601Monday. June 17th. 1771. (Adams Papers)
Sat out upon the Eastern Circuit. Stopped at Boston, at my Office, and no where else. Came over Charlestown Ferry and Penny Ferry, and dined at Kettles in Maiden, by the Meeting House. Kettle is a D eputy Sherriff. The Meeting House is Mr. Thatchers. I mounted my Horse and rode to Boston in a Cloth Coat and Waiscoat, but was much pinched with a cold, raw, harsh, N.E. Wind. At Boston I put on a...
602Tuesday June 18. 1771. (Adams Papers)
Rode with Mr. Barrell to Ipswich, and put up at Treadwells. Every Object recalls the Subject of Grief. Barrell all the Way to Ipswich was like the Turtle, bemoaning the Loss of his Mate. “Fine Season and beautifull Scenes, but they did not charm him as they used to. He had often rode this Way a Courting with infinite Pleasure,” &c. I cant reallize that she has left me forever. When she was...
6031771. Saturday. June 22nd. (Adams Papers)
Spent this Week at Ipswich in the usual Labours and Drudgery of Attendance upon Court. Boarded at Treadwells. Have had no Time to write. Landlord and Landlady are some of the grandest People alive. Landlady is the great Grand Daughter of Governor Endicott, and has all the great Notions, of high Family, that you find in Winslows, Hutchinsons, Quincys, Saltonstals, Chandlers, Leonards, Otis’s,...
604Sunday June 23d. (Adams Papers)
In the Morning my Horse was gone. Went to Meeting all day and heard old Mr. Rogers—a good, well meaning man, I believe. After Meeting rode to Newbury, and visited Brother Lowell, Brother Farnham, and then went and supped with Mr. Jonathan Jackson, in Company with Capt. Tracy, Mr. Hooper, Mr. Williams, Mr. Frasier and Brother Lowell. Then went and lodged with Lowell. Moses Frazier , a merchant...
605Monday. June 24. 1771. (Adams Papers)
Reached Portsmouth with Lowell, and walked half an Hour with him on the Town House Floor, with Mr. Livius and Mr. Jona. Warner, &c. Put up at Tiltons, and intend to visit the Governor this afternoon. Had a good deal of Chat with Lowell on the Road. He practises much in New Hampshire, and gave me an Account of many strange Judgments of the Superior Court at Portsmouth—that an Infant, if allowed...
606Tuesday June 25th. 1771. (Adams Papers)
At York Court, dined with the Judges, and spent the Evening at Ritchies with Bradbury and Hale of Portsmouth, a sensible young Lawyer. Bradbury says there is no need of Dung upon your Mowing Land if you dont feed it in the Fall nor Spring. Let the old Fog remain upon it, and die and rot and be washed into the Ground, and dont suffer your Cattle to tread upon it and so poach and break the soil,...
607Wednesday June 26th: 1771. (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I had a good deal of Conversation with Judge Trowbridge. He seems alarmed about the Powers of the Court of Probate. He says if Judge Danforth was to die Tomorrow, and the Governor was to offer that Place to him, he would not take it, because he thinks it ought always to be given to some Judge of the Inferiour Court, and then, some one Lawyer might be found in each County who would...
608Fryday June 28th. 1771. (Adams Papers)
At York. Yesterday I spent in Walking, one Way and another, to view the Town. I find that Walking serves me much. It sets my Blood in Motion much more than Riding. Had some Conversation this Week with Chadburn of Berwick. He says, that Jo. Lee came to him, on the Election day Morning, and said “I know you are a peaceable Man. Why cant you vote for a few Gentlemen who would be agreable to the...
609[July 1771] (Adams Papers)
At Falmouth, at Mr. Jonathan Webbs, who has removed to an House very near the Court House. Last Fryday Morning, I mounted with Brother Bradbury and his Brother Bradbury, at York for Falmouth, went over the Sands but could not ford Cape Nettick, and so was obliged to go round over the Bridge, by the Mill. Dined at Littlefields in Wells, drank Tea and lodged at Aliens at Biddeford. Coll. Ting...
