Papers of John Adams, volume 21
ca. 14 May 1793
Give me leave sir to bring myself to your rememberance by
soliciting your notice of the reverend Mr
Toulmin the Son of a respectable dissenting minister of that name who is in
persuit of such information—respecting America as may make him useful to a
number of persons who wish to find an assylum in that country.2 His character is such as may make
him a valuable acquisition Yours such as 209
induces me to take this liberty and is the ground of my hope that this
gentleman may be aided in his laudable design.
Be so good as to present my respectful & affectionate
regards to Mrs Adams & Mrs. Smith who with yourself and sons I hope
enjoy good health and every other blessing.
I am Sir with much respect and as / an American your highly obliged
RC (Adams Papers); endorsed: “Elizabeth Wainright.” Filmed at
[Jan. 1790].
The dating of this letter is based on a similar
recommendation for Harry Toulmin sent to James Madison, as well as the
date that he departed England (Madison, Papers,
Congressional Series
, 15:5–6).
Elizabeth Mayhew Wainwright (1759–1829), of Boston,
and her husband, Peter, a merchant, moved to Liverpool, England, after
their marriage on 5 June 1790. Harry Toulmin (1766–1823), a Baptist
minister then living in Lancashire, England, was the son of Joshua and
Jane Smith Toulmin, of Taunton, Mass. The clergyman immigrated to
Norfolk, Va., in 1793 (vol. 12:90;
AFC
, 9:61;
Sibley’s Harvard
Graduates
, 15:117–118;
ANB
).