1Abigail Smith to Cotton Tufts, 2 April 1764 (Adams Papers)
I should not have been unmindful of you, even tho you had not call’d upon me to exert myself. I should be the most ungrateful of Mortals, if I did not always with Gratitude remember so kind a Benefactor, as you have been to me both in Sickness, and in Health. How often has your kind hand supported me when I was more helpless than an Infant. How often have you revived me by your Vital Heat? And...
2John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 9 April 1764 (Adams Papers)
I have nothing to do at present but to play with my Pen. I have long thought with Horace in his Dulce desipere: But now they tell me it is Utile dulci. I dare not think, for fear of injuring my Health, and for my soul I cannot set still without Thinking; so I am necessitated to keep my Pen in Motion to avoid it, and I believe you are well satisfyd it has answerd the End. I rejoice to hear you...
3Abigail Smith to Cotton Tufts, 9 April 1764 (Adams Papers)
I suppose you have written to me, tho I have not received it, for Mr. Ayers left his pocket Book with the Letters at Roxbury. However full in the Faith that I have a Letter there, I return you my thanks for it. We are all very sollicitious to hear from you; Brother has they tell us two eruptions; upon which I congratulate him. I hear also that he is in high Spirits, and more agreeable than...
4John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 29 March 1776 (Adams Papers)
We are impatiently waiting for Intelligence of further Particulars from Boston. We have only heard that General How and his Army have left it, and that General Washington with a Part of his, has taken Possession of it. How shall I express my Joy to you at this great Event! As we are in Possession of Dorchester Heights, Charlestown Heights and Noddles Island, I think there can be no Danger of...
5John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 23 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
It is with Shame, and Confusion of Face, that I acknowledge that your agreable Favour of April the twenty sixth, came duely to my Hand and has laid by me unanswered to this Time. There has been as much Folly and Inattention to my own Pleasure, and Interest, in this Negligence as there is of Ingratitude to you, for in the sincerity of my Heart I declare, that none of the Letters of my numerous...
6John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 30 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of the 17th. I received by Yesterdays Post. Am much obliged, to you for your judicious Observations of the Spirit of Com merce and Privateering, and many other Subjects, which I have not Time to consider, at present. I mean to express my Sentiments of them in this Letter. You tell me a Plan is forming for immediately erecting a Foundery. I wish you would oblige me so much as to...
7John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 20 July 1776 (Adams Papers)
Yours of July 5th. never reached me, till this Morning. I greatly regret its delay. But that it might answer its End, without further Loss of Time, I waited on my Friend Dr. Rush, an eminent Phisician of this City, and a worthy Friend of mine, who with a Politeness and Benevolence, becoming his Character, promised to furnish me with his Sentiments, concerning Inocculation, so that I may...
8John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 3 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have the Pleasure of yours of the 5th. of August, for which I am much obliged to you. It is a great Satisfaction to me to be informed, of the Particulars which are enumerated in your Letter, upon which the Happiness of the People and their Exertions in the Cause so much depend. I am not able to inform you of any News, except what the News Papers contain. Those inclosed, contain some Things...
9John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 9 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of July 25th was received in Paris in my Absence, and I have never had opportunity, to acknowledge it, till now. You are now I hope happy, both in the Constitution and Administration of Government. It cannot be long before We shall see the Lists. I am obliged to you for the Journal of the Weather, but cannot admit your Excuse for not writing me Politicks. Every one says you will...
10John Adams to Cotton Tufts, August 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have only time to inclose a few Papers and to pray for your Health and Prosperity. I am much distressed for my Brother Cranch as the last Accounts were allarming. So pleasing a Friendship of near 30 Years standing is a Blessing not to be replaced. I cannot give up the Hopes that I may yet see him in good Health. My worthy Father Smith must be greatly afflicted at this Sickness. The sorrows...
11John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 10 September 1783 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your Favours of June 26 and July 5 and for your obliging Congratulations, on the Peace. The Articles respecting Refugees had better have been omitted , but we could not have Peace without them and the Peace as it is, is better than none. The se Articles must be explained by a Consideration of the words of them and the whole Treaty, and I do not consider myself at Liberty to Say...
12Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 18 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
As You have been so kind as to undertake the care of Mr. Adams’es Estate and affairs during the absence of his family, for which it is my desire that you would regularly charge your time and trouble, the power of Attorney will enable you to transact all Buisness relative to the estate, but as there are some few things which could not be particularized there I have committed them to this paper...
13John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 5 September 1784 (Adams Papers)
I am here, happily Settled with my Family and I feel more at home, than I have ever done in Europe. I have not time to enlarge, as Mr. Tracy who takes this, is upon his Return to London. The Pasture you mention, rocky and bushy as it is, I should be glad to purchase, and if you can, I wish you to buy it for me and draw upon me for the Money, and if you know of any Salt Marsh or Woodland to be...
14John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 6 September 1784 (Adams Papers)
Know all Men by these Presents, that I John Adams of Braintree in the County of Suffolk in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have constituted and do hereby constitute the Honourable Cotton Tufts of Weymouth in said County Esq. my lawfull Attorney, giving him full Authority for the Management of all my Estate and Effects Real Personal and mixed in the said Commonwealth, for me and in my Name...
15Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 8 September 1784 (Adams Papers)
To a Gentleman I so much respect, and esteem, I am ashamed to write only a few hasty lines, yet I fear he would consider it as still more disrespectfull if I should wholly omit writing. My intention has been to take some leisure Day, and devote it wholly in writing to my Friends. Since I arrived here my time has been engrossed, not with publick Shews, and Spectacles, as they are called, but in...
16Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 3 January 1785 (Adams Papers)
In a Letter which Mr. Tyler wrote me not long since he informd me that Mr. Alleyne was about parting with his House and Farm and that he would sell it reasonably, but did not Say for what Sum. If Mr. Alleyne is really in earnest, and means to part with it, Mr. Adams requests You to see it, and to estimate what you think, to be the real Worth of it, to inspect the House; and buildings &c and if...
17John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 5 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received yours of 1 Jan. and immediately accepted the Bill for 50 £. St. payable in London. Whenever you draw upon me, you may draw payable in London, Amsterdam or Paris, as you shall find most beneficial. I accepted the Bill with Pleasure, as the purchases you have made are much to my Taste. I consent too, very readily to your raising my low House. It has need of it. If Verchilds...
18Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 8 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Adams received last Evening a Letter from you dated January 1st, in which you inform him of some little purchases which are very agreeable to him. I wrote you by his consent in January respecting Mr. Alleynes Farm. I suppose my Letters have not yet reachd America, as Captain Young has been detained Months in England longer than was expected. We are a little alarmed at the Hazard we have...
19John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 24 April 1785 (Adams Papers)
It was yesterday only that I received your Favour of Nov. 26, which contains many Things which you mentioned in a posteriour Letter which I have answered. I am glad you purchased the Pasture and Marsh. I accepted your Bill at sight and it was paid to Mr. Elworthy at sight fifty Pounds. I wish you to repair the House in Boston, and to go on purchasing Bits of Marsh and Wood, if you can find...
20Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 26 April 1785 (Adams Papers)
It was not untill the 21 of April that your Letter of December 1st. reach’d me, tho forwarded by Mr. Elworthy the 2 of Feb’ry. Where it has lain ever since I cannot divine, as many letters from all quarters come to us weekly. The contents of yours were not so political as to have made it necessary to have detaind them so long, four hundred and fifty thousand livres anual Salary to the...
21Enclosure: Account, 10 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
Dr. 1784. June. 24. To Cash pd. Nath. Austin 19/6 July. 1. To Nath. Willis 30/9 2. 10. 3 July. 21. To 1/2 m. Nails 4/ Aug. 11. To Cash pd. Jno. Gill 24/ 1/2 qe Paper 9d 1. 8. 9
22Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 18 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
Captain Lyde is to Sail this week. I will not let him go without a few lines to you, tho Captain Callihan has arrived without a Single Letter from my Friends. Mr. Adams received 3 by Monssieur Le Tomb, from his Boston Friend’s. If my son had been lucky enough to have had such a passage as I hoped he would, I should have heard of his arrival by Captain Callihan or the New York packet which...
23Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 16 September 1785 (Adams Papers)
I believe that Mr. Storer is going to leave Us in good earnest. He has so long and so many months been delay’d that I knew not when to give him my latest Letters tho I have so little to communicate that it is not of much importance whether my Letter was written a month ago or now. The talk of Captures by the Algerine is renewed again and I fear with two much foundation. Mr. Adams received a...
24Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 5 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
Captain Callihan sails sooner than we expected so that we have not time to write to several of our Friends, and indeed we have all written so lately by Mr. Storer, that nothing worth communicating has since occurd. Mr. Adams has written to Mr. Higinson which letter I dare say he will communicate to you and that will give you a detail of politicks here, as well as inform you of the troubles...
25Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 10 January 1786 (Adams Papers)
A Boston paper which reachd us by way of Newyork informd me of the Death of my dear Aunt 3 weeks before I received the melancholy account from your own Hand. From your last Letters and those, of my other Friends, I was led to fear, that I should never see her more; I feel my Dear Sir all that Sympathy for your loss, which a tender affection and the recollec tion of her amiable Life, and...
26Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 21 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
Captain Lyde arrived a week ago, and yesterday, he and mr Jenks dinned with us. By the latter we received your kind favour of December and Janry. I had just closed a Letter to you, which I have sent by way of Newyork, and requested mr King to Frank for you; the comunication directly to Boston is like to become much less frequent, than formerly, and the more it lessens, the better it will be...
27John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 11 March 1786 (Adams Papers)
Your kind Favours of Nov 12. and 24. and Decr 21 are before me. I Sympathize with you, under the Loss of your amiable Mrs Tufts, who was Innocence and Charity itself and Innocence and Charity can never put off the Flesh but for an happier state. It gives me great Satisfaction to be informed that my Sons Behaviour is approved, by you. As they must labour for their Lives, I hope they will...
28John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 3 April 1786 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed with this is a Letter to Dr Holyoke and all the original Papers from the Royal Society of Medicine. You will be so good as to inclose and direct them to him. I hope Mr. John is, or will soon be at Colledge. You may draw upon me for two hundred Pounds st. and invest it as before, to help you pay the Expences of my Boys. Yours Inclosed is a Note from my Friend Count Sarsefield. Will you...
29Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 8 April 1786 (Adams Papers)
Captain Lyde talks of leaving London tomorrow. I just write a line by him to inform you that we are all well. Mr Adams and mr Jefferson are gone a little, journey into the Country, and it is the only excursion mr Adams has ever made since he first came to Europe without having publick buisness to transact. I have nothing particular to communicate, but what I have mentiond in a letter to uncle...
30John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 26 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
There is a Subject So closely connected, with the Business of my Mission to this Court, that I can no longer be Silent upon it, with Honour. The most insuperable Bar, to all their Negotiations here, has been laid by those States which have made Laws against the Treaty. The Massachusetts is one of them. The Law for Suspending Execution for British Debts, however coloured or disguised, I make no...