Adams Family Correspondence, volume 14

Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 15 March 1800 Adams, Abigail Tufts, Cotton

Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts

Dear Sir Philadelphia March 15th 1800

Last Sunday the tenth, we had a deep snow here and as I know we usually have our proportion at the Eastward I fear it has obstructed the commencment of our Building, but at present the weather here is very Moderate; I hope, equally so with You. I wrote to you inclosing two Hundred Dollors under cover to mr Smith of Boston. you will inform me whether it got Safe to hand the President says if you have present occasion, You may apply to Gen’ll Lincolm for what ever you want. the interest upon the funds you have, he had rather you would apply when due to the purchase of New stock, and call upon him for what you want for other expendatures. I saw in a late Paper that the Gen’ll court had granted to the cannal company a perpetual annuity upon their Share’s which I think will render the property Valuable; as you are concernd in them, if not on Your own account as agent for others, you can inform me whether it would be advantages to purchase in some Shares when any are to be sold, at what price the shares sell at &c I have just read an able report of Judge Sullivans respecting the cannals.1 the property will not be Productive for some time to come I know, but cannot fail to be so in process of time.

The President will write to you his own sentiments respecting the new Road. I always sit my face against it, and do hope the petitioners will not succeed, but if they do, the advantage will not pay the expence I think— I would not encounter the Musketos in some parts of the Season, to Shorten 4 mile’s of the Road.2 I have been thinking whether it would be best to engage William Phebys Husband by the Month to work in the Garden. she says he understands it. George planted out some Grape Vines last year and tho a very drunken 175 fellow, did a good deal of service— therefore in diging the Garden much care should be taken— I design if the Roads will permit to be home early in May. Stutson is so slow and old, and So uncertain that no dependance is to be placed upon him. he must however attend to the strawberrys and assparagrass Beds Soon— the President says he does not intend to have any ground broken up for corn so that less labour will be required— shipley promised me to return by the first of April I hope he will keep his word— if oats are to be had at Bridgewater or Abington two Hunderd Bushels will be wanted; corn does not answer to give Horses—

I believe I mentiond to you the fence before Mr Clarks Garden— mr Porter or French can get Some Red ceadar posts, and the fence had better be new set as Soon as the frost is out of the ground, and a new Gate made. If a new corn House could be built for French out of materials which we may be able to spair, I wish you would have it done, without Saying any thing further about it. I know it will be approved when done—but to a person unaccustomed to building, having no Love for it, or taste about it—it is urksome— you will be So good sir as to send me the dimensions of the Rooms after the clossets are taken off, the height of the Jams and the length and width of the Hearth—also the size of my keeping parlour you will give Mrs Cranch Your Letters, and then I can communicate such parts as I chuse—

you will see by the papers that a Majority of the House have voted Peace to the Ghost of Robbins, which was conjured up for to answer particuliar purposes—3

with a kind remembrance to all Friends—

I am dear Sir your truly affectionate

A Adams

Porter must plant Potatoes early in April Be so good as to get me a Lavator made upon as large a scale as my family will require—

RC (Adams Papers); endorsed: “Mrs. Adams March. 18[00] / 15th.”; notation: “22.” Some loss of text where the seal was removed.

The Massachusetts Mercury, 21 Feb., published a 25 Jan. act of the Mass. General Court that eliminated a forty-year limit on Middlesex Canal toll collection. In the same newspaper on 7 March, canal company president James Sullivan published a report on the canal’s construction progress, estimating future profits, and advocating the speedy completion of the project. For Tufts’ purchase of canal shares for the Adamses, see Tufts to JA, 20 May, and note 3, below.

JA wrote to Tufts on 15 March but did not mention the road project, instead discussing farm matters and tenant leases and urging the publication of Tufts’ oration on George Washington (private owner, 2013). The road project was initiated on 21 Jan. when Capt. Benjamin Beale Jr., Moses Black, Josiah Quincy III, and twenty others petitioned the Mass. General Court to fund the construction of a highway from Quincy to Boston that would require a new bridge over 176 the Neponset River and shorten the trip by more than three miles. No action was taken in 1800, but the project was approved in acts passed on 11 March 1802 and 7 Feb. 1803, and the road and bridge were constructed at a cost of $34,000 (Massachusetts Mercury, 14 March 1800; Mass., Acts and Laws , 1800–1801, p. 381–385; 1802–1803, p. 78–80; Pattee, Old Braintree , p. 71).

