511Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 22 April 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have read Your Brothers Letters, with much pleasure; that part of them; in which he so dutifully, affectionatly, and generously tenders all his property for the use of his parents, affected both your Father and me most tenderly; thank God, we have not any occasion for it; our desires are moderate, our oeconomy strickt, our income, tho moderate, will furnish us with all the necessaries, and...
512Abigail Adams to William Smith, 28 February 1798 (Adams Papers)
We now have the appearence of some fine weather our Rivers are open, but our Roads are all like what we experienced when we came through the Jersis in April last. I begin to look towards my Native state with a wish to be early there, which I fear will not be seconded by Congress, for tho many of them are distresst at the manner this session has heitherto been wasted, yet they cannot controul...
513Abigail Adams to John Adams, 18 October 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have not written to you since you left Me, but as I know you must feel anxious to hear, I write tho it will but add to your apprehensions; my own Health has mended, tho the Weather has been so wet and unpleasent that I have not dared to venture out, not even to See my dear sister in her sickness and distress. she is very low with the fever confined to her Bed. Katy Gannet taken down, &...
514Abigail Adams to John Adams, 16 October 1774 (Adams Papers)
I dare not express to you at 300 hundred miles distance how ardently I long for your return. I have some very miserly Wishes; and cannot consent to your spending one hour in Town till at least I have had you 12. The Idea plays about my Heart, unnerves my hand whilst I write, awakens all the tender sentiments that years have encreased and matured, and which when with me were every day...
515Abigail Adams to Anna Greenleaf Cranch, 17 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
We have experienced very great anxiety for several days past upon mr Cranch account. mr Johnson in a Letter to mrs Johnson informd her that Mr Cranch had returnd very ill from court and that his disorder was the Billious Cholic, and that the Children were also sick; I pray you to inform me by the next post if possible how mr Cranch and the Children are. I wish my dear Neice that I was near...
516Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 25 January 1775 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you last Sabbeth evening in a good deal of pertubation of Spirits. I fear I did wrong in sending it you; I then promised to acquaint you with the result as soon as I knew it. Mr. Adams returnd a monday night in order to Relieve me from my apprehensions. It does not appear that there was any premediated design to raise a Tumult. An officer very drunk sallied forth, and was seen in that...
517Abigail Adams to John Adams, 28 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
I yesterday received your favours of the 17 th of this Month. I was attending at the sick Bed of our dear Parent, from whence for six weeks I have been very seldom absent unless a Nights; my Health would not permit me to be with her then. she you will find by a letter received before this Date, had anticipated your wishes, and sent you her blessing. upon me she hourly bestows them, and I never...
518Abigail Adams to John Adams, 7 December 1783 (Adams Papers)
Will you honour a Bill of mine, drawn in favour of Uncle Smith for 60 pounds, to pay for 9 acres of wood land which I have purchased of William Adams being part of the estate of Benjamin Ruggles, which fell to Mr. Adams in right of his wife. You will think I have given a large price for it, but it is not so much as your Brother has given him for a 6 acre Lot adjoining to his. The Lot I have...
519Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 February 1800 (Adams Papers)
Mr Sitgreaves has just call’d to let me know that he expects to embark for England in a day or two. I will not Suffer so direct a conveyance to escape me, without writing You a few lines Your Brother having written to you, will be my apology for not entering minutely into politicks. Since I wrote to you last, which was by way of Hamburgh, I have received Your Letter dated Dresden Sep’ br 17 th...
520Abigail Adams to John Briesler, 1 February 1797 (Adams Papers)
I last Evening received a Letter from You in which You express an anxiety at the prospect of being seperated from Your Family. I know too well how painfull a situation that is, to have any desire, to inflict so great an hardship upon any one, unless through necessity. The uncertainty how the Election would terminate, has prevented me, from saying any thing to You, or to your Wife upon the...
521Abigail Adams to John Adams, 7 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
How many are the solitary hours I spend, ruminating upon the past, and anticipating the future, whilst you overwhelmd with the cares of State, have but few moments you can devote to any individual. All domestick pleasures and injoyments are absorbed in the great and important duty you owe your Country “for our Country is as it were a secondary God, and the First and greatest parent. It is to...
522Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 14 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you last Evening requesting You to meet me at the susquahanah; but I did not reflect that it was two days Journey. this Evening Leiut Parker has arrived and has tenderd me his services; Mr Evans furnishes me with a carriage to Philadelphia provided we can cross the River if I cannot get over, I must depend upon the chapter of chances— if I can get over I expect to be in on twesday....
523Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 21 February 1800 (Adams Papers)
I take this opportunity by dr Morse to inclose to you two Hundred dollors towards the building; as soon in March as it can be framed and raised I wish to have it begun upon, and as many hands employd as can be usefully. I do not want to have any part of it, to do after the Presidents return. Congress talk of rising in April, tho I do not myself expect that they will so soon I hope Myself to be...
524Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 17 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
It was not till the last week in Febry. that your favour of Janry. 8th reachd me. I had waited the arrival of each post with impatience but was so repeatedly dissapointed that I almost gave up my correspondent even in the way of Friendship. I struck up of the list of Galantry some time ago. It is a character in my mind very unbefitting a senator notwithstanding the Authority of Chesterfeild...
525Abigail Adams to John Adams, 6 February 1797 (Adams Papers)
The heavey rain & thaw to day will prevent my getting my Letters to Town to go by the post, to that cause you must attribute it. This Month is a short one, and March will soon be upon you with its new Duties, with its load of care, and perplexities. those of a Domestick kind I would relieve you from as much as possible, Yet wish to consult You upon them. in the first place, what is to be Done...
