Your excellent letter to me arrived at the close of the last week and was brought to me by John from Boston: The hasty letter written to my Father on the morning of the 5th. to announce the melancholy event of the preceding day was followed by so many others to different persons of your family at Washington that I was not anxious concerning the transmission of regular information to you from...
Thomas Hellen was here last Evening and goes to–morrow Morning for Washington—I furnished him with sixty dollars to defray the expenses for which I took an order upon Mr T. Cook—George has paid for him 125 dollars quarterly; but his expenses have exceeded that sum and he has contracted some debts which must be paid,—not considerable I hope. We shall begin tomorrow to make the arrangements for...
We arrived on Wednesday Evening at Boston, and yesterday Morning came out here. The weather until last Evening was the very extremity of the Season, but has now turned cool—All here are well—George came out with us from Boston—You have doubtless received the Letters from Mr Quincy and from George, written after my fathers decease, and have seen the copy of my father’s will—I propose to accept...
14From Harriet Welsh to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 13 July 1826 (Adams Papers)
The President, and your son, arrived last night my dear Mrs. Adams; well, and not more fatigued than was to be expected from so hasty a journey—or than he is usually—they go to Quincy this morn’g—. It is about three weeks since I passed two or three days at Quincy and then felt a conviction that it would not be possible to preserve your Fathers life much longer—without the greatest & most...
We arrived safe here, about two hours since, and in two hours more expect to be on our way to Providence in the Steam Boat.Mr John Sergeant came on with us thus far, from Philadelphia—I have met every where a kind and Sympathetic feeling—Here we have seen Mr. G. Sullivan, Mr C. King and Mr Blunt—As you will remember me this day, I have determined to shew you that I need not to be reminded of...
It was as I had apprehended—On our arrival this morning at Merrill’s, we were informed by him that my father expired at 5 in the afternoon of the 4th. instt. and on reaching this place the New–York Evening Post of Friday was put into my hands, containing the proceedings of the Governor and council of Massachusetts, and of the board of Aldermen, of Boston upon the Event—You are no doubt ere...
17From John Marshall to John Quincy Adams, 27 February 1826 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Marshall accepts with great pleasure the invitation of Mr and Mrs. Adams to dine with them on friday the 3d. of March at five MHi : Endicott Family Autograph Collection.
18From George Washington Louis Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 28 December 1825 (Adams Papers)
C’est avec une bien vive reconnoissance Madame, que j’ai reçu la lettre que vous avez eue la bonté de m’écrire, et les vers qu’elle renfermoit. il est bien précieux pour moi de les tenir de vous même, et j’acquère par là le droit d’en devenir le dépositaire.— j’ose espérer madame, que vous voulez bien me pardonner d’avoir été si longtems sans vous adresser mes remerciemens. depuis six...
You will by this time (I hope), have obtained some days of rest after the fatigue of your journey. I have been extremely afraid of the effect of it upon you before you started but am in hopes now that the change once obtained will be of some service. How long you will remain under the present circumstances, I am unable to guess but I should scarcely imagine that a sudden return however...
This extraordinary season has prevented all ideas of regular correspondence for few employments are so irksome as writing when the thermometer stands at 100, but it is so agreeable to receive letters from home that one endeavours to seize every opportunity to obtain them. Grandfather has been favoured lately with a visit from his highness the Duke of Saxe Weimar, a gentleman who intends soon...
Ever since the middle of the last month we have been in such a succession of events and interruptions that the time has slipped away with out a moments reflection on the interval between this letter and my last. On the 15th. of June General La Fayette came and his arrival was the signal for dinners parties and shows. You ask for a description of the 17th. of June. It has not been attempted...
Let me express to you my gratitude for your last note on reading which I had a foretaste of the suffering I should have undergone had the dreadful rumour you mentioned preceded it. I most heartily thank God that my Father was saved to you, to his children, to his country. The idea of his loss is too terrible to think of and at the time when your note arrived; not having recovered a calm tone...
23From William Duer to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 8 June 1825 (Adams Papers)
Presuming upon an acquaintance it was my happiness to form, many years ago, and upon the experience it afforded me of your affability and kindness, I venture, after this lapse of time, and the changes it has produced, to obtrude myself on your recollection, and to solicit your aid in submitting to the consideration of the President, a statement, which nothing but a sense of duty to those who...
Your letter of the 1st. instant has affected me deeply: it was received this morning and afforded me more real pleasure perhaps than any you have ever addressed to me. Your style in writing is known to be that of the most animated conversation but in this instance it seems to obliterate the ideas of time and distance and to bring me near to you not in the mood of mortified affection and...
You will no doubt my dear Mrs. Adams, be much surprised at receiving a letter from one of whom you have seen and known so little as myself; but the kind, and I may almost say affectionate manner that you have always shown towards me in our occasional meetings at Mr. Hopkinson’s, has emboldened me to sue for a favour which perhaps I should not otherwise have thought of— My brother has been for...
