Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 3

Monday. 12th.

Wednesday. 14th.

Tuesday. 13th. CFA

1829-10-13

Tuesday. 13th. CFA
Tuesday. 13th.

Morning at the Office a portion of the time engaged in my usual business of looking over accounts, and arranging further those of my brother’s Estate so far as to settle all existing demands against it excepting that from his Tailor which must wait. I feel myself however quite fortunate in having progressed so far. I then went to make purchases for my father after which I went down to the Estate be-44longing to my father in Common Street to look at the state of the Property and inquire after Orcutt who had not been near me since the memorable time when he announced to me that he should be unable to pay me. I found he had not yet quitted the Tenement and his Wife who in appearance was quite an honest creature seemed hurt even at the intimation that they should leave without a settlement—A thing I had a little apprehended. I saw Hollis the Carpenter and gave him directions for attending to Mrs. Longhurst’s Pump and some few other things which appeared requisite and necessary to be done, and then left them to return, home and see Abby who was going to Cambridge, to pay visits. I had thought of going with her but upon reflection thought it would be best to return to my Office and read a little of Marshall. But as my ideas could not easily be fixed I went into Mr. Kinsman’s Office to see about the Note which the City Guards owe to my brother, and from thence I dropped in and chatted with Davis and Winthrop for an hour or so.1 A man, name unknown called to see me about the Rumford which my father had asked me to order him and I then gave him as good directions upon the subject as I was able.

On returning home I found Abby returned and Miss Julia Gorham in company with her who dined here. My afternoon was passed in my study, reading La Harpe and arranging my Library after a different mode. I want to make some thing like a systematic arrangement. Evening at home, Abby was not disposed to listen to reading so I did nothing until nine after which I read another Chapter of La Harpe and commenced reading the New Testament regularly with the five first Chapters of Matthew.

1.

GWA had lent the City Guards $102 on 7 July 1827 to be repaid with interest (CFA to Commanding Officer, City Guards, 29 June 1829, LbC, Adams Papers). The original sum and interest were still unpaid when CFA closed his administration of GWA’s estate in Feb. 1830, despite numerous efforts to collect. However, CFA’s confidence that the debt would be paid was justified; see below, entry for 10 April 1830.

Henry W. Kinsman was a lieutenant in the Guards and an attorney ( Mass. Register, 1830, p. 244). On him and on Thomas Kemper Davis, see entry for 18 Nov., below. George E. Winthrop, CFA’s Harvard classmate (vol. 1:80), was still reading law and was later admitted to the bar (Mass. Register, 1832).