610Tuesday July 2nd. 1771. (Adams Papers)
At Falmouth, at Mr. Jonathan Webbs, who has removed to an House very near the Court House. Last Fryday Morning, I mounted with Brother Bradbury and his Brother Bradbury, at York for Falmouth, went over the Sands but could not ford Cape Nettick, and so was obliged to go round over the Bridge, by the Mill. Dined at Littlefields in Wells, drank Tea and lodged at Aliens at Biddeford. Coll. Ting...
611Thursday. July 4th. 1771. (Adams Papers)
Dined with D. Wyer, in Company with his Father, Farnum, Sewall, Cushing, Sewall, Lowell &c. Conversation turns upon Revelations, Prophecies, Jews, &c. Spent the Evening, with the Barr, at Shattucks the Tavern in high Spirits. Agreed unanimously to recommend Tim. Langdon, to be sworn. All in good Spirits, very chearfull, and chatty—many good stories, &c. This day Argued the Cause of Freeman and...
612Fryday. July 5. 1771. (Adams Papers)
Cadwallader Ford came to me this Morning, and congratulated me on the Verdict for Freeman.—Sir, says he, I shall think myself forever obliged to you, for the Patriotick manner in which you conducted that Cause. You have obtained great Honour in this County, by that Speech. I never heard a better &c.—All this is from old Cadwallader. Langdon told me, that a Man came running down, when I had...
613Saturday July 6. 1771. (Adams Papers)
Last entry in “Paper book No. 18,” though followed by a large number of blank leaves. For reasons known only to himself JA now returned to “Paper book No. 16,” in which he had written nothing since 16 Feb. 1771 , and continued to keep his Diary therein until the end of Nov. 1772.
6141771. [ca. 20] July. (Adams Papers)
Tuesday went to Boston with my Wife, and the next day to Commencement at Cambridge, was only at 3 Chambers—Palmers, Frenches and Rogers’s. Approximately dated from the reference to commencement at Harvard, which took place this year on Wednesday, 17 July.
6151771. July 22d. Monday. (Adams Papers)
After rambling about my Farm and giving some Directions to my Workmen I went to Boston. There soon came into my Office, Ruddock and Story. It seems that Andrew Belchers Widow has sued Story as Deputy Register of the Admiralty under her Husband in his Lifetime, and Ruddock as his Bondsman, upon the Bond given for the faithfull Discharge of his Office. Three or £400 st. of the Kings third of a...
616July 23d. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
The Court sat. Nothing remarkable. Dined at home at Brother Smiths, with Mr. Johnson. No Conversation memorable. Brother has 2 Dogs, 4 Rabbits, Six tame Ducks, a dozen Chickens, one Pidgeon, and some yellow Birds and other singing Birds, all in his little Yard. It is a pitty that a Day should be spent, in the Company of Courts &c., and nothing be heard or seen, worth remembering. But this is...
617July 24. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Dined at home, i.e. at my Brother Smiths with one Payson, a Man who now lives at Milton where Coll. Gooch lived, and who married a Sister of David Wyers Wife. He had an Horse to sell, part English Bred, of Brig. Ruggles’s raising—a young Horse, very firm and strong—good in a Chaise &c. We tryed him in a Saddle and in a Chaise too. Brother bought him. Spent the Evening at S. Quincys, with...
618July 25. and 26. Thursday and Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Both these Days spent in the Tryal of Mr. Otis’s Case vs. Mr. Robinson. On 4 Sept. 1769 James Otis had published in the Boston Gazette a card denouncing the Commissioners of Customs in Boston for their abuse of “all true North-Americans , in a manner that is not to be endured.” He was referring to statements by the Commissioners in their memorials and other papers that had recently made their...
619July 27. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
The Jury this Morning delivered their Verdict, for £2000 Sterling Damages, and Costs.—I have spent this Morning in reading the Centinells. There is a profuse Collection of Knowledge in them, in Law, History, Government, that indicates to me the only Author, I think. A great Variety of Knowledge. The Subject of the Governors Independency, is a serious, a dangerous, and momentous Thing. It...
