, I wrote you last, I concluded that it was hardly worth while to Insure the Carriage, and therefore if fortune has proved adverse, your loss will be total as to the body of the Coach only, unless...
9Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 31 May 1801 (Adams Papers)
I received your favor of the 16 th: on the 23 d: inst t: . My time has been so much taken up, during the week past with removing my Office & lodgings, that I could not conveniently devote any portion of it to return you an answer. I have now obtained an establishment, which has long been the object of my wishes, namely an Office under the same roof, where I lodge; in a pleasant part of Walnut...
10Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody to Abigail Adams, 13 July 1801 (Adams Papers)
For the communications by Mrs Black, you have my grateful acknowledgements. She made me only a Vis—short, & sweet. I was very sorry she could not tarry longer. I rejoice to hear that after many dissappointments your Eldest Son, is at length made the happy Father of a living Child. May his & your joy be complete, by seeing it grow up, a comfort to its Parents, an honour & a blessing to the...
11Abigail Adams Smith to Abigail Adams, 21 August 1801 (Adams Papers)
Our city has sustained a very great loss in the death of Dr. Bailey. As health officer, he was obliged to reside upon Staten Island, to which the sick from the vessels that came in were carried, and the hospitals have been crowded all summer with the Irish emigrants; he has taken the fever from them, and was only ill four or five days. He has not left his equal as a physician most certainly in...
12Elbridge Gerry to Abigail Adams, 3 September 1801 (Adams Papers)
In our absence from home, you was so obliging as to address a line to M rs Gerry, which she has desired me to acknowledge, & to inform you, that in leiu of the first volume of Wraxall, that of Volneys travels was by mistake enclosed to her. this is sent to M r Smiths, & if the volume of Wraxall should be sent there, or at M rs Catharine Davis’ in tremont Street, I will order my servant to call...
13Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 September 1801 (Adams Papers)
I received your favor of the 10 th: inst t: the Day before yesterday, with an enclosure for J Q A & his wife, which I forwarded to her, as I perceived it was addressed to them, both. They spent a week with me here, during the hottest spell of weather, we have experienced, this summer, and though much overcome by it, I was surprized to find, that they bore it so well. D r: Rush, in the absence...
14Louisa Catherine Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 October 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have recieved your very kind letters and should certainly have answer’d them sooner had I not been prevented by a disagreeable complaint in my hands I was very to understand from your last letter that you had again suffered an attack of your former illness I hope however that you have now entirely recove’d your health and that the sight of your beloved Son will prove a cordial and contribute...
15Sarah Smith Adams to Abigail Adams, 22 October 1801 (Adams Papers)
I do not know why it is thus—but I am dissatisfied with myself untill I acknowledge your tender remembrance— Your sentiments are so consonant with my Ideas of resigned sensibility—so replete with that tenderness which has ever been displayed in all your actions— that I view it as a duty to emulate what I admire and approve— If nature has been partial in the distribution of her favores—and...
16Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 24 October 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favors of the 5 th: & 12 th: curr t: ; the first containing the mournful tidings of the death of our venerable Uncle Quincy; and the latter, by my brother, directing me to procure for you a mourning ring. I hope by the time my brother returns from Washington, to have your commission complied with, but as you gave me no particular directions respecting the fashion of the...
17William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, October 1801 (Adams Papers)
Some time since Andrew Foster, a relation of Mrs. Otis, applied to Mr. Otis for admission as student of law in his office— Mr. O. told him, that he then had his full number, the bar having limited themselves to three students at one time—that he could not then admit him, but that probably on Mr Adams return, I should prefer studying in his office, and if so, Foster then might fill my vacancy....
18John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 1 November 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have intended every day since my arrival here to write you a line and inform you of my having safely reached it; but have hitherto been prevented, partly by business, and partly by the waste of time in visits, dinners and other avocations of the like nature: I say partly by business, for I have found much more of that to do here than I was aware of: upon undertaking to settle my accounts...
19John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 November 1801 (Adams Papers)
We left Washington on the 3 d: inst t: as I informed you in my letter from that place of the 1 st: it was our intention to do.— M r: and M rs: Johnson and their two youngest daughters accompanied us to Frederick— But M r: Johnson and my child were both taken so ill on the road that we had some difficulty to complete our day’s journey— M r. Johnson’s illness detained us a week at...
20Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody to Abigail Adams, 8 December 1801 (Adams Papers)
I hope my Dear Sister, has had her Cup of happiness filled, by having an amiable long absent Son, with his wife & little One, sit at her Thansgiving Table. I have not heard of his return from Washington, but presumed it would be an object with him, to be with his beloved Parents upon that Day. I thought of the pleasurable Circle, & sincerely wished myself one of the Affectionate Band, for I...
21Hannah Phillips Cushing to Abigail Adams, 18 December 1801 (Adams Papers)
We came to the City on the 4 th. The weather & roads were as favorable as could be expected for the season. At New-York we had the pleasure to hear from M rs Smith, that your health was much better than when we were at Quincey. Judge Cranch was so good as to engage us lodgings; they are as agreeable as any here, although not so pleasant to us as the last winter. I have been twice to see M rs...
22Sarah Smith Adams to Abigail Adams, 23 January 1802 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 10 th Instant was presented this morning— I am happy you again experience the Utility of the pen— I began to apprehend you had Imbibed an aversion to the little Implement—which I own was a source of regret to me for I am one of those beings who delight in the sweets of participation—and experience a peculiar pleasure in haveing my friends attached—to whatever I feel a partiallity...
23Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 22 February 1802 (Adams Papers)
I have your favor of the 7 th: inst t: before me; the letter for M rs: Adams, which came with it, was sent to her the day after, I received it, and the same day, she called in a carriage at my Office, to inform me of its receipt. Her daughter was with her and in good health. I have not been able to visit her so often as I wished, but before she returns to NewYork I will try to see her again. I...
24Louisa Catherine Adams to Abigail Adams, ante 8 March 1802 (Adams Papers)
Richard has just brought me your note and I am very happy to hear you are all well. Betsys Mother must be mistaken as to her having had the Measles as she is now confined to her room which we hope she will leave tomorrow she has had them very favorably and at her age I think it a happy thing to have got through the disorder George we expect will have them next Sunday it is unfortunate as he...
25John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 March 1802 (Adams Papers)
I am sorry that we are again obliged to postpone our visit to you at Quincy, as George is this day breaking out with the meazles— His symptoms however are favourable, and we hope he will have the disorder lightly.— I send out by William the two turkies and a fish. There is no Cod at market, for which reason I send a haddock— You will also receive a Rochefort cheese enclosed in a leaden cover—...
26Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 March 1802 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favors of 28 th: February & 13 th: March, came safe to hand; I thank you for them, and should have sooner acknowledged their receipt, but for the constant sitting of Courts, ever since. I repent, that I have written so much to you and my father, on the subject of myself, since I perceive, that it has produced so much uneasiness & anxiety, not to say more, on my account. It would have...
27Mary Smith Gray Otis to Abigail Adams, 23 April 1802 (Adams Papers)
Indolence shall no longer prevent my acknowledging, the pleasure I felt (my dear M rs Adams) from your kind & affectionate letter which I received some time ago. Your sentiments on the subject of friends are so congenial with my own, that I wish by every means in my power, to cherish with the warmest affection, the few that are spared to me. The last respects were paid to our friend M rs...
28Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody to Abigail Adams, 31 [sic] April 1802 (Adams Papers)
I have been gratified by receiving two kind letters from you. No circumstance of joy or sorrow that affects my Sisters, can be uninterresting to me; not from an idle curiosity, but a wish. to heighten the pleasures of life by participation, & lessen the misfortunes by sympathy & sincere affection. The same kind Parents nurtured our Infant Days, & taught us “all the Charities” of social life....
29Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 7 May 1802 (Adams Papers)
Since the receipt of your favor of the 18 th: ult: I have been absent from the City, a few days, attending a County Court, and tomorrow I expect to set out for another excursion of a similar nature. There is but little immediate benefit, derived from riding the circuit in order to attend the Courts in this vicinity; for the business is principally engrossed by those who reside in the shire...
30Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 May 1802 (Adams Papers)
I have your favor of the 23 d: inst: before me. The Country looks so pleasant and inviting in the vicinity of this City, that I have no difficulty in conceiving the beauties of Quincy farm, at this moment. I have lately passed some days, at different intervals, in the Country, and found much benefit, from the change of air. As to the accident, which befel me, I should scarcely have thought it...