Adams Family Correspondence, volume 9
I have the pleasure to inform you that last Night mrs Smith got to Bed with an other fine Boy. We could have all wisht it had been a Girl, but rest satisfied with the sex as it a very fine large handsome Boy and both mother and child are well. She spent the day with me 85on fryday, and I urged her as I had Several times before, to accept a Room here, and lie in here, as the house in which she is is Small and Hot. she told me she would come out, and the next day intended [to ge]t her things ready for the purpose, but found herself so un [wel]l on Saturday, yesterday that she could not effect it. I have been very un well myself for a fortnight, so that she did not let me know she was ill, untill I had the agreeable intelligence of her being safe abed. I shall get her here as soon as possible I have both the children with me. I have not heard a word from you since commencment, and I expect all my intelligence from you. Congress rise on twesday I wish and long to come to Braintree, but fear I shall not effect it. how does mrs Norten stand the Hot weather? your Grandson grows a fine Boy I dare say I should be quite charmd to see him & my dear cousin Lucy when is she to be married to that said Gentleman? pray give my Love to her and tell her she need not have been so sly about it.1 I had a few lines from Thomas just before he set out for Haverhill2 I expect him on here daily, and think he had best send his things Round by Barnard. I have nothing new to entertain you with unless it is my Neighbours the Creeck Savages who visit us daily. they are lodgd at an Inn at a little distance from us. they are very fond of visiting us as we entertain them kindly, and they behave with much civility. yesterday they signd the Treaty, and last Night they had a great Bond fire dancing round it like so many spirits hooping, singing, yelling, and expressing their pleasure and Satisfaction in the true Savage Stile. these are the first savages I ever saw. mico maco, one of their kings dinned here yesterday and after dinner he confered a Name upon me the meaning of which I do not know, Mammea he took me by the Hand, bowd his Head and bent his knee, calling me Mammea, Mammea. they are very fine looking Men placid contanances & fine shape. mr Trumble says, they are many of them perfect Models. MacGillvery, dresses in our own fashion speaks English like a Native, & I should never suspect him to be of that Nation, as he is not very dark he is grave and solid, intelligent and much of a Gentleman, but in very bad Health.3 they return in a few days.
adieu my dear sister Remember me affectionatly to all Friends I see miss Nancy Quincy is married, I wish her much happiness
Yours
RC (MWA:Abigail Adams Letters); addressed by CA: “Mrs Mary Cranch. / Braintree”; notation by CA: “pr favor / Docr Jeffries.” Some loss of text where the seal was removed.
In her letter of 4 Oct., Cranch seemed puzzled by AA's comment about her niece's imminent marriage: “What did you mean about Lucys going to be married there never was the least probability of it— She is a good Girl & I hope Will have a good husband Sometime or other but I Should not know What to do Without her at present” (Adams Papers). Lucy Cranch would not marry until 1795.
Not found.
On 21 July 1790, Creek chief Alexander McGillivray and a delegation of approximately thirty other Creek leaders and warriors arrived in New York City to negotiate a permanent treaty with the U.S. government. McGillivray (b. ca. 1759), the son of a Scottish trader and a woman of French and Creek ancestry, was classically educated in Charleston and Savannah prior to the Revolution. When his father, a loyalist, abandoned the colonies for Scotland, McGillivray rejoined the Creeks and eventually became the chief spokesman for the Indian tribes of the South. In frequent negotiation with the governments of Spain, Georgia, and the United States, McGillivray remained a shrewd and powerful advocate for the Creek people until his death in 1793.
The visit took place at the invitation of George Washington and Henry Knox, who sought to assert executive control over Indian policy by designating each tribe as a sovereign nation with whom the United States must negotiate at the federal level. Of immediate concern was recent action by the Georgia legislature to sell large tracts of Creek land to private companies, raising the prospect of an expensive Indian war on the southern frontier.
The Creek leaders were received with great fanfare as they traveled to the nation's capital. Upon arriving in New York, they were greeted by the St. Tammany Society and paraded through the city past Federal Hall. One newspaper reported, “Col. McGillivray was dressed in a suit of plain scarlet; and the other Chiefs and Warriors in their national habits. They appear to be men of the first distinction, and their behaviour indicated strong marks of their approbation of the reception which they met with in this city.” The members of the delegation stopped at the homes of Washington and Gov. George Clinton before dining at the City Tavern, where they would lodge during their stay.
Following several weeks of negotiations and ceremony, an agreement that became known as the Treaty of New York was approved by the Senate on 7 Aug. 1790. According to the treaty, the United States displaced Spain as the Creeks’ main ally and, in return, promised to protect a large area of Creek land from encroachment by white settlers. During a formal signing ceremony on 13 Aug., the treaty was read aloud before a large audience. According to one report, “The President then signed the treaty—after which he presented a string of beads as a token of perpetual peace; and a paper of tobacco to smoke in remembrance of it; Mr. McGillivray rose, made a short reply to the President, and received the tokens. This was succeeded by the shake of peace, every one of the Creeks passing this friendly salute with the President; a song of peace performed by the Creeks concluded this highly interesting, solemn and dignified transaction.” The Creeks left New York shortly afterwards on 19 August. Within two years, the treaty had been rendered meaningless; the U.S. government was unable to halt white settlement in Creek territory, and McGillivray signed a new agreement with Spain in July 1792 (
DAB
; New York Daily Gazette, 22 July 1790; New York Gazette of the United States, 14, 21 Aug.; Joseph J. Ellis, American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic, N.Y., 2007, p. 135, 149–154, 156–159).
