Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, December 15, 1817
[ 15 Dec. 1817-1 Jan. 1818 ] Decbr. 15 A Stormy and bousterous day a large party invited to dine being the first Diplomatic dinner nothing to be had and…
Louisa Catherine Adams was the first lady of the United States from 1825 to 1829 during the presidency of her husband John Quincy Adams. She was born in England and raised in France. Her father was an influential American merchant, and she was regularly introduced to prominent Americans. After her family returned to England, she met John Quincy Adams in 1795, and the two began a tenuous courtship. They married in 1797 after being engaged for a year, beginning a marriage of disagreements and personality conflicts. She joined her husband on his diplomatic mission to Prussia, where she was popular with the Prussian court. When they returned to the United States, her husband became a senator and she gave birth to three sons. John was appointed minister to the Russian Empire in 1809, and they traveled to the Russian Empire without their two older sons, against Louisa's wishes.
[ 15 Dec. 1817-1 Jan. 1818 ] Decbr. 15 A Stormy and bousterous day a large party invited to dine being the first Diplomatic dinner nothing to be had and…
[ , Start insertion, 1-16 Jan. 1818 , End, ] Jany 1 1818 The Circle was extremely crowded. On our arrival Mr. A was ushered into a room where the…
[ , Start insertion, Jan. 1818 , End, ] I am very happy to find by your Letter of the 7th that you are kind enough to be satisfied with…
Washington 7 Janry 1818 My Dearest Charles I will begin my letter, by offerering the joint congratulations of your father and myself, to you and your brothers, and all our…
Washington 10 March 1818. Mrs Adams requests the favour of Mr Wheaton’s company at Ten on Friday Eveng.
Washington 15 March 1818 Dear Madam It is long since I wrote you in consequence of a very severe indisposition which confined me to my bed ten days and to…
Washington 22 March 1818. My Dear Charles Your two last Letters have come safely to hand and I am much pleased at your steadiness and punctuality in writing—I suppose that…
Washington 30 March 1818. My dear Mother In my last I think I informed you that the news of this place was become so little interesting that my journal must…
Washington 26 May 1818 My Dear George I do not recollect whether I answered your last Letter my memory not being remarkably good and keeping no account of dates but…
Washington 26 May 1818 My Dear John Since I received your last Letter we have been kept in a state of great anxiety < , Start deletion, who was [.…
Washington 28 May 1818 My Dear Charles You tell me in your last Letter that “you believe you did not write to me, because you had not received a Letter…
Washington 28 July 1818 My Dear John Although your last Letter was not quite so good as I could wish the consciousness and solicitude you appear to feel of its…
Washington 17 August 1818 Dear John In the course of a week or two we propose to visit Boston and I expect to find your mind as much improved as…
Washington 17 August 1818 Dear Tom Your Letter of 19 July was delivered to me just after I had dispatched my last and I now hasten to answer it—My visit…
Washington 17 August 1818 Sir At the risk of incurring the anger of my husband, and under the apprehension of your displeasure; I am obliged by the ties of nature…
Washington 25 August 1818 Dear Madam Tomorrow we leave this place with the intention of visiting you in Boston if nothing should intervene and force us back again to Washington.…
Washington 4 Novbr 1818 Expecting constantly to hear from you my dear Harriet I have felt involuntarily inclined to procrastinate every effort to write on a subject which has filled…
Washington 8 Novbr. 1818 My Dear John Your sudden silence after the affectionate and unremitted attention you shewed during your dear Grandmothers illness and the total want of information <…
Washington 16 Decbr. 1818 My Dear Harriet I scarcly know how to apologize for my remissness in not writing to you sooner but did you know how I am teazed…
[ , Start insertion, December 17-24, 1818 , End, ] 17th So very cold remained at home all day and saw no one 18 The day still severely cold but…
Washington 22 Decr. 1818 My Dear Charles As I hear there has been a great fall of snow during the last week or two in Boston I suppose you have…
Washington 22 Decbr. 1818 Dear John I yesterday received your Letter of the 15 instt. and really can scarcely find an excuse for my long silence both to you and…
[ , Start insertion, December 25, 1818—January 4, 1819 , End, ] 25 This being Xmas day received visits as usual from Mr. & Madame de Neuville—As I have just…
[ January 2–7, 1819 ] I must begin this Sheet by observing that I have touched rather more largely upon political occurrences than is perhaps prudent considering how little I…