Mary Smith Gray Otis to Abigail Smith Adams, April 11, 1812
Washington April 11th 1812 With pleasure & I hope, with Gratitude, I take up my pen, to assure you my dear Mrs A that we are all in perfect health;…
Abigail Adams was the wife and closest advisor of John Adams, the second president of the United States, and the mother of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States. She is widely considered to be an influential figure in the founding of the United States, and was both the first second lady and second first lady of the United States, although such titles were not used at the time. She and Barbara Bush are the only two women in American history who were both married to a U.S. president and the mother of a U.S. president.
Washington April 11th 1812 With pleasure & I hope, with Gratitude, I take up my pen, to assure you my dear Mrs A that we are all in perfect health;…
Atkinson April 26th. 1812 My Dear Sister, The human Pores have been so long obstructed by the late severe Season, & peircing winds of March, that it has occasiond many…
St: Petersburg 30 April 1812. The enclosed is a copy of a letter, which was written near a Month, before an opportunity occurred of sending it, on its way to…
Middletown May 5th. 1812 Accept my Dear Friend of my sympathy for the loss of your lovely grand Daughter. For Mrs Charles Adams I can most sensibly feel for her…
Atkinson May 16th. 1812— My Dear Sister, I have the pleasure to inform you, that your dear Grandchildren reached here Friday noon, safe, & are very well in health, &…
Boston May: 19th 1812 To Correct an error has been Considerd as proof of a Candid Mind—Will you then permit me my much respected friend to express to you,— And…
St: Petersburg 12 July 1812 The political Condition of the World, not only engrosses all our thoughts, but absorbs all our faculties. A new War is just blazing out in…
Atkinson July 14. 1812 I hope my dear Sister, & family are well, though I have not heard from her for three last mails—Has Col. Smith, & Sister, arrived Safe?—How…
St. Petersburg 23 July 1812. My Dear Sister. I received a very few days ago, your kind favour of 1. March last, which gave me great pleasure as a token…
St: Petersburg 21. September 1812 My dearly beloved Mother. During the last two years, the unwelcome task has too often been allotted to you, to communicate to my dear wife…
Lebanon County of Madison Octr. 5th. 1812 My dear Madam— I received your very complimentary letter of the 6th of September, I rejoice with you at the splendid victory obtained…
October 13th. 1812— The with in I prepared with design to forward by your Son on his return from Barnstable Court, but he passed with out calling upon me. Since…
St: Petersburg 31. December 1812 As another Year is closing upon time, and joining “the years beyond the flood,” I cannot employ its last moments more satisfactorily to myself, or…
Atkinson Dec. 31st 1812 Every Day, & Week since my return, I have thought I would devote some time to write to my Dear Sister, but some intervening circumstance has…
St: Petersburg 18. February 1813. As I shall probably not have an opportunity of dispatching letters for America, after that of which I now avail myself, at least before the…
Scituate Feby 23rd. 1813. My Dear Madam. My mind it seems had been in unison with yours for some time past, & I had determined the last week that another…
St: Petersburg 27 February 1813. At length, after another interval of nearly seven Months since I had been favoured with the sight of a line from any of my friends…
St: Petersburg 7. April 1813 I know not whether it was generosity, or any other virtue, or merely a disposition to receive the postage, that induced the transmission of your…
Atkinson April 7th. 1813 My Dear Sister, Your kind Letters of Feb. 15th & March 31st lie before me, in which I find are several things unanswered, though I assure…
Washington April 10. 1813 Dear Madam I fear that the [pressure] of much business, and an anxiety to avail myself of a moment of leisuir, to write to Mr Adams…
Plymouth Ms. April 15th 1813— I had for several weeks been anticipating the pleasure I have recently received on the arrival of your Son.—I very well knew he could not…
St. Petersburg 12. June 1813. My Dear Madam, On the 24. May I had the very great satisfaction of receiving your kind letter of 23d. February. I felt doubly obligated…
Plymouth June 15th. 1813— Though I have received no reply to my last, I interrupt Mrs. Adams again on a subject that lays near my heart.—It was reported to me…
Washington City June 19th. 1813 Dear Madam Enclosed I send you a letter from my dear Caroline mentioning that my dear Mrs: Smith is getting better—It will give her great…