th1790
It is so long since I have heard from you that I begin to be very uneasy I am the more so as I know it is about the time for mrs Smith to be confin'd & you did not give me the most favourable 87account of her health in your last letter. you I know feel all the anxeity of a tender mother for her but I hope to hear soon that She has presented you with a fine Grandaughter— my little Richard grows astonishingly he is not five months old & yet he can step very well & stand alone with only resting his hands upon a Chair & is so fat that I wonder how his mama can tend him, but She poor girl is wasted to nothing almost. She wants better living than a country Clergyman can afford— I made her get some wine & drink a glass or two of it every day She complains of such a faintness as you use'd to feel when you nurs'd
I dare say you thought much of us on commencment day. we had a fine day of it, but a very Crouded assembly. I did not go till the morning & then went to meeting, but I was made quite sick by it— I came home about ten a clock with a violent sick head-ack mrs Norton came the day before & keept house for me She wanted to go but I perswaid'd her not to
every thing was in very nice order: We dind above a hundred People besides the multitude who came in to drink, & eat cake & cheese in the morning & afternoon— our cake was excllint I wanted to send you a peice of it—but the company gave the best proof in the world of its being good—there was only a few Broken Peices came home. We had thirty one chickens, 2 Legs of Bacon four Tongues, a rump of Beef roast'd—& a round allamoded, Lettuce & green Peas. Lucy went up with her Brother the day before & had all the Tables sat in the morning— we had mr Beals as before for five days—1 For care & fidelity he is another mr Brisler— We took Celia with us to be in the kitchen to Boil the Peas wash the Dishes &C— we got a lower Room for that purpose. Mr Cranch had laid up the Benches & tables we had before for this purpose—but I believe I have done now with the care of commencments— We dressd all the meat here but the roast Beef—mrs Foster did that for us2
you will see an account of the performences in the Paper—but it will not tell you that your son spoke as well both as to matter & manner as any of them He has left college my Sister with deservedly the best characture in the World
His behavior has been not only unexceptionable but exemplary says the President & professors & not a hint did I ever hear of his misconduct either in Publick or Private. His characture is form'd I trust go sweet youth & act your part in the world in such a manner as finally to obtain the approbation of the Judge of all the Earth— It must give you pleasure to have him with you—but I do not know 88how to part with him. Cousin JQA has been with us a few days this week he is well, has taken an office from one part of your house in Boston & is to Board with Doctor Welsh3 I shall go to Town this week & see what State is cloaths & linnen are in & put him into good repair Mr Cranch has inlarg'd his Shop & made an office for William in one part of it—& now My dear Sister I know we can feel for each other— may success attend them both as they act with integrity & honour
There is a Gentleman & Lady from Demerarah who are come to this country for their health who wish to hire your house & furniture for a year or more mr Alleyne apply'd to me to know if you would lett it & desir'd me to ask you She is a cousin of his they have no children & but two Servants & mr Alleyns says they are steady good People— I told him I hop'd you would come & Spend the wintre here your self: I cannot give up the hope—how I shall feel to have you go further & not see your Face once more— we think it will not be best to remove your Books from the office they will be safer there than any where else— We go to the House & open & air it as often as we think it necessary I am more concern'd about the carpets than any thing else I am affraid the moths will get at them— we are going this week to make a Brushing & rubing— All the things which were brought from college are to be put up & stow'd away— we took part of a hamper of Porter which we found in your cellar for cousin Tom. one dozen was left which we return'd to the cellar again we did not take any of the wine, but bought a few Gallons
Miss Nancy Quincy was married, the week befor last Deacon Storys Family & mrs Quincy & Son & Deacon Marsh were all the company— William & Lucy din'd with them the next day—
Ned green is dead. What a dreadful thing it is to dye unlamented—4
our worthy uncle Quincy was at meeting to day & is well mrs Eunice is yet at Doctor Phipps's but is no better—I think she will never return to Boston again. if she continues to wast as fast as she had done there will not be much left to remove any where. her Brother & his wife came to see her last week & brought her every thing she wanted for her comfort mrs Paine & Mrs Greenleaf have been since—they appear to wish to make her last days as comfortable as they can—5
William & Lucy are gone to Weymouth their Sister was very sick yesterday & took a Puke I hope she is better but I feel uneasy she had been eating milk & made her stomach ack—
89mrs Hall is well but mrs Turner does not get well—
My Love to mr Adams & My dear Cousins all— pray write soon I cannot bear to be so long without hearing from you— Shall you want any rose wather
mr Cranch sends Love— I am with the tenderest affection ever your Sister—
RC (Adams Papers).
For Cranch's account of a similar commencement celebration for JQA, see vol. 8:132–133.
Possibly Elizabeth Hiller Foster, wife of James Foster of Boston (Frederick Clifton Pierce, Foster Genealogy, Chicago, 1899, p. 214; vol. 7:256).
JQA boarded at the home of Thomas and Abigail Kent Welsh, located at 39 Hanover Street in Boston, until his departure for Europe in 1794. A room in the Adamses’ house in Boston, conveniently situated across from the courthouse at 23 Court Street, served as his law office (D/JQA/12, 22 July 1790, APM Reel 15; D/JQA/22, 21 June 1794, APM Reel 25).
Edward Green (b. 1733) of Boston died in late July 1790 (Boston Columbian Centinel, 31 July). For his history of financial misconduct, see vol. 6:275.
For Eunice Paine's sister Abigail Paine Greenleaf, see vol. 1:198.