51August 10. 1796 Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Billing and Bass collecting Compost. Brought up two Loads of Seaweed and carted several Loads of Earth from behind the Outhouse. Mr. Howell of Rhode Island came up to see me and conversed the whole Evening concerning St. Croix and his Commission for settling that Boundary. David Howell , a lawyer and a former member of the Continental Congress, was one of the commissioners appointed to...
52August 11. 1796. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Howell lodged with Us and spent the whole Morning in Conversation concerning the Affairs of his Mission. He said by way of Episode that the President would resign, and that there was one Thing which would make R. Island unanimous in his Successor and that was the funding System. He said they wanted Hamilton for V.P.—I was wholly silent. Billing and Bass brought up a Load of Dulce and...
53August 12. 1796. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Billing, Bass and Sullivan carting Salt Hay from the Beech Marsh. Tirell and Th. Lothrop threshing and winnowing Barley.
54August 13. 1796 Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Three Load of Salt Hay Yesterday from the Beach Marsh. Got in 51 Bushells of Barley winnowed and raddled. Billing, Bass, Sullivan Lothrop and E. Belcher with Brisler poling off and carting Salt Hay. Tirrell and T. Lothrop threshing. Trask burning Bushes on Penns Hill. Reading Tullys Offices. It is a Treatise on moral obligation. Our Word Obligation answers nearer and better than Duty, to...
55August 14. 1796. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
The Weather hot and dry. One great Advantage of the Christian Religion is that it brings the great Principle of the Law of Nature and Nations, Love your Neigh bour as yourself, and do to others as you would that others should do to you, to the Knowledge, Belief and Veneration of the whole People. Children, Servants, Women and Men are all Professors in the science of public as well as private...
56August 15. 1796. Monday. (Adams Papers)
My Team met the Abington Team at the Bars, and plough’d the Baulk between Burrells Corn and the great Wall, with the great Plough. Ploughed on the North Side of the Wall from the Road to the rocky Vally with the small breaking up plough. Trask mowing Bushes and burning. At Night both Teams came home with both Ploughs. Mrs. Adams went with Mrs. Otis to Situate and Plymouth.
57August 16. 1796. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Reed and Mr. Gurney with Billings ploughing below the lower Garden with 9 Cattle, and the small breaking up plough. It took a long time to fix the Plough with a Wheel &c. In the Afternoon ploughed upon Stony field Hill. Sullivan with one Yoke of oxen, the Steers and Mare gone to cart Salt Hay for my Tenants French and Vinton. Tirrell and Thomas still threshing. James and Prince, idle as usual.
58August 17. 1796. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Seven Yoke of Oxen and a Horse, Mr. Reed, Mr. Gurney, Mr. Billings, Mr. Brisler, Sullivan and Thomas Lothrop and black James, Seven hands ploughing with the great Plough in the Meadow below the lower Garden. Prince gone to Mill. The Weather dry, fair and cool. The Wind Easterly.
59August 18. 1796. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
Ten Yoke of Oxen and ten Men ploughing in the Meadow below my House.
60August 19. 1769 [i.e. 1796]. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Ten Yoke of Oxen and twelve hands ploughing in the meadow. It is astonishing that such a Meadow should have lain so long in such a State. Brakes, Hassock Grass, Cramberry Vines, Poke or Skunk Cabbage, Button Bushes, alder Bushes, old Stumps and Roots, Rocks, Turtles, Eels, Frogs, were the Chief Things to be found in it. But I presume it may be made to produce Indian and English Grain, and...
61August 20. 1796. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Bracket and Vinton left me. We procured Captn. Baxters Oxen and William Field Junr. and went on with Eight Yoke including my red Steers, and ploughed as well as ever. Paid Reed £11. 2s. in full for the Weeks Work of two Men, three Yoke of Oxen and a Horse. The Men I allowed 6s. a day, tho I found them, being one Shilling more than the Agreement. The Oxen I allowed 7s. 6d. a Day, as they found...
62August 21. 1796. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
The hottest day. Unwell.
63August 22. 1796 Monday. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Otis and Family went to Boston. Mr. C. Storer and Mr. Storrow breakfasted. Billings and Sullivan began the Wall against the Road opposite the Corner of the Garden. Very hot but the Wind springs up. Unwell.
