Newtown Oct: 17 1775 Dear Brother,

Im. in a poor state of mind to write to you. I’ve seen & heard much of the world since I saw you, having been more then seven weeks roving about, can find but few very few willing to contribute to the oppressed so much as to pay their due. I left your hospitable roof hoping to find some way to ease the burden of my whole familys wintering with your family but every scheme at present fails except for our son who Continues at Providence and writes us he may tarry the winter if nothing better presents he clears two dollars a week. Publick affairs are still so intricate that I know not what I would do. I find a kind friend in Major Fuller & wife where we have our living this way. I purpose to set out for Taunton on thursday the weather growing cold & my cloathing thin. It has been very sickly in all parts of the Country. Many are gone to their long home. I suppose you have heard that Mrs. Smith of Weymouth1 is among the number. Taunton has been highly favor’d. It has not been so sickly there as most other places. The affair of D—C—h has been very surprizing to us. I want to know how she bears it. I hear his parents are much depres’d. We have been to 103newbury port. The roads are very pleasant the town populous. Mr. Peck is building works and carrying on Salt peter making very briskly has produc’d very good.

I’ve chat’d on strangly, but must relieve you from the task of reading, being oblig’d to go out on business pray excuse this writen paper. The times afford but little here.

As soon as I arrive at Taunton I determine to write very particular accounts of all matters in my knowlege at present. Pray consider me among your best friends and oblig’d Sister,

Abigail Greenleaf

RC ; written on the same sheet as the previous letter.

1.

Elizabeth (Quincy) Smith, the wife of Rev. William Smith and mother of Abigail Adams, died Oct. 6 (New-England Chronicle: or, Essex Gazette, Oct. 19, 1775). Abigail Adams’s letter to her husband concerning the “fevers of various kinds” and deaths in the family appears in Adams Family Correspondence , 1:296–298.

N 3 Taunton Oct. 17 1775 Dear Husband,

I am very Sorry to hear that you have any reason to complain of our forgetfullness of you. The Docter & I have wrote befor now & Sent it to watertown for conveyance but I Send this to providence hoping it will reach you though it is but a Line not having time to write So much as I want for the parson I Send it by is going in a few minets but I thought one Line better then none. I Should be very Glad of to hear from you, for I Long to know how you doe & what you think of the troops that is coming for my heart trembles with fear but I Still hope for the best but I hope you’ll keep clear of the plague. The noise of cannon is dredfull but I expect to hear them soon.

Our family are well except Colds. Since you Left home Charlys Life has been dispair’d of but is better & begins to Grow finly. Brother Jonathan has Lost his child with the camp distemper. Seth takes care of the Salt petre Bank. He is harvesting potatoes but we Shant have So many as we had Last year. I want to know if their is any prospect of flower 104being brought from Philada. for their is not any to be bought here. Your Sister Eunice & neices Send their Love & duty. I am in hast your affectinate wife

Sally Paine

RC ; addressed: “The honble: Robt. Treat: Paine Esqr. at Philadelphia.”