Adams Family Correspondence, volume 7

Elizabeth Storer Smith to Abigail Adams, 3 January 1786 Smith, Elizabeth Storer Storer, Elizabeth AA

1786-01-03

Elizabeth Storer Smith to Abigail Adams, 3 January 1786 Smith, Elizabeth Storer Storer, Elizabeth Adams, Abigail
Elizabeth Storer Smith to Abigail Adams
Janury 3d 1786

Notwithstanding the unconquerable aversion I ever had to writing I cannot forbear taking up my Pen, to Congratulate my dear Neice on the new year, and to thank her for her favour by the Welcome hand of my Nephew,1 who is return'd I hope uncorupted, I do not wonder you wisht to keep him with you, I think he is very agreable. Your Journal and Letters to your friends have ever afforded me great Pleasure, and I look on my self under greater Obligation as your Correspondence is so large.

I am glad to find you still retain such an affection to your Native Place, notwithstanding the number of gay Senes which sorounde you, I make no doubt it would be pleasing to you, as well as to all your Conections, to have you with Mr and Miss A return to us again. I have slept but three nights at Brantree since my dear friend absence, it realy looks so Melancholy, I cannot take that pleasure I used to when you was their, I hope you will enliven it again with your Company, the pleasure we feel at seeing our Friends return, in a great measure make up for the pain of separation.

I wish it was in my power to write any thing entertaining, but as I seldom go abroad in Winter, I know but little besides what passes in my one familey, and there is no Matches going on the too Old Bacheldors2 still continue so.

Mrs Gill has latly had a letter from Mrs Hollowell informing her Capt H. and she had been a Journey and there health is much better, I am sorry their is any impedient in the way to your visiting Mrs H. as I know you would both be happy in each others acquaintance.3

Please to remember my love to Miss Hobart, I am much obliged to her for enquiering after me, she is Sister to Mrs Vasal and formaly lived with Madam Steel one of my most agreable Neighbours, I should be glad to see her and Mr Vasal's familey in Boston again.4

So our friend Thomas B.5 begins to think he shall not live here always, as he has so good an opinion of your Uncle I wish he would leave him a handsome legasy, I think he ought to for the care he took of his intrest when he was out of town.

5

How does my good friend Mrs Rogers has she recovered her health, give my love to her, I sinserely sympathize with her in the death of her amiable Mama:6 O how many kind friends have we been calld to part with since you left us, and whose turn it may be next God only knows, but may we all be prepared for this Change and meet again in the World above to part no more is the sinsere wish of Your Affectonate Aunt

Elizabeth Smith

PS. Mr and Mrs Otis are well and send their love to you and Mr and miss Adams. My love to Cousin Nabby I sinserely wish her happy.

RC (Adams Papers).

1.

AA's letter of 29 Aug. 1785 was one of those carried by Charles Storer, when he returned to America in November (vol. 6:314, 458).

2.

Undoubtedly her two sons, Isaac Jr., 36, and William, 30.

3.

AA thought she should restrict her visits to loyalist refugees to avoid complicating JA's position as minister to Great Britain. Rebecca Boylston Gill and Mary Boylston Hallowell were sisters, and cousins of JA's mother. Capt. Benjamin Hallowell served as the provincial commissioner of the customs before he left Boston in 1776 (Sabine, Loyalists ).

4.

Anne Hubbard (Hobart) was the sister of Margaret Hubbard Vassall, who left Boston for England in 1775 with her husband William. In Boston, Hubbard probably had boarded with Margaret Nelson Steel (Edward Warren Day, comp., One Thousand Years of Hubbard History, 866 to 1895, N.Y., 1895, p. 185; Thwing Catalogue, MHi).

5.

Formerly of Boston, Thomas Boylston, a merchant, was also a cousin of JA's mother and brother of Rebecca and Mary.

6.

Abigail Bromfield Rogers' stepmother, Hannah Clarke Bromfield, of Boston, died in Aug. 1785 (vol. 6:385, 395).

Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 5 January 1786 Tufts, Cotton AA

1786-01-05

Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 5 January 1786 Tufts, Cotton Adams, Abigail
Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams
Dear Cousin Weymouth Boston Jany 5. 1786

I have to thank you for your Communications of Sept and Octob. which came to Hand.1 And I have many Things which I wish to write but must confine myself to some few matters that have relation to your Affairs. Your Bro Adams informs me that he has your Note for £30. I wish to know whether you would have me discharge it. I this day paid your Mohr. Hall 5 Dolrs. for the ft. Quarter having deferered it to this Time in order to begin the Payments with the Year. Your Tenant Mr Pratt has been so unfortunate in the Year past as to lose with the Horn Distemper one of the largest Oxen—2 Cows, and one Hog with a Distemper of which a Number have died. I have thoughts of making him a Consideration in the Settlement of Acctts. as the loss will be heavy to him and I presume it will not be disagreable to you. I have received the 17 Guineas by Mr Charles Storer (5 delivered him and 12 by the Way of Dr. Crosby). I 6informed you that I had laid out for Mr Adams Upwards of £100 in Consoledated Notes2—and have followed your Directions by your Son John, a more particular Acctt. of the whole, I shall give you in my Next. I wish you to attend to the matter relative to Doanes Acctt.3 and send me an Answer—and from Time to Time give me a dish of Politices for I assure you that your Intelligence is very acceptable. What shall I do should it be found necessary to call for a Surrender of Account Books Papers &c in the Hands of a certain Attorney.4 I have found it necessary for a long while to call for the Completion of this and that Business &c which is not very pleasing to one who wishes to have Business dispatched with Care and punctuality and Speed. However I hope I have got Matters into a tolerable good Train. There is not a little rejoicing here at the Breaking off a Correspondence between the young Folks. As soon as I get Leisure I shall write you a long Letter which the Necessity of my returning home this Forenoon and a Snow Storm coming on prevents.

Be so kind as to forward the Letter to Mr Elwerthy.5 Remember me to Mr Adams and Cousin. Charles is well—now at Braintree being the Winter Vacation, your other Children were well last Week. Adieu. Yr Friend &c

C Tufts

RC (Adams Papers); endorsed: “Dr Tufts Janry 5 1786.”

1.

16 Sept. and 5 Oct. 1785 (vol. 6:363, 407).

2.

See vol. 5:292, 293.

3.

For Tufts' previous attempt to collect money owed JA by the heirs of Elisha Doane (d. 1783), JA's client in the 1777 admiralty case of Penhallow v. The Lusanna, see vol. 6:426, 427. For the details of the case, see JA, Legal Papers , 2:352–395.

4.

AA gave JA's account books to Royall Tyler in 1783, hoping he could collect some of the old debts. Tufts' concern about the return of JA's books and papers stems from AA2's ending her engagement to Tyler in Aug. 1785 (AA to JA, 3 Jan. 1784, vol. 5:292; AA2 to Royall Tyler, ca. 11 Aug. 1785 , vol. 6:262).

5.

James Elworthy, a London merchant, was married to Elizabeth Cranch, a niece of AA's brother-in-law Richard Cranch (AA to Elizabeth Smith Shaw, 28 July 1784, vol. 5:406).