Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 4
1831-05-21
Morning mild and pleasant. I went to Boston and was much occupied in various ways—Going to my house, thence to Mrs. Frothingham’s and afterwards to execute a variety of Commissions for my Wife. Returned to the Office, I had two or three visits. One from Mr. Geitner, my German friend who at last consents to take the House.1 Thus I hope I am released from this trouble of letting houses for a considerable period. And now there is not an inch of my father’s Property in Boston unoccupied—A thing that has not happened before for a long time. And I hope that I shall begin to reap the Fruit of my new system of management, which hitherto has been sadly out of pocket. Another visit was from Mr. Hobby, a man upon an affair of my father’s, and a complete bore.2 I had no leisure for reading and soon returned to Quincy.
Afternoon, took a long walk to Mt. Wollaston with my father, to see the Orchard and look after his Plantations. We were all the Afternoon upon it. I came back fatigued, spent the Evening with the family, and read the Spectator.
C. Geitner began his long occupancy of tenement No. 1 at 101 Tremont Street on 1 June (M/CFA/3).
For the preceding six months JQA had been receiving numerous letters of complaint from William Hobby who in JQA’s administration had raised a charge of fraud against an army paymaster and who maintained that he had not then or since had proper consideration given to 53his charges. JQA had asked Nathaniel Frye Jr. to investigate the case and on receipt of his report had three days earlier written Hobby “a short final answer” (JQA, Diary, 27 Feb. – 18 May passim).