64August 23. 1796 Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
All hands and Tirrell, upon the Wall—carting Stones and Earth &c. Went down to Mr. Quincys and up to our Tenants with Mrs. Adams. Unwell. Brisler and the two black Boys picking Apples.
65August 24. 1796. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Billings, Bass and the Lothrops upon the Wall. The blacks going to pick Apples. I took Rhubarb and Salt of Wormwood. Bathing my Feet and drinking balm Tea, last night composed me somewhat, and I hope the Rhubarb and Salt of Wormwood I took this Morning will carry off my Complaints: but the Pain in my head and the burnings in my hands and feet were so like the Commencement of my Fevers of 1781...
66August 25. 1796. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
Billings, Bass and the two Lothrops all this Week upon the Wall over the Way. They make about a Rod and a half a day. Captn. Beale began Yesterday to clear his Brook. So much for the Exemplary Influence of ploughing my Meadow. The Benediction of Ulysses to The Pheacians, B. 13. 1. 60. “Sure fix’d on Virtue may your nation stand and public Evil never touch the Land” comprehends the Essence and...
67August 26. 1796. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Cloudy. Wind. N.E. but not rainy. The shower last night has refreshed Us. The Corn, the Gardens, the Pastures, The After feed, the Fruit trees all feel it. Sullivan gone for a Load of Seaweed. The other Men upon the Wall. In digging a Trench for the Wall We find Stones enough, in Addition to the old Wall to compleat the New one. Four hands with a Yoke of Oxen have done Six Rods in four days...
68August 27. 1796. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Sullivan carting Seaweed, spread one Load among the red Loam in the Cavity in the Yard. Trask mowing Bushes in the meadow below the Garden. James cutting the Trees. Billings, Bass and Thomas, about the Wall. Brisler absent on Account of his sick Child. The Wall, the Alterations of the Road, and the Carting of the Earth, Soil, Loam, Gravel and Stones, out of the Way, whether We spread them on...
69August 28. 1796. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Hot. Went not out. Mr. Strong preached. Reading Bryants Analysis of ancient Mythology.
70August 29. Monday. 1796. (Adams Papers)
Warm. Billings, Bass and two Sullivans with James on the Wall. Carted 9 or 10 Load of excellent Soil into an heap, below the lower Garden Wall, and put it to two Loads of Seaweed and some Lime, for manure for the Corn in the Meadow next Year. Carted besides, 3 Loads into the Hollow in the Cowyard. An extream hot day. Reading Bryant. Wrote to Phila. to Wolcot and Pickering. Probably an error...
71August 30. Tuesday. 1796. (Adams Papers)
Prospect of another hot day. Pursuing the Wall. Tirrell worked with our Men. Trask cutting Bushes on the ploughed Meadow at the other Place. Wind shifted to the North and then to the N.E. and the Air became very cold. Rode up to see Trask. Carted Mould into the Yard all Day.
72August 31. 1796. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Wind north and Air cold. Working on the high Ways. Carried a great Part of my gravel and spread it on the Road to the Meeting House.
73[September 1796] (Adams Papers)
The Summer is ended and the first day of Autumn commenced. The Morning is cold tho the Wind is West. To Work again on the high Ways. Billings out upon his Wall a little after Sunrise. Captn. Hall Surveyor of High Ways finished the Road between my Garden and new Wall. To work again on the high Ways. They have taxed me this Year between forty nine and fifty days Works on the Roads besides the...
74September 1. 1796. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
The Summer is ended and the first day of Autumn commenced. The Morning is cold tho the Wind is West. To Work again on the high Ways. Billings out upon his Wall a little after Sunrise. Captn. Hall Surveyor of High Ways finished the Road between my Garden and new Wall.
75September 2. 1796. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
To work again on the high Ways. They have taxed me this Year between forty nine and fifty days Works on the Roads besides the other Farm in Quincy and the farm in Braintree. This is unjust, more than my Proportion, more than Mr. Black or Mr. Beale. Stumbled over a Wheelbarrow in the dark and hurt my Shin. Moses Black , an Irishman who had acquired the house and farm formerly owned by Col....
