Adams Family Correspondence, volume 14

Abigail Adams to William Cranch, 27 December 1799 Adams, Abigail Cranch, William

Abigail Adams to William Cranch

Dear sir Philadelphia Decbr 27th 1799.

Mr shaw will be the Bearer of this to you it is so long Since You saw him, that I presume he will want an introduction to your recollection, tho not to your Heart. he will bring to your Remembrance those agreable Days spent under his Fathers Roof, whilst expectations, and anticipation Presented you prospects of future felicity and enjoyment, before you had seen or experienced the checkerd Lot, to which we are all Heirs.1 If you have experienced your evil days— those of your Prosperity and success I hope and trust will be much more abundant—

Mr shaw is going to Mount Vernon the bearer of Letters upon the Melancholy event which has Made mourners of a whole Nation; yet as it respects the great and Illusterous Character whom we all lament, I think his situation enviable length of days, would to him according to the order of Nature only have been subject to the 83 weakness and decays of time, and he had lived to honor to Glory, and to immortality, as far as Mortal could— his fame wanted no extension, his Character no addition—2 thus we trust his Great Lord and Master call’d him to a higher Sphere, to a more exalted station, to unite him with Beings of a superiour order.—

I last week had Letter from your Mother.3 she was well, and your Father has had better Health since his last sickness than for a long time before—

My Love to Mrs Cranch who has risen in My Esteem and Regard from her Prudence, her discretion and Many other excellent qualities which have Distinguished her Character through the troubles and difficulties you have both had to encounter—

I most sincerely hope that Your future exertions will be crowned with Success—

I am My Dear Nephew / Your truly affectionate / Aunt

A Adams—

RC (DLC:Cranch Family Papers); addressed by Louisa Catharine Smith: “William Cranch Esqr. / Georgetown.”

Cranch studied with Rev. John Shaw between April 1783 and Feb. 1784 before matriculating at Harvard (vol. 6:350).

William Smith Shaw departed Philadelphia for Mount Vernon on 27 Dec. 1799, carrying with him AA’s 25 Dec. letter to Martha Washington, above, along with a 27 Dec. letter from JA enclosing Congress’ resolutions of 23 Dec. (LbC, APM Reel 120). Shaw spent two days at Mount Vernon but never met with the grieving widow. On his return Shaw spent a day in Washington, D.C., with Cranch, where he delivered a 27 Dec. letter from AA to Catherine Nuth Johnson (Adams Papers), in which AA discussed LCA’s and JQA’s health and George Washington’s death ( AA to Mary Smith Cranch, 7 Jan. 1800; William Cranch to AA, 28 Jan., both below).

Mary Smith Cranch to AA, 15 Dec. 1799, for which see AA to Cranch, 22 Dec., and note 3, above.

Elizabeth Palmer Cranch to Abigail Adams, 27 December 1799 Cranch, Elizabeth Palmer Adams, Abigail

Elizabeth Palmer Cranch to Abigail Adams

Madm: West Point Decr: 27th 1799—

Mr: Cranch has taken the liberty to address a short letter to the President containing a desire to be tho’t of in the various appointments now making in the line of his business— as he did not chuse to trouble the President with any details—embolden’d by your known condescention I have taken the pen to observe that since Mr Cranch’s letter to my Uncle—relative to the Armory at Harpers Ferry (Potomack) we have made enquiry and have reason to think all the vacancys are fill’d up— Mr William Cranch writes thus,—“one Jacob Perkins is master workman—he is an old man, and seems infirm, and not active enough for the place”—1

I mention this circumstance Madm: that in case Mr Perkins should decline the business—it might be an opening for us— we presume not to chuse— we only wish for a decent living.—

Permit me Madm: to congratulate you on your recover’d health— long may you enjoy this and every earthly blessing— I have the honor to be with Perfect / respect your most obedt: servt:

Eliza Cranch.2

RC (Adams Papers).

Joseph Cranch wrote to JA on 27 Dec. (Adams Papers), asking that he be considered for appointments at U.S. military arsenals. Cranch, for whom see vol. 8:148, had until recently served as superintendent of the U.S. armory at West Point, N.Y., and sought to succeed Thomas Anneley as master armorer at Harpers Ferry. James McHenry assured Cranch that he would be appointed to the post, but in a 16 May 1800 letter to Samuel Hodgdon, superintendent of military stores, Cranch withdrew himself from consideration because of ill health. Joseph Perkin (d. 1806) was superintendent of the arsenal at Harpers Ferry from 6 Aug. 1798 until his death (Merritt Roe Smith, Harpers Ferry Armory and the New Technology: The Challenge of Change, Ithaca, N.Y., 1977, p. 37, 54, 56, 60; Joseph Cranch to Samuel Hodgdon, 16 May 1800, DNA:RG 94, Papers of the War Dept.; Washington, Papers, Presidential Series , 15:561).

AA replied to Elizabeth Cranch, but the reply has not been found. In a similar request for patronage, Watertown, Mass., justice of the peace William Hunt wrote to AA on 6 Feb. (DLC:Shaw Family Papers) requesting assistance in securing a U.S. Army position for his son, Charles. The elder Hunt wrote, “A Parents Anxiety for a Sons hapiness will I hope be an Apology for my writing you“ (vol. 10:86; AA to Mary Smith Cranch, 7 Jan., below).