The final vote ending the attempt to censure JA over his handling of the Jonathan Robbins affair was first reported in the Philadelphia Gazette, 10 March, and the Boston Columbian Centinel, 19 March.

Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 22 March 1800 Adams, Abigail Cranch, Mary Smith

Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch

my dear sister March 22 1800

I received Your Letter yesterday.1 I know from what I Saw and heard whilst I was at home that there was pains taken to make Mr & Mrs Porter uneasy, and that they were too apt to listen to stories which were in themselves Idle, and [ra]ised from Envy. many would be glad to get into their hands such a charge as is left with mr & Mrs Porter, who would not be so honest in their care and attention of our Property. I feel a safety in leaving my things to their care, because as I know it is their Duty faithfully to fulfill the trust, I consider them conscientious people, and having a principle of honesty, that they will not betray the confidence reposed in them— I would have you Say to them that I had much rather they should continue upon the place than make the exchange for any other persons, and the President would not have them go, this Season. if I remain through the winter at Quincy I may not think it necessary to continue a Family through the winter, but in that case, I have mentiond my terms for mr Porter which I think generous ones— as to any persons who may offer, I Do not know any whom I should like. I cannot think of taking any person with Children, or who may be like to have any: I hope every exertion will be made by mr Bates to get forward the building, that it May be compleated by the last of May at furtherst—

I intended giving mrs Porter a Muff this winter. if she has not one, will you get one for her of about four dollors value and give it her in My Name. if Mr Cary should come with flax—be so good as to get me 30 weight— I inclose ten dollors for these purposes—

we have had two Days Severe rain I hope it has not been snow with you. I must depend upon you to visit our House and with mrs Porter see the things removed, when the Carpenters begin to work:

Mrs Porter will want help. I understand Zube is with mrs Tufts.2 I presume it is only Conditionally for I expressly engaged her to return to me in the Spring

do you know whether mrs Brigs who lived with mrs Black would 177 go out again & what she is for a Cook.3 I must get a woman Some where who will undertake that buisness— do be upon the inquiry for me— I shall not encumber myself with Frank & family—nor shall I have more than three or four Men Servants this Season—

adieu my Dear Sister Send the inclosed Letter to Dr Tufts as soon as you can4 with Love to you all, I am my Dear sister / Your affectionate

A Adams5

RC (MWA:Abigail Adams Letters); addressed by Louisa Catharine Smith: “Mrs. Cranch / Quincy / Massatts.”

Cranch to AA, [14 March], above.

Azubah Harmon (b. 1763) was the daughter of Braintree cordwainer Lt. William Harmon and Lydia Faxon Harmon and the sister of Lydia Harmon Porter ( AA to Cotton Tufts, 15 Dec., below; Artemas C. Harmon, ed. and comp., The Harmon Genealogy, Washington, D.C., 1920, p. 252).

Possibly Sarah Fuller Briggs, widow of Stoughton husbandman Samuel Briggs, who may have been living in Dedham in 1800 (Edna Anne Hannibal and Claude W. Barlow, “Richard, William, and Hugh, Sons of John Briggs of Taunton, Massachusetts,” NEHGR , 125:203 [July 1971]; Don Gleason Hill, ed., The Record of Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths … in the Town of Dedham, Dedham, Mass., 1888, p. 191; 1800 U.S. Census, Mass., Dedham, First Parish, p. 141).

AA to Tufts, 22 March, below.

Cranch wrote to AA on 24 March, reporting on Rev. Peter Whitney Jr.’s work as pastor, Rev. Anthony Wibird’s failing health, and Phoeb Abdee’s remarriage (Adams Papers).