Adams Papers

To John Adams from John Tudor, 1 August 1774

From John Tudor

Cambridge Augst. 1, 1774

Dear Sir

I Received your favor of the 23d. ult. but not til Satterday night as the man who promisd. to give it me forgot it. I am, Sir exceedingly oblidg’d to you for your thoughts and tender consern for my Son; the Carector you give him must be very agreeable to me and his Mother and all related. I hope and beleave it tis so except the prudent part, in that I think he is short, but perhaps a few Years more, with som experence may be of servise on that point, and for this affair, I should be glad to see him Settled in Life with som discreet and prudent Woman, sutch a young Lady as Ms. S—— of W—— but this is a delicat point. Should he think of and get one that would be agreeable to him Self, his Mother and me, I should think it one of the happyest times of my Life and act accordingly. May the Father of all our Merceys direct and bless him in this important affair.1

As to the times, the difeculty of young Lawyers, the length of time to get into Buisness &c. I have thought of, and just before I mov’d from Boston he presented me with a paper, Setting forth his difecultys sutch as you mention: he propos’d in said paper my giveing him the Rent of my House &c. that I moved from to Cambridg, or to consider him in som other way. I am thinking sence I Received your thoughts and Carrector of him, (as well as before) to give him the Rent of said House, it letts for 200 per Yr O.T.2 ’tis worth 300. I have in my Will given it to him (he laid the Corner Ston) with the Warfes, Stores and Shops adjoining. But I must not troble you Sir with to long an Epistle, but Grattetude obliges me to return you and Mrs. Adams her Father &c, my Harty Thanks for your uncommon regards to my Son. I trust that he and I shall ever thankfully remember all your favors.

I wish you and yours the best of Blessings and am Sir Your most humb. Servt.,

John Tudor

P.S. Mrs. Tudor joins me in Complements to your Self and Lady, and shall take it as a great favor, if you would favor us with a viset, either before, or after the Congress, in which I wish and hope you and Company will have the Blessings of Heaven, as well as the prayers of many Thousands. My Son never See the above.

RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “To John Adams Esq Braintree To be left at his Office in Queen street, Boston”; endorsed: “August 4th 1774 John Tudor.”

1Although William Tudor felt he had assumed “an obligation” toward S—— through “some careless words which he had dropped,” he preferred Delia Jarvis, whom he married in 1778 (Sibley-Shipton, Harvard Graduates description begins John Langdon Sibley and Clifford K. Shipton, Biographical Sketches of Graduates of Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge and Boston, 1873– . description ends , 17:254, 259).

2Old tenor bills of credit. In 1750 the value of old tenor bills was set at ten shillings for one shilling sterling (Mass., Province Laws description begins The Acts and Resolves, Public and Private, of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, Boston, 1869–1922; 21 vols. description ends , 3:430).

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