Diary of John Quincy Adams, volume 1

3d. JQA

1785-09-03

3d. Adams, John Quincy
3d.

Visited the Consul in the morning, and spent an hour with him. At about noon I left Boston, and went before dinner as far as Milton. When I got there, I found Mrs. Warren had just left it with her son Charles for Boston where he is now gone to embark; the vessel is to sail on monday or Tuesday. I dined with the genl., and his three remaining sons, James, Harry, and George. The genl. bought this seat at Milton about 4 years ago; it formerly belonged to Governor Hutchinson, and is a very beautiful 319situation.1 Yet the genl. talks of selling it again, and going back to live on his farm at Plimouth: At about 4 o'clock I set out again, for Braintree; stopp'd at My uncle Adams's and drank tea; and got to Mr. Cranch's, at about 7 o'clock.

1.

The Hutchinson-Warren House on Milton Hill is illustrated in Adams Family Correspondence , 4:facing 189, and described in same, p. ix–x.

4th. JQA

1785-09-04

4th. Adams, John Quincy
4th.

Attended the meeting; forenoon, and afternoon. I went after meeting and drank tea, and spent a couple of hours with my uncle Adams. Past 6 o'clock before I got home. If the weather should be good I shall set out to-morrow with my aunt, to go to Haverhill.

5th. JQA

1785-09-05

5th. Adams, John Quincy
5th.

The weather look'd so much like rain in the morning, that we concluded to defer our journey to Haverhill, till to-morrow. Mr. Cranch went to Boston in the morning. I was employ'd, a great part of the day in putting my things in order. I find, that the largest of all my trunks is missing, and I know not where it is. I wrote to my uncle Smith, for Information on the subject. In the afternoon I tried my horse, in my uncle's Chaise, and find he goes as well as if he had been broken to it. I rode him backwards and forwards 2 or 3 miles and he did not give me the least trouble. This is a very pleasing circumstance to me; and the more so, because I did not expect it; for at New Haven, we could not make him go at all. Genl. Palmer1 came and drank tea with Mrs. Cranch. The weather cleared up in the afternoon.

1.

Joseph Palmer (1716–1788), Revolutionary soldier and Massachusetts politician, had been involved since 1783 in various business ventures in Germantown and Dorchester. Palmer was the husband of Mary Cranch, the sister of AA's brother-in-law Richard Cranch.

6th. JQA

1785-09-06

6th. Adams, John Quincy
6th.

At about 9 o'clock in the morning I again tackled my horse into my uncle's Chaise, and we put every thing into it, and set out, and arrived at Boston at about 11. I immediately went to my uncle Smith's store, and enquired after the missing trunk. I found it was in one corner of the Store. I then went to his House and found there a Letter from the Marquis de la Fayette:1 I also 320received Letters from My father, mother and Sister dated as late as June 27th.2 Waited on Mr. Breck with a paper upon the subject of refining oil. Dined at Mr. Foster's and immediately after dinner had the horse again tackled in the Chaise. By 3 ½ o'clock we were ready, and as the wind was somewhat high my aunt did not incline to cross the ferry: so we went round, over the neck. We stopp'd at Mr. Gannett's, the steward of the College. We at first intended to go as far as Lincoln, to night, but have been perswaded to remain here. My Brother and Cousin drank tea with us, and I spent the evening with them, at the College.

1.

12 June (Adams Papers). The paper for Samuel Breck referred to later in the entry was enclosed in Lafayette's letter.

2.

JA to JQA, 26 June; AA to JQA, 26–27 June (Adams Papers). AA2's letter has not been found.