1501From Abigail Smith Adams to Ann Frances Harrod, 24 March 1805 (Adams Papers)
I have had an inflamation for several days past in my Eyes, which has prevented either my reading or writing, and must plead my excuse with you, for not sooner thanking you for the pleasure afforded me by your excellent Letter, and of communicating to you mrs Smiths request in her last Letter, of being particularly remembered to you, and of saying to you that she hoped e’er long to become...
1502From Abigail Smith Adams to Caroline Amelia Smith De Windt, 12 August 1809 (Adams Papers)
last Saturday my Dear Children and grandsons viz William your Brother, and little Charles Adams sailed in the Ship Horace Capt Beckford for Saint petersburgh this Seperation from a dear son at the advanced Age both of your Grandfather and me, was like taking our last leave of him, and was felt by us both, with the keenest anguish. our hearts were, “garnerd up in him” perhaps too closely and we...
1503From Abigail Smith Adams to Abigail Amelia Adams Smith, 3 September 1809 (Adams Papers)
To cheer the gloom which, in despite of my efforts to dispel, will hang about my heart upon the return of this day, which used to be endeared to me by the presence of your brother, I must have recourse to my pen and write about him, whilst my imagination follows him upon the ocean, sometimes wafted by gentle gales, and sometimes buffeting the winds and the waves. You, too, have your anxieties...
1504From Abigail Smith Adams, Receipt, 2 May 1815 (Adams Papers)
Balance due upon a former re paid Jobe Tinil for a Small trunk Lock and Key for John 1 33 paid Louisa Dexter knitting one pr Socks 25 100 11 30 Received in full 100 5 MHi : Adams Papers.
1505From Abigail Smith Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 26 November 1811 (Adams Papers)
do not think that I have not participated in your Joy, upon the Birth of your daughter, because I have not sooner congratulated you upon the event. Let it be to you cause of gratitude and thankfulness that you have reason to sing of Mercies, as you have abundent occasion to do, for The lives and Health of your two sons whom you left under the care and patronage of two of the best of Friends....
1506From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 25 January 1813 (Adams Papers)
This day two years since; I was cloathed in Sable for the Death of mrs Norten’s Since which time, I have had repeated occasion to continue it, and this day, your Letter of Sepbr 20th has filld our Eyes with tears; and our hearts with anguish. most tenderly and affectionatly do I feel the sorrows of the Parents, who perhaps had too fondly “garnered up their Hearts” in their lovely Babe, without...
1507From Abigail Smith Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, January 1811 (Adams Papers)
Mr Lincoln our Carpenter came this morning from Weymouth he saw mrs Humphries who watchd last night with Mrs Norten. She Said that mrs Norten was a little revived this morning I hope with trembling—may we be enabled to say Gods will be done for herself we need feel no anxiety. She will be relieved from her Earthly duties which Seem too great for her feeble Frame frame but for her Friends and...
1508From Abigail Smith Adams to William Steuben Smith, 22 November 1815 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a Letter from Charles, by the hand writing. I received it yesterday, with a Letter from Mrs Adams dated 2 October: they were all well then, but I presume mrs Smith gets Letters frequently—I cover the Letter to your Father to you I wrote him one last week and sent to the valley, not recollecting that he might have left it. if he has not received it, you will be So good as to tell...
1509From Abigail Smith Adams to Charles Francis Adams, 28 November 1815 (Adams Papers)
I thank you my dear Grandson for your very pretty Letter, as you cannot have any remembrance of your Grandparents. it is the more praiseworthy in you, to write to them, and then your hand writeing is so handsome, that it does you honour for your Age. The house which Your Father has taken in the Country, having a Garden full of fruit and vegetables, must be much pleasanter to you, and to your...
1510From Abigail Smith Adams to Thomas Baker Johnson, 3 October 1813 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of July 13th Should not have lain So long unanswerd but for the affliction of my Family. I could not write, my mind has been too much agitated, and distresst, by the Sickness and Death of my Dear and only daughter, Mrs Smith, whom you well knew. She came here, from the interiour of Nyork, where She has resided for the last Six years, in the Month of july, very Sick, as She had been...
1511From Abigail Smith Adams to Abigail Amelia Adams Smith, 18 March 1808 (Adams Papers)
William has been so punctual in writing to you every week, that I have been more remiss. I cannot write in an Evening; the only time in which I feel a disposition to use my pen is the forenoon. You know how buisily that is generally occupied, and more so now Louisa is in Boston, and the Farm buisness is just commencing. mrs dexter is going to housekeeping. I know not where to supply her place,...
1512From Abigail Smith Adams to Ward Nicholas Boylston, 14 March 1818 (Adams Papers)
Agreable to your Request we have concluded to Send you the picture. Mr Adams has been So occupied by public Buisness that he has not given any directions respecting it.—but as we know it will receive the greatest care from you; we have concluded to commit it to you; relying upon the promise given, that you will deliver it to our Son John Quincy Adams, when ever he calls for it— With...
1513From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
“Oh that I too, could make a visit to my Father,” was your exclamation in your last Letter. more than a visit You may make, my dear Son, If the Newspapers may be credited, for they announce from South to North, that you are to be recall’d and to fill the department of State. this is repeated over and again, & appears to give universal satisfaction. this I learn from all quarters—I rejoice in...
1514From Abigail Smith Adams to Hannah Storer Green, 20 February 1810 (Adams Papers)
I know not the date of your last Letter to me but this I know, that it is not so ancient, as the date of our Friendship, that commenced with our first knowledge of each other, “grew with our growth and strengthend with our strength.” it has continued undiminished through all the various vissisitudes of Life, which have checkerd our progress—from the juvenile days of Caliope and Diana, to the...
