Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 3

Wednesday. 7th.

Friday 9th.

Thursday. 8th. CFA

1829-10-08

Thursday. 8th. CFA
Thursday. 8th.

Contrary to my expectation this morning, I found the weather very clear but with a cold Easterly Wind which promised to give us a little want of comfort in the continuation of our purpose today. But as it was dry this was of less importance. Having suffered yesterday from my father’s promising to return to dine without due consideration, I took precautions today which proved useful as we did not return until five o’clock. Our party today had lost Thomas B. Adams who had other engagements and was besides quite satisfied with yesterday’s experience, and it had gained Deacon Josiah Adams, one of the elders of the town who from his proximity to the spot and familiarity with the land was of great service to us in ascertaining the limits.1

We this day surveyed a quantity of land amounting to about forty three acres described in the Deeds as Pasture land out which time and neglect had covered with a thick growth of wood. This made our travelling slow and rather heavy, so that it was half past three o’clock before we completed the survey. I think I shall remember the land. After a slight meal upon what we brought with us, we closed the day 39with the examination of a small lot called the Quincy Meadow on the east side of the Plymouth old road containing six or seven acres—At the present price of land in the vicinity quite valuable and much better situated than I had supposed my father’s land to be. This occupied us until sunset. The day had been unpleasantly cold and my father had suffered very severely from one of these Colds which are now prevalent and from which I am myself but just recovering. I was glad to be able to get home, where we found dinner waiting for us, no disagreeable event. I was so fatigued and heated that I could not keep myself awake and so went to sleep early in the evening.

1.

Deacon Josiah Adams (1763–1844) and Deacon Ebenezer Adams (1762–1841) were brothers residing in Quincy (A. N. Adams, General. Hist. of Henry Adams of Braintree , 1:410). Their grandparents, Ebenezer Adams (1704–1769) and Anne (Boylston) Adams, were brother and sister of Deacon John and Susanna (Boylston) Adams, JQA’s grandparents (same; see also Adams Genealogy).

In JQA’s account of the survey, he refers on the two first days to the presence of Deacon Ebenezer, whose lands abutted those of JQA for a distance and who wished to swap lands and open ditches; not until the third day was Deacon Josiah’s aid sought as the party moved over a quite different territory (Diary, 7–9 Oct. 1829).