Adams Family Correspondence, volume 8

Abigail Adams to John Adams, 16 May 1789 Adams, Abigail Adams, John
Abigail Adams to John Adams
Braintree May 16 1789 My dearest Friend

I yesterday received yours of May the 3d by Captain Beal's in which you request that I would come on imediatly Yours of May the first mentions several articles which you suppose it will be necessary for me to send forward, but add all is as yet uncertain, so that I am in doubt what to do, particularly as I have laid before you Since, a state of my difficulties to which I could have wish't some replie, that I might have known how to proceed agreeable to your wishes; I cannot get your Brother to say upon what Terms he will take the place. he insists upon it that all that can be got from it this year will not more than pay the Taxes, and as a proof he brought me this afternoon a Tax for the high way of Two pounds Nine shillings this added to the parish Tax makes five pounds Eighteen shillings, this added to the Tax we have already paid makes Sixty dollors, but I know very well that if he improved it, they would not tax it so high & then a part of this is for woodland mr Black complains most bitterly, his Taxes are just double. I have not contracted any debts to the amount of a dollor since you left me, two articles only I have been able to part with (, excepting what the Dr took,) a Hog & a Calf, the proceeds of which I was obliged to lay out in Hay for the 355stock & to send to a distant part of Weymouth for it. they ask 3 shillings pr Hundred Captain Beals is obliged to go to Boston to Buy Hay. there has not been such a Demand for these Several years. mr Black is obliged to Buy, the pastures are quite Bare, & the vegetation very slow & the weather very cold. I do not think I shall be able to get to you in less than three weeks from this Time, & how I shall then be able to leave our affairs is uncertain, no offer of any sort has been made for the oxen. your Brother thinks they had better be sent upon an Island to fat, the scow1 must lie where it is, for I cannot get any Sale for it. the Horse, I have put upon sale at 80 dollors, but your Brother says I may think myself very well of, to get 70. if I understood Brisler right, you said he should be given to J Q A rather then parted with at less— Barnard arrived this week, and I sent Brisler to Town immediatly for the Trees, they are much smaller than the Rhoad Island Greenings, all of which appear to have taken & are very fine Trees. I have got them all set & properly Guarded so that I hope we shall have an additional quantity of good Fruit I have yet got some Russets as fair as when they came from the Trees. Your Mother is as well as usual & yesterday with our Horse & chaise undertook a ride to Abington where she proposes to spend a fortnight. I have not been from Home but one half day since you left me. Esther was confined & I have had nobody but Polly with me, and I have had my Hands full of spring work for my children, untill Louissa came about a week ago to make me a visit I find her so helpfull to me that I shall keep her till, I come on. I do not like to sleep alone I am so subject to those Nervious affections, that I am some times allarmed with them. with respect to a House, I rather wish you to take one before I come on. Mrs Smith can judge as well as I can, but whether you do or no, I will endeavour to be with you in the course of three weeks from this Time. if you can possibly get time I wish you would say whether I must bring Linnen China Glass kitchen furniture Plate, looking glasses I would not remove and Beds if I leave any in the House I can take only three, or rather I should have said, if I left enough to accommodate us when we come home to see how our Trees grow &C the Hill begins to look finely and & Garden much better for New setting what Box I have had taken up, but it is like diging up so many Trees with large Roots, & I believe to speak within moderate Bounds, it would take a Gardner a Month to do it properly— Thayer is chosen Rep, again. the Shaiseites were very low. Vinton had only one vote,2 General Lincoln is chosen for Hingham.

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judge Sergant & Lady kept sabbeth with me on their way to Barnstable Court, and desired to be affectionally rememberd to you. judge Cushing has visited me twice. Your Book is his Travelling Companion he says, but he could not possibly part with it yet. I have requested him to deliver it to mr Cranch if I should be absent when he comes again. is mrs Washington arrived yet? I wish she would get there before me— I dont very well like all I see in the papers—. pray write to me by the next post after you receive this Letter. the Printers have sent the papers to you they say, so that I have lost sight of several of them this week all Friends desire to be rememberd to you— most affectionatly / yours

A A

RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “To / His Excellency John Adams / vice President of the united States / Newyork.”

1.

A large, flat-bottomed boat ( OED ).

2.

Gen. Ebenezer Thayer was elected representative from Braintree by a majority of 34 votes ( Braintree Town Records , p. 589–590). For Capt. John Vinton's earlier opposition to Thayer, see Mary Smith Cranch to AA, 27 May 1787, and note 4, above.

John Adams to Abigail Adams, 18 May 1789 Adams, John Adams, Abigail
John Adams to Abigail Adams
May 18 1789 My dearest Friend

I am in such a situation that I cannot see the way clear for you to come on, till some resolution is passed in the House.— You will be as ready as you can, and I will write you the Moment to come on. any Thing is done.— I will resign my office rather than bring you here to be miserable.

Yours eternally

John Adams.

RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “Mrs Adams / Braintree.”

John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 May 1789 Adams, John Adams, Abigail
John Adams to Abigail Adams
New York. 19. May. 1789 My dearest Friend

inclosed is a Letter from Captn. Brown who commands the best Packet between Providence and this Place.—1 He called very politely and respectfully to offer his service in bringing you to New York.— if you can let him know the time when you can come, he will be ready.

I have taken an House: but have nothing to put in it, [no]r to live on.— nothing is yet determined, I never felt so [ir]resolute and undetermined what to do.— I approve of the Idea of Sending the Furniture by Tirrell, and some of the Books—not many.2 But I think it is 357best to wait till Something is determined by the House.— I have written another Letter to President Willard, asking leave for Charles to come with you.—3 I must give up the pleasing Idea of Seeing Thomas, for the present.— Mr & Mrs Smith were in Town to day, and I dined with them at Mr Mc.Cormicks. They and their Children are well.— I have this moment recd a delightful Letter from Dr Price, in which he remembers you with the kindest affection.4 I will write you, the Moment any Thing is settled.

My Sincere Thanks to Mr Wibird for his Remembrance of me in his Prayers. It is to me, a most affecting Thing to hear myself prayed for in particular as I do every day in the Week, and disposes me to bear, with more Composure, Some disagreable Circumstances, that attend my Situation.— My Duty to my Mother and Love to all.— I hope my Brother will take the Place, and plant the Hill— You must take the best Advice you can, and do as well as you can. I have it not in my Power to assist you, but with [the] / best Wishes of yours most tenderly

John Adams

RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “Mrs Adams / Braintree / near Boston”; notation: “Free / John Adams.” Some loss of text where the seal was removed.

1.

Capt. James N. Brown, who sailed the sloop Hancock between Providence and New York, wrote to JA on 18 May (Adams Papers): “Hearing that your Good Lady is to Come On from providince to york by Water & Concious of haveing the best accomedated packet in That Line Induces me to Solicit the honour of Bringing Mrs Addams on & be Assured good Sir that It Shall be my Whole Study to accomedate her Ladyship.” Brown also recommended Mr. Daggett's Inn, where AA eventually stayed in Providence (see AA to Mary Smith Cranch, 19 June, and note 3, below).

2.

Capt. Joseph Tirrell (1752–1825) of Weymouth carried freight between Boston and New York in the schooner Weymouth (New York Journal, 4 Dec. 1787; History of Weymouth , 3:361, 4:660).

3.

Not found.

4.

Richard Price wrote to JA on 5 March (Adams Papers). He commented that “my best complimts wait on Mrs Adams. My congregation can never forget that She and you once made a part of it. May Heaven grant you both whatever can make you most happy.”