526Abigail Adams to John Adams, 14 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
I set down to write you a Letter wholy Domestick without one word of politicks or any thing of the Kind, and tho you may have matters of infinately more importance before you, yet let it come as a relaxation to you. Know then that we have had a very cold backward Spring, till about ten days past when every thing looks finely. We have had fine Spring rains which makes the Husbandary promise...
527Abigail Adams to Isaac Smith Sr., 8 April 1786 (Adams Papers)
The Barrel of Cramberries you was so kind as to send me in the fall never reachd me till this week, oweing to Captain Youngs long passage and being obliged to put into port to repair the ship, he did not get up to London till about a Week ago. The Cramberries I believe were very fine by the Appearance of the few which remain; and would have proved a most acceptable present if they had arrived...
528Abigail Adams to John Adams, 26 November 1792 (Adams Papers)
Such has been the weather Since you left me, that I cannot form any accurate judgment where you now are. I sometimes conjecture that you are not farther than Brookfield. at any rate you must have had an unpleasent week, tho perhaps not so severe a snow storm as we have had here. Monday afternoon & all twesday it raind then cleard up very cold and blustering. on fryday came on a snow storm wind...
529Tuesday July 6th. (Adams Papers)
I was not able to write yesterday the wind blew so fresh; and not very fair, so that there was too much motion of the Ship. In the afternoon it came on rainy, and continued so through the night, this morning a small north east wind cloudy and unpleasent. Whilst our Friends on shore are melting under a mid Summer Sun; there has been no day so warm at Sea; but what I could wear a double calico...
530Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 November 1795 (Adams Papers)
The last Letter which has come to hand from you, was dated 27 July, now four Month. I begin to grow impatient to hear from you. I have lately sent my Letters by Way of England, where it is confidently said you are, and from whence I expect, to hear from you I wrote to you not long since by a private Hand a mr Wilder from N Hampshire. by him I sent you some of Websters papers containing col...
531Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 April 1791 (Adams Papers)
owing to an accident your Letter of April 1 t did not reach us till the 14 th I have got the power compleated and inclose it to the dr. I hope your trunk & the Porter which accompanied it came safe to Hand. I put in an article or two upon the top of the Trunk which if any opportunity offers you may send to Braintree. the Porter was directed to the care of mr Smith but I did not as I ought...
532Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 11 April 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received your two letters of April 5th and 7th, yesterday, and I enclosed you two from the children, in a letter to your brother this week, receiving them on that day; and not having time to write to you, before the post went. I do not think I have so frequently written to you for a month past, as I did through the winter; and it is because I have felt less anxious for you since the Col.’s...
533Abigail Adams to John Adams, 27 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Thanks to the Father of the Rain, and the Bountifull dispencer of the dews of Heaven, who has plentifully waterd the dry and thirsty Earth. the Fields recover their verdure, and the little Hills rejoice. the drooping vine rears its head and the witherd flower Blooms anew. Indeed my dearest Friend it would rejoice your Heart to behold the change made in the appearene of all Nature, after one of...
534Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 14 April 1798 (Adams Papers)
I sent you a pamphlet containing the instructions to our Envoys, and I now inclose the dispatches from them. no Event Since our unhappy controversey with France, has so throughly awakend the people to a sense of their danger as these dispatches; nor any imprest them with such strong conviction of the sincerity and candour, with which our Government has sought peace upon fair and honorable...
535Abigail Adams to John Adams, 29 May 1787 (Adams Papers)
I received mr Cuttings Letter on Monday morning, and was glad to find you had stoped Short of Hardwick. I prognosticated from the wind on saturday that you made your passage by nine or ten on sunday morning. I commisirated your sickness, and that I might feelingly sympathize with you, used mr Hollis’s prescription yesterday morning, finding a return of some of my former complaints. the effect...
536Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 19 June 1789 (Adams Papers)
This day is the Aniversary of my Landing in Boston and Tomorrow that of my departure from it. many are the mercies I have to be thankfull for through all my Perigranations, all the painfull scenes I have past through, has been the temporary seperation from my Friends, fatigue either of Body or Mind I scarcly name amongst them for I have my pleasures and gratifications which I set down as a...
537Abigail Adams to John Adams, 25 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
My Father has been more affected with the distruction of Charlstown, than with any thing which has heretofore taken place. Why should not his countanance be sad when the city, the place of his Fathers Sepulchers lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire, scarcly one stone remaineth upon an other. But in the midst of sorrow we have abundant cause of thankfulness that so few of...
538Abigail Adams to John Adams, 13 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
Dr Tufts has been consulted by me respecting the leaseing our places, and we have come to an agreement with the Tennants, who in proportion to the rise of Labour & produce, Annually expect more & more indulgences. a Farmer cannot be content with the profits he once made. he will tell you, the Day Labourer fares better, which is true. I meet with so many difficulties, that I wish Sometimes that...
539Abigail Adams to Elizabeth Storer Smith, 29 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Storer your worthy Nephew will be the Bearer of this Letter. I congratulate his Friends upon his return to them, after several Years absence, tho we shall essentially feel his loss, being as much attached to him as if he was our own. The appointment of a secretary of Legation prevents Mr. Adams from taking any other, which he realy stands in need of. If he had been allowed one, Mr. Storer...
540Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 21–28 November 1790 (Adams Papers)
I suppose you wish to hear from me and from your little boy. He is very well, and very amusing, as usual; talks of William, and of the other papa; is as fond as ever of the “fosses,” and has a great edition to his amusement and pleasures from a flock of sheep, which are daily pastured by a shepherd and his dog upon the lawn in front of our house. Bush Hill, as it is called, though by the way...