76September 3. 1796. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Pursuing the Wall. Tirrell is here and We expect French with his Team. Some soft warm Showers in the night and this morning. French came not, because it rained. Anniversary of Peace, which has lasted 13 Years.
77September 4. 1796. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Fair. No Clergyman to day.
78September 5. 1796. Monday. (Adams Papers)
The Anniversary of The Congress in 1774. Sullivan brought a good Load of green Seaweed, with six Cattle, which We spread and limed upon the heap of Compost in the Meadow. Carted Earth from the Wall to the same heap. Tirrell here. Stetson opening the Brook three feet wider, Two feet on one Side and three feet on the other, at 9d. Pr. rod. Billings has never laid up more than a Rod and a half a...
79Sept. 6. 1796. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Walked up to Trask mowing Bushes.
80Sept. 7. 1796. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Belcher, Bass and Sullivan gone to mow the Marsh and get out the Thatch at Penny ferry. Billings laying Wall. Thomas, carting Earth. Stetson, widening the Brook to seven feet at 9d. Pr. Rod and a dinner. Brisler and James preparing, Yesterday and to day, the Cyder Mill, Press, and Casks. Yesterday Jackson Field came to offer me Mount Arrarat at Three hundred Dollars. I could not agree. He fell...
81Septr. 8. 1796. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
Sullivan gone for Seaweed. Bass and Thomas carting Manure from the Hill of Compost in the Yard. Billings and Prince laying Wall. Brisler and James picking Apples and making Cyder. Stetson widening the Brook. I think to christen my Place by the Name of Peace field, in commemoration of the Peace which I assisted in making in 1783, of the thirteen Years Peace and Neutrality which I have...
82Septr. 9. 1796. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Appearances of Rain.
83September 10. 1796. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Walked, with my Brother to Mount Arrarat, and find upon Inquiry that Jo. Arnold’s Fence against the New Lane begins at the Road by the Nine mile Stone. My half is towards Neddy Curtis’s Land lately Wm. Fields. The Western Half of the Fence against Josiah Bass, or in other Words that Part nearest to Neddy Curtis’s is mine. Against Dr. Greenleaf my half is nearest to Josiah Bass’s Land. The...
84Abigail Adams to John Adams, 1 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
I received your kind favours of the 19 & 22 of April. the printers were very obliging in taking particular care to supply me daily with the paper’s by which I learnt the arrival and Reception of the Pressident, & vice Pressident. if I thought I could compliment in so courtly and masterly a stile, I would say that the address to the Senate was exactly what it ought to be, neither giving too...
85John Adams to Abigail Adams, 1 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
It has been impossible to get time to write you.— Morning, Noon, and Night, has been taken up with Business, or Visits.— Yesterday the President was Sworn, amidst the Acclamations of the People.— But I must refer you to Gazettes & Spectators.— I write this abed.— M r Allen del d. me, Yesterday your Letter.— I like very much your Plan of coming on, with Charles and Thomas, before Commencement....
86Elizabeth Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 2 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
By the News Papers, I find you have met with a temporary Loss—The United suffrages of my countrymen have once more taken my Brother Adams from you —from rural retirement—& the sweets of domestic Life, & again placed him in the political Hemisphere, where his merit—his knowledge—his patriotism—his virtue, will (I presume) shine with conspicuous Lustre, though surrounded by a multitude of bright...
87John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
I must finally conclude to request of you to come on to New York as soon as possible and bring Charles and Thomas both with you if you can— if they cannot come at present let them follow as soon as they can be permitted.— I design they shall both Spend the Vacation here at least.— I want your Advice about furniture and House. bring Polly Taylor with you.— You had better land on Long Island and...
88Abigail Adams to John Adams, 5 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
Mr Dawes sent me word that he was going to Newyork this week. I would not omit any opportunity of writing to you, tho I know I must sometimes perplex you with domestick matters I would not do it, but that I wish your advise and direction. I wrote you in my last that the wall was compleated between mr Bass & you, and Barley has been sown. the Hill before the window, your Brother has had cleard...
89Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5–6 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
Mrs Hay call’d, and left me your Letter. tho I have not written to you before I have had you constantly upon my mind, and have been anxious for your Health. I have heard of you several times. I think you would mind an advantage in drinking valerian & camomile Tea, for those spasm’s you complain of. I am not able to say to you as yet, when I shall go to Newyork. I have received only one Letter...
90Abigail Adams to John Adams, 6 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
Brisler arrived last Evening and brought yours of May the 1 st I have not time to notice all I want to in it, I wish to know whether you would like that I should engage Daniel as coachman who drove you to Newyork when you get to House keeping, and what are the wages given. Tom we can never keep if we wish fer peace— would not the House out of Town be most agreeable to you and most for your...
91Abigail Adams to John Adams, 7 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
our parson has been praying for you to day that you may be enabled to discharge the high and important Trust committed to you with equal integrity and abilitis as you have heretofore excercised in Negotiations at Foreign courts & embassies abroad, and with equal Benifit & satisfaction to your Country. I have been reading with attention the various addresses to the Pressident & his replies....
92John Adams to Abigail Adams, 13 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have taken an House, and now wish you to come on, as soon as possible.— It will be necessary to send by Water all the Carpets that are not in Use, and several Beds, Bedsteads, Bedding Bed and Table Linnen,—Plate, China &c if you can convey it to Providence would come better that Way. The House is on the North River about a mile out of the City, in a fine situation, a good Stable, Coach...
93John Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d yours of the 5 th. — If you think it best, leave Thomas at Colledge: but I pray you to come on with Charles, as soon as possible.— as to the Place let my Brother plough and plant if he will, as much as he will. He may Send me, my half of the Butter Cheese &c here.— As to Money to bear your Expences you must if you can borrow of some Friend enough to bring you here. if you cannot...
94William Stephens Smith to Abigail Adams, 14 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have the happiness of informing you that M rs: Smith and the Boys are in high health and that your presence here as soon as you can possibly make it convenient will be very agreable and is in a great degree necessary— M r. A has taken a House about one mile from the City as he has informed you, and in his Letters has said something about the removal of furniture— on this subject permit me to...
95Abigail Adams to John Adams, 16 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
I yesterday received yours of May the 3 d by Captain Beal’s in which you request that I would come on imediatly Yours of May the first mentions several articles which you suppose it will be necessary for me to send forward, but add all is as yet uncertain, so that I am in doubt what to do, particularly as I have laid before you Since, a state of my difficulties to which I could have wish’t...
96John Adams to Abigail Adams, 18 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
I am in such a situation that I cannot see the way clear for you to come on, till some resolution is passed in the House.— You will be as ready as you can, and I will write you the Moment to come on . any Thing is done.— I will resign my office rather than bring you here to be miserable. Yours eternally RC ( Adams Papers ); addressed: “M rs Adams / Braintree.”
97John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
inclosed is a Letter from Capt n. Brown who commands the best Packet between Providence and this Place.— He called very politely and respectfully to offer his service in bringing you to New York.— if you can let him know the time when you can come, he will be ready. I have taken an House: but have nothing to put in it, [no]r to live on.— nothing is yet determined, I never felt so [ir]resolute...
98John Adams to Abigail Adams, 24 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter of the 16 th .— I have taken a large and handsome house, in a beautiful Situation, about two miles out of the City, upon the North River. The Rent is less, than I must have given for a much meaner house in Town, without any such accommodations of Stable Garden, Pasture &c I now desire you to come on, as soon as possible, and to Send by Tirrell, or some other Vessel,...
99Abigail Adams to John Adams, 26 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
I hope Barnard has arrived with the things which I sent by him. if there is any person in the House they had better be sent immediatly to it there to lie untill I arrive on the Recept of your Letter May 3’d I sent directly to Town and finding Barnard almost ready to sail I got him to take as many things as I could get ready, they are carpets linnen &c. after I had done this I sat out to visit...
100John Quincy Adams to William Cranch, 27 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
I should have answered your last favour, ere this [but in?] [conse]quence of the information you gave me, I went to Haverhill [last?] Thursday and returned but the day before yesterday. Regularly the Sunday is my scribbling day, but as there are several opportunities for sending at present, I [can]not suffer the week to pass over without noticing you, and must there fore [steal?] an hour or...