Adams Family Correspondence, volume 8

John Callahan to Abigail Adams, 31 January 1788 Callahan, John Adams, Abigail
John Callahan to Abigail Adams
Hatton Garden Jany: 31th. 1788— Madam

I had the honor to Receive a few lines from you yesterday, relitive to your passage to America, agreeable to your request, I here Send you the times in writing which will vary little or Nothing From your owne; I apprehend you, missunderstood me the other day, I do Assure you Madam, I had No Such intentions as to increace my Demands. I Only wished to have Convinced you how much pleasure it Would give me, to make my time of Sailing agreeable to your wishes, & Acquainted you of my Resolution of braking my engagements with Mr. Potten, & Others of my friends, who ware disposed to Serve me— Mr. Potten, in particular—who had given me the Refusal of all his freight—Which would have at least loaded half my Ship, upon Conditions—That I would engage to Sail as Early as Others (indeed he gave Me all the Month of Feby.) but finding you was not willing to Depart from Falmouth till the latter end of 222march, I was feerfull That My detention in the Channel might proove a great ingery To My freinds, not haveing his or their goods to market as Soon as others I mentioned this Circumstance, the last time. I had the pleasure Conversing with you, for No Other Reasion then to Convince you; how Desireous I was to make everything Conformable to your wishes, and not With Any intentions to encreese my Demands— I am perfectly Contented With the terms. proposed in your letter of yesterday1—you Say you will Agree to give me two hundred pounds, my takeing the furniture from The house, & providing every Necessary provisions for the voyage Stoping For you at Falmouth; Not Exceeding the first of April. provided the weather Will permit. I Could wish you to be there by the 20 or 23d of March as Freequently the Easterly winds Sets in about that time, but if It Should Not be Convenient; to be at falmouth then, I will waite till The last of March, or begining of April, &, you may Rest assured Madam—that I will not engage to take any passanger—in the Cabin till I have your approbation & Shall make you acquainted Who the are, before I engage with them; as it is my determination to Render the voyage to you & Mr. Adams, as agreeable as possib[le] & in Case there Should be only two Servents I do agree to dedu[ct] his or her. passage from the £200— I dont Recolect that anyt[hing] Was mentioned in my being at any Charge: in geting furnitur fr[om] the house, but if you think it Reasionable, I will pay the Carting & further more if you Mr. Adams. or any other persons Judges in those Cases, think me unreasionable—I am perfectly willing to make any allowances. that you or they may See fit—& if I can be of any Servis to you, or his Excellency—in buying or Collecting any matter for your voyage or in any other way I beg you or his Excellency will Command me: as it would give me infinite pleasure to Render you Or him Every Servis in my power: Mrs. Callahan Joinis in Respect. to you & family—2

I am— / Madam / your most Obliged humbe Servt

John Callahan

PS. I heard yesterday that Madam Belcher: is Dead. if you wish me to write to prudey Spears Sister who lived with Mrs. Belcher—please to Send me word:3 I will write her—agreeable to your Directions—

RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “To Mrs. Adams—” and “Mrs: Adams.” Some loss of text where the seal was removed.

223 1.

Not found.

2.

Lucretia Greene (b. 1748) married Capt. John Callahan in 1774. He named his ship Lucretia for her (JA, D&A , 3:215; Thwing Catalogue, MHi).

3.

Madam Belcher was probably Lydia Brackett Belcher (1734–1787), widow of Nathaniel Belcher (1732–1786). Prudence Spear (b. 1763) was Lydia's much younger second cousin, and Prudence's sisters were her twin Mehitable, Thankful (b. 1765), and Abigail (b. 1772) (Sprague, Braintree Families , p. 560R, 785R, 4356R, 4365R).

Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 2 February 1788 Jefferson, Thomas Adams, Abigail
Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams
Paris Feb. 2. 1788 Dear Madam

The silk you desired was delivered to mr̃ Parker a month ago, on the eve of his departure for England, as he supposed. he went however to Holland. mr̃ Valnay is so kind as to take charge of that now, as also of the silk stockings. I doubt whether you may like the stockings on first appearance: but I will answer for their goodness, being woven expressly for me by the Hermits of Mont Calvaire with whom I go & stay sometimes, and am favoured by them.1 they have the reputation of doing the best work which comes to the Paris market. I inclose you their little note of the weight & price, for they sell by weight.2 I inclose also a state of our accounts subsequent to the paiment of the small sum by Colo. Smith which balanced our former transactions. you will make such additions & amendments to it as you shall find right. I have not yet been able to find M. de la Blancherie at home so as to settle mr̃ Adams's affair with him: but I will do it in time, & render you an account.3 there being no news here to communicate to you, be pleased to accept my thanks for the many kind services you have been so good as to render me & your friendly attentions on every occasion. I have considered you while in London as my neighbor, and look forward to the moment of your departure from thence as to an epoch of much regret & concern for me. insulated & friendless on this side the globe, with such an ocean between me and every thing to which I am attached the days will seem long which are to be counted over before I too am to rejoin my native country. young poets complain often that life is fleeting & transient. we find in it seasons & situations however which move heavily enough. it will lighten them to me if you will continue to honour me with your correspondence. you will have much to communicate to me, I little which can interest you. perhaps you can make me useful in the execution of your European commissions. be assured they will afford me sincere pleasure in the execution. my daughters join me in affectionate Adieus to you: Polly does not cease to speak of you with warmth & gratitude. heaven send you, 224madam, a pleasant & safe passage, and a happy meeting with all your friends. but do not let them so entirely engross you as to forget that you have one here who is with the most sincere esteem & attachment Dear Madam / your most obedient / & most humble servant

Th: Jefferson
Enclosure Mrs. Adams in acct with Th: J.
Dr. Cr.
1787. Oct. 3. To paid for 5. aunes cambrick sent by Dr. Cutting £
  60.₶ 2–10
£ s
By cash to Colo. Smith  2–10
Dec.. 19. By cash by mr̃ Trumbull 120₶  5–
1788. Jan.. 9. To pd̃ hermits of M. Calvaire 12. pr̃ silk stockings  168₶
To pd̃ for 10. aunes double Florence @ 4₶– 15  47–10
23. To pd̃ Ct. Sarsfeld for books for mr̃ Adams  79   
294–10 12–5–5
Balance in favor of Th: J  7–5–5
14–15–5. 14–15–5

RC and enclosure (Adams Papers); internal address: “Mrs. Adams”; endorsed: “Mr Jefferson / Febry 2.d 1788”; notation on enclosure: “sent this Balance due to / mr Jefferson by Mrs parker / Febry 22. 1788 / Abigail Adams.”

1.

The hermits of Mont Calvaire (also known as Mont Valérian), located near the village of Suresnes, France, were a community of lay brothers. Besides making wine and silk stockings, they also offered accommodations to paying guests. Jefferson visited them often while living in Paris (Jefferson, Papers , 12:xxxv–xxxvi).

2.

Not found.

3.

On 6 Sept. 1787, JA wrote to Pahin Champlain de La Blancherie (1752–1811), the publisher of the Nouvelles de la république des lettres et des arts, to cancel his subscription. He enclosed that letter with one of the same date to Jefferson, whom he asked to settle his account with La Blancherie. Jefferson indicated that he had taken care of the matter in a letter to JA of 20 Feb. 1788 (JA, Papers , 7:360–361; Jefferson, Papers , 12:98–99, 317–318, 611).