Diary of John Adams, volume 1

Tuesday April 29th. 1766.

Sunday. May 18th. 1766.

Sunday. May 4th. 1766. JA

1766-05-04

Sunday. May 4th. 1766. Adams, John
Sunday. May 4th. 1766.

Returning from Meeting this Morning I saw for the first Time, a 312likely young Button Wood Tree, lately planted, on the Triangle made by the Three Roads, by the House of Mr. James Brackett.1 The Tree is well set, well guarded, and has on it, an Inscription “The Tree of Liberty,” and “cursed is he, who cutts this Tree.”—Q. What will be the Consequences of this Thought? I never heard an Hint of it, till I saw it, but I hear that some Persons grumble and threaten to girdle it.

1.

James Brackett kept a “large and commodious” tavern on what is now the corner of Hancock and Elm Streets, Quincy (Pattee, Old Braintree and Quincy , p. 168–169).