Adams Family Correspondence, volume 8
m th12 1789
Will My good and worthy friend Mrs. Adams, give Me leave to
request her acceptance of a Small Tub of Butter? Such as we think very good, and I hope
it will not come a miss, as we hear it is a Scarce Article in Newyork—
What think you dear Madam of the Match going on in Our family? do you think My Sister
Nancy calculated for a Ministers Wife? a Mr.
Packard of Marlborough is the
selected PARSON.1
After offering My best regards to your fireside, I leave you My friend with the Same Sentiments of esteem I ever entertained for you when our intercourse was freer than it can be Now, Your at Such a remove from Me— I Now often wish you was Near enough for me to injoy in your Company what Gives Me delight, to think of— And what I again hope to injoy Tho' when our friends are Separated from us, it is Never Certain that they will Meet again—as the late Accounts from abroad of My only Brothers Death Convinces Me—2 the particulars of which have Not yet come to hand—
I fear I have tresspas'd upon your patiance & Shall only add that I am Sincerly your / Affectionate
N— B— the Butter was put a board Barnard & directed to Gorge's care
RC (Adams Papers).
Rev. Asa Packard (1758–1843), Harvard 1783, was called to the ministry at Marlborough
and ordained there on 23 March 1785. He married Nancy Quincy in July 1790 (Charles
Hudson, History of the Town of Marlborough, Middlesex County,
Massachusetts, Boston, 1862, p. 200–202, 208).
Samuel Quincy, Hannah Storer's only surviving brother, died on 9 Aug. 1789 en route
from the West Indies to Bristol, England (
Sibley's Harvard Graduates
,
13:488).
r.20 1789
Yours of the 22d. I recd. on
Sunday last, by Gen Lincoln— the several Articles You requested me to procure I shall
collect as soon as possible— I have made Enquiry for Butter but have not met with any
that is good a considerable Quantity has been sent to New York by a Vessel that saild a
day or two past— It is somewhat doubtful whether I shall be able to buy the Hams already
prepared, if not shall engage 449them so as to send
them in Season for Your use— Barnard is expected every moment
It was hinted to me by a Friend, that Governor. H——k considered himself as somewhat
neglected by Mr. Adams; having invited Mr. A—— to dine with him (at a Time when He invited the
President—) Mr. A. accepted the Invitation, but did not
attend—& tho Mr. H. saw him afterwards, He made no
Excuse nor did He send any Billet of Excuse—& it was further added that Mr. A. did not call on Him when He left the State— I have just
mentiond this—not that I suppose it a Matter of the highest Consequence—but imagine that
it must be a matter which if explaind, would remove all Suspicion, as well an Imputation
of Neglect— I shall write further a few Days hence, have now only Time to say that I am
with great Sincerity Yr. affect
Friend
Beg the Favour of You to forward the Letter to Mrs.
Rutgers—who is the Executr. of Dr. Crosbys Will—1
RC (Adams Papers); endorsed: “Dr Tufts / December 20 / 1789.”
Dr. Ebenezer Crosby, Harvard
1777, was born in Braintree in 1753. A professor at and trustee of Columbia College,
he died on 16 July 1788. Crosby had been married to Catharine Bedlow, daughter of
Catharine Rutgers and William Bedlow; Mrs. Rutgers was probably a relative of
Catharine Crosby's (
Appletons' Cyclo. Amer. Biog.
; Ernest H. Crosby, The Rutgers Family of New York, N.Y., 1886, p. 11).
The postscript was written sideways in the margin.