620[August 1771] (Adams Papers)
Have loitered at home the most of the past Week, gazing at my Workmen. I set ’em upon one Exploit, that pleases me much. I proposed ploughing up the Ground in the Street along my Stone Wall opposite to Mr. Jos. Fields, and carting the Mould into my Cow Yard. A few Scruples, and Difficulties were started but these were got over—and Plough, Cart, Boards, Shovells, Hoes, &c. were collected, and...
6211771. Aug. 8 [i.e. 9?]. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Have loitered at home the most of the past Week, gazing at my Workmen. I set ’em upon one Exploit, that pleases me much. I proposed ploughing up the Ground in the Street along my Stone Wall opposite to Mr. Jos. Fields, and carting the Mould into my Cow Yard. A few Scruples, and Difficulties were started but these were got over—and Plough, Cart, Boards, Shovells, Hoes, &c. were collected, and...
622August 13. or 14th. 1771. (Adams Papers)
Spent the Evening at Cordis’s, the British Coffee house.—In the front Room, towards the long Wharfe, where the Merchants Clubb has met this twenty Years. It seems there is a Schism in that Church— a Rent in that Garment—a Mutiny in that Regiment, and a large De tachment has decamped, and marched over the Way, to Ingersols. This Evening The Commissary and Speaker, and Speaker and Commissary,...
623Aug. 14. or 15. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Slept last Night, at Mr. Cranches, arose about Sunrise, and repaired to my Office. A fine, sweet, fresh Morning. The 14th was a Wednesday.
624Aug. 20. 1771. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
At the Office.
625August. 22d. and 23. Thursday and Friday. (Adams Papers)
At the Office. Mr. Otis’s Gestures and Motions are very whimsical, his Imagination is disturbed—his Passions all roiled. His Servant, he orders to bring up his Horse, and to hold him by the Head at the Stone of his Door, an Hour before He is ready to mount. Then he runs into one Door and out at another, and Window &c. &c. &c.
626[November 1771] (Adams Papers)
At Salem. Fine Weather. Deacon Thurston of Rowley came in last Night, a venerable old Man, with his snowy, hoary Locks. Kent and the Deacon soon clashed upon Religion.—Dont you think Sir, says the Deacon, We are here Probationers for Eternity?—No by no means says Kent. We are here Probationers for the next State and in the next We shall be Probationers for the next that is to follow, and so on...
6271771. Novr. 5th. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
At Salem. Fine Weather. Deacon Thurston of Rowley came in last Night, a venerable old Man, with his snowy, hoary Locks. Kent and the Deacon soon clashed upon Religion.—Dont you think Sir, says the Deacon, We are here Probationers for Eternity?—No by no means says Kent. We are here Probationers for the next State and in the next We shall be Probationers for the next that is to follow, and so on...
6281771. Novr. 9. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
At Salem, all this Week at Court. Dined one day at C hief Justice Lyndes. All the rest of the Week till this day with the Court. Dined this Day, spent the Afternoon, and drank Tea at Judge Ropes’s, with Judges Lynde, Oliver and Hutchinson, Sewal, Putnam, and Winthrop. Mrs. Ropes is a fine Woman—very pretty, and genteel. Our Judge Oliver is the best bred Gentleman of all the Judges, by far....
629Sunday Novr. 10. 1771. (Adams Papers)
Heard Mr. Cutler of Ipswich Hamlet. Dined at Dr. Putnams with Coll. Putnam and Lady and 2 young Gentlemen Nephews of the Dr. and Coll.—and a Mrs. Scollay. Coll. Putnam told a Story of an Indian upon Connecticutt River who called at a Tavern in the fall of the Year for a Dram. The Landlord asked him two Coppers for it. The next Spring, happening at the same House, he called for another and had...
630[February 1772] (Adams Papers)
Have omitted now for 3 months almost to keep any “Note of Time or of its Loss.” Thomas Newcomb dined with me. He says that Etter, the Stocking Weaver, told him about a fortnight ago, that he saw the Governor within these 3 Months, and told him, he hoped the People would be contented and easy now they had a Governor from among themselves. The Governor said, “there were some Discontents...