Adams Family Correspondence, volume 15
th1801
Inclosed is a Letter for your Brother should he arrive as we
expect in Philadelphia; I am told by mr Welch who was yesterday to see us that you
have Letters from Hamburgh from your Brother dated in july—1 if He & family should arrive in health, as
I pray God they may, there first visit will be I presume to Washington, I think as
they will be so near, it ought to be—tho I can scarcly give up the pleasure of being seeing them as soon as they arrive— Yet I know
both duty and inclination must lead Your Sister to visit her Parents as soon as
possible after there her arrival. I would however
enjoin it upon them, to come on here early in Novbr both
the doctor Tufts and I have [thou]ght it best that Mrs Whitwell should give up the
House she occupies in october when her year Ends, that Your Brother might have it to
go into [for] a temporary residence this winter;2 She has it at a much smaller Rent than he can
possibly hire even a poorer one for—and he can let it upon better terms whenever he
chooses to 118 quit it— Here at Quincy both he and his Family
shall have a Home, untill he can be accom[od]ated in Boston.—
We have had some of the hottest weather for this fortnight that we have experienced through the Summer. the Glassess have stood at 90 in Boston, at 88 here for the four last days. it has debilitated me a good deal and given me a return of the old intermitting together with some Rhumatism. I find the best remedy a warm Bath— how do you sustain the Heat?
Sally went to Boston last week in order to return to Nyork, much against my advice and opinion, but the weather has been so intence that she is still there, and as I learnt yesterday very unwell. I have sent for her to return again here, and wait till october3
I hope you deliverd Brislers Letter to our Baker, as it is now so late in the Season I Should like to have new flower and four Barrels instead of two.4 when it is shiped he may give you a Bill of laiden, and his Bill which you will forward to me, and I will make the remittance through you— Your Father received a Letters from you last week. miss Brecks [was] sent to her—5
It is really so Hot I cannot add an other word, but that I am Your ever affectionate Mother
I have a pr of half Boots at your se[rv]ice here, when ever you can send an order for them; or I get an opportunity of sending [them]—
RC (MHi:Adams Papers, All Generations). Some loss of text due to wear at the fold.
AA’s enclosed letter to JQA and LCA has not been found ( TBA to AA, 20 Sept., below). In a 7 July letter to TBA, JQA discussed his travel plans and noted that Bird, Savage & Bird held £500 that he hoped to collect when he returned to the United States (NN:Lee Kohns Coll.).
Rebecca Parker Whitwell, the tenant of JQA’s Court Street house, occupied the property until her death in 1805 (vol. 13:249).
Perhaps in response to AA’s summons,
SSA reported in a [Sept. 1801] letter that
she planned to depart Boston for New York City despite her continuing illness (private
owner, 1957).
Philadelphia merchant Thomas Allibone (d. 1809) lived at 98 North
Fourth Street and operated a store next to 109 Water Street (TBA to
AA, 14 April 1802, Adams
Papers; Philadelphia American Daily Advertiser,
11 July 1809;
Philadelphia Directory
, 1802, p. 16, Shaw-Shoemaker, No. 2893).
Not found.
The 11th. of September is reckoned
among the happiest days of my Life: The Navy officers who composed the late Court
Martial on Capt Little, came out to visit me, with Mr shaw
who brought me 119 your favor of the 4th
dated at Philadelphia, informing me of your arrival on that day with my Daughter and
Grandson in as good health as could be expected.—1 You do not expressly say whether you intend to
accompany Mrs Adams to Washington or not. if you do it will
be much more than three Weeks before I shall have the pleasure to embrace you. But
knowing that you are on American ground, I shall not be impatient. However this may be I
hope you will consider my house as your home, for yourself your Lady and son, as well as
for your and her servants and Domesticks,. We can accommodate you all as well as Destiny
intends that you and I ought to be accommoded, at least untill you have Time to
deliberate on your future Arrangements.
It is fortunate that your Brother, was the first to see you in America. He can tell you every Thing, and will not deceive you. He is prudent as well as intelligent: honest, as well as candid.
I have many projects in my head to communicate to you, for your Establishment, which however must be all very modest, very humble, very unassuming.— I shall leave them all to your choice knowing;—very well knowing that your Judgment is better than that of your affectionate Father
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “John Q. Adams Esqr.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 118.
From 1 to 4 Sept. Capt. George Little and five other officers
were court-martialed in Boston on board the U.S. frigate Constitution for allegedly stealing from prisoners taken during the U.S.
frigate Boston’s 12 Oct. 1800 capture of the French
corvette Berceau. On 7 Sept. 1801 the court acquitted
Little and the officers, declaring the accusations “malicious and ill-founded.” U.S. secretary of the
navy Robert Smith approved the verdict on the 25th (vol. 14:380, 456; Boston Columbian Centinel, 15 Aug., 2, 9 Sept., 28 Oct.; New-England Palladium, 27 Oct.;
ANB
).