26From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 30 March 1825 (Adams Papers)
Your journal which has become a necessary of life to me has failed me for a long time, but I must excuse it because it is too severe a tax upon you, and I hope and presume that George is too deeply absorbed in the studies of his profession to be able to spare time to copy your records. We are here in a news-paper flurry of flickenings for Governour and they will associate your Husband with Mr....
A most unpleasant journey was completed by our arrival at Quincy last week where we had the satisfaction of finding grandfather in better health and more comfortable than when we had last seen him. Two days afterwards Charles left us and returned to Cambridge anticipating much pleasure from the remaining months of his residence there but a little afflicted by the assignment of a part to him...
28From James Mease to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 14 February 1825 (Adams Papers)
I cannot help it! I can no longer resist the pleasure of expressing to my dear Mrs Adams my joy on the success of the election & my heart-felt congratulations on the signal triumph your husband has obtained over such plotting & treachery & malice & falshood! None of your friends have been more deeply interested than I—& not one more sincerely rejoices at this just & upright termination of our...
It is really afflicting to hear that you are again subjected to painful illness and to observe in your letters a depression and melancholy which are not natural to your character and which are I fear gaining ground over you. I do not think with those who attribute your indisposition to the election, although the scandalous persecution to which my Father has been subjected and the unblushing...
The heated and violent temper of the public upon the question of politics renders it necessary to keep individual feelings cautiously in check but this is not always possible. The low spirits indicated by your last letter to me and subsequently by the one to Mr Cruft have affected me more than any thing which is going on without. The atrocious application of the story of Mrs Moulton to the...
31From N. Brown to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 26 September 1824 (Adams Papers)
I intended before this time to have acknowledged the reciept of your kind letter It was extremely interesting to me No one could have a better idea of the pleasure afforded by a minute account of the situation of friends than yourself, who have been so much seperated from them persons who have never like you and and myself resided in foreign countries can form very little idea of how much the...
Your journalizing Letters, my dearest friend, from the 18th. to the 23d. have been received—And are most of all welcome, for assuring me of your continued convalescence; and of the benefit you are deriving from the waters—In your Letter of the 22d. Tuesday, you ask that the Carriage should set out next Tuesday, to meet you at Hagerstown—But on the next day you speak of passing another week ,...
Since Johnson Hellen departed, last Sunday, I have been moping in Solitude; but the day after he went away, I was made light-hearted by the receipt of your two Letters of the 9th. and 11th. instt. which came together—I suppose Johnson is by this time with you; but I dont know whether that will stimulate or dispel John’s home sickness—The week from the time when you left me, was one of the...
The day after your departure, Johnson Hellen came down from Rockville, and has been a pleasant companion to me till now. I rejoiced to learn from him that you had not suffered by the heavy rain that came on before you reached Rockville; and that you had proceeded to next Morning in health and good Spirits towards Frederick. But nine days have since passed away, and I have not a line either...
35From M. A. Patterson to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 10 June 1824 (Adams Papers)
Allow Me To present To you Mr Steuart Wortley, and Mr Stanly—They are Gentlemen of high rank, who are visiting America, and are anxious not To run through The County, but To become acquainted with our Society;—and I cannot with The pride of An American resist The gratification of Making Them known To Mr Adams, and yourself—Wortley is the Nephew of Lord Bristol, and Ld Liverpool—Mr Stanley of...
By Marys last letter I am told that you are still suffering from illness and Harriet Welsh understood from Mr Smith in New York that St Anthony had tormented you more than usually for some time. This disorder seems to have become very prevalent in this country and Mrs Welsh suffers so much from it that she is compelled to remain constantly at home. Grandfather had it pretty severely last...
It is pleasant to be able to inform you that Grandfathers health rather improves than declines. He has gone comfortably through the month of February and is now better than he has been for some time past. The family at Quincy are well. Mr Cutler, the Episcopal Clergyman there seems to have made sad havoc with poor Susans intellect. She is very enthusiastic and the religious fervor grows rather...
I have received your journal for the two first days of this month and shall as you permit read parts of it to my Grandfather. He has consented to give me all your preceding journals which are to be delivered to me next week. He thinks this the most proper disposition which could be made of them as he does not wish them liable to any view but those which you may voluntarily grant. I shall...
Just this moment opening my shutters I find the ground covered with snow and it lays apparently somewhat deep. We have had a number of little drizzles as the parson called them but this is the first real snow storm of the season. Yesterday was very disagreeable: a very light snow was falling all day but not enough to accumulate much, and the air was exceedingly sharp and piercing. The...
40From Lewis Cass to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 17 November 1823 (Adams Papers)
I had the honour to receive your letter, with its’ enclosure for Mrs. Boyd, which was immediately forwarded to its’ destination. It will afford me pleasure at all times to take charge of any letters, you may wish to address to your sister. I beg yor acceptance of a pair of moccasins, valuable only as affording a rare specimen of the delicacy of Indian female work. With great respect, / Madam,...