1515From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
I Shall continue to write to you altho you may determine to leave St Petersburgh before my Letters can reach you. There may be family circumstances unknown to me at present, which may oblige you to a longer residence there than we at present Contemplate. Ladies are not always in a Situation to undertake a voyage of three, and four Months. do not make a calculation for less time, you may be...
1516From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 9 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
I cannot let my Son pass through Plimouth without stoping to inquire after your Health, and that of Your Family! Nor of asking You who have lived many years, and where observations and experience, must have excited in your mind, Reflections which ought not to terminate with your days— what is your opinion of the great and important events which are taking place in the civilized world? will...
1517From Abigail Smith Adams to Julia Stockton Rush, 23 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
It is a very long time Since I have had the pleasure of hearing from you; but I have not been unmindfull of you or of yours. I have had much anxiety for the valuable Life of the Attorney General, and have now, many congratulations to offer you upon the prospect of his recovery. This is my first Subject, of congratulation— “Friends, Country first, and Then all Human Race” And what Nation, or...
1518From Abigail Smith Adams to Thomas Baker Johnson, 18 October 1817 (Adams Papers)
I will not let so good an opportunity pass without writing you a few Lines, to inquire after your Health, and to rejoice with you upon the return of your Sister, and Family to America, in good health, and with a more youthfull countanance than when She left us—but like Birds of passage, they left us, in one month for Washington— your three Nephews are with us George who has grown to the...
1519From Abigail Smith Adams to Abigail Amelia Adams Smith, 3 November 1808 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of Sepbr 25 together with Carolines came safe to hand, but I have been in a kind of Turmoil ever since, and never felt retired, or quiet enough to sit down to my pen. It is a great misfortune to me that I cannot see to write in an Evening, without injury to my Eyes. your Aunt Cranch’s sickness has lain heavey at my heart. She is I hope recovering, but she has been much broken down....
1520From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 September 1814 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you on the 26 of August, and sent my Letter to N york to go in a dispatch vessel. I did not at the time know of the Humiliating and disgracefull Catastrophy which had befallen the city of Washington!! nor have I language to describe my feelings at the Torpor which blinded the Government to a sense of their danger, and their defenceless situation The Capitol is destroyed, but America...
1521From 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...
1522From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 27 April 1816 (Adams Papers)
I am much dispirited by the weather which prevented the intended visit of you and your Friends, I promised myself much pleasure in it and wished for a conversation with mr Lyman upon the News. I recollected his account of the Bourbons and the temper of the French Nation as it respected Napoleon, they found themselves humbled mortified deprest and saw no disposition in the Monarch raise them to...
1523From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 16 October 1815 (Adams Papers)
Mr Adams call’d yesterday morning before six oclock, I rose before light in order to write to you, and waited only for the sun to give me light to do so; but the man came before, and I had only time while he waited to scratch of the hasty line I sent, or I should have told you, that the paper came safe the by mr d Greenleaf. Caroline’s Letter informs me that she was well the 7th. that John had...
1524From Abigail Smith Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 2 May 1816 (Adams Papers)
I never know how to let a vessel go from Boston, without a Letter to Some of the Family. I have just written by the Mary, for Liverpool, but as a Gentleman calld yesterday to request Letters, I have given him one, for my Son, and one for mr Smith. this I have directed to be put in the Bag, as it incloses one from your Sister Hellen, which She Sent one for you— Mr Brooks has taken charge of the...
1525From Abigail Smith Adams to John Adams Smith, 12 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
I have not noticed your Letter bearing date 10 Novb’r—I had begun to think that you had renounced me as a correspondent—not having had a line from you for a long time—Like other Ladies who when Slighted turn their Backs or otherways express their Sense of it I did not feel myself obligated to write again—and gratified myself by reading Your Letters to Your Grandfather, and discharging my duty...
1526From Abigail Smith Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 24 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
I received your journal No 4. containing the drawing Room History, which amused us much. What would have been Said in my day, if So much Style, pomp and Etiquette had been assumed? the Cry of Monarchy, Monarchy, would have resounded from Georgia to Maine.—but according to the old proverb—some persons may Rob; better than others look over the hedge.—I am not condemning this new order of...
1527From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 December 1815 (Adams Papers)
By mr. Tarbel, who left here the last of Nov’br I wrote to you, and to mrs Adams, introducing him to you, as the Grandson of our Ancient, and beloved Friend, dr. Tufts, who then enjoyed his faculties and was active in buisness—but upon the 8th of this month, closed a Life of virtuous usefullness. having finishd the works assignd him, he fell asleepe asleep—for his death was not preeceeded by...
1528From Abigail Smith Adams to Anonymous, 25 August 1809 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a Letter which came under cover to the president. I take an early opportunity to forward it to you. I presume it is, from your son. At the same time I avail myself of the occasion, and write my sympathy, with that which I know you must feel, at the destination of our Children to a foreign Country. The appointment is no doubt an honorable one, and in a public light, I consider it,...
1529From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 16 November 1814 (Adams Papers)
Feeling a little in the dumps, the why, or the wherefore I cannot tell, excepting a crick in my neck, & pain in my head, to cure all I take my pen to write you a few lines and inclose the , which Susan finished but has not had a conveyance for; so I send them by post and to make you laugh send you O an abominable wagish Letter I had almost said wicked, but then it made me laugh so, that I was...
1530From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 September 1809 (Adams Papers)
This day compleats Eight weeks since you embarked for Russia. I would fain flatter myself that you have arrived at your destined port—the British Ship Squirel arrived at Halifax whilst mr Boylstone was there; who sailed for that place the Same day that you sailed for st petersburgh. the commander of that Ship informd him; that he had boarded the Horace upon the 21 of August, and that Mr Adams...