John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

23. V:30. My Mother and wife went to Milton to return the visit of the Smith family, and to make enquiries respecting a school at Milton kept by a Mr Pearce, where we think of placing John. Mr B. Smith himself and his Son were here. I received yesterday a Letter from G. A. Otis, soliciting an appointment as Consul at Amsterdam. My brother sent his son Thomas with a Chaise for me to go to his house; but I was detained by visitors until nearly one O’Clock. First Price Greenleaf, Son of Mr T. Greenleaf— He has just arrived from Charleston S. Carolina 246where he has resided these two years, and whence he has been obliged to retreat by a malignant fever which is raging there, which is not epidemic, and attacks only Strangers, but among them has been since the beginning of this month frequent, and invariably fatal— The next visitors were Mr and Mrs Daniel Greenleaf and Mrs John Codman, the widow— Then Mr and Mrs T. L. Winthrop, with Mr and Mrs G. Sullivan, and Mr and Mrs Tappan. the Ladies are daughters of Mr Winthrop— Mr Tappan is son of the Doctor Tappan who was professor of divinity at Harvard University.— I went to my brother’s and looked at some of his papers, but we had not time to arrange our accounts. His eldest daughter Elizabeth was ill in bed with a sore throat and fever which prevented his wife from coming to dine at my father’s— He came with me; and immediately after dinner my wife went home with him. George & Charles went with Harriet Welsh to Boston, but came back without her to dinner— Mr and Mrs Whitney, and their daughter Catherine also dined at my father’s. Mr Colman of Hingham came after dinner with Mr May, a young Man who is to take his degree next week. But Mr Norton and Mr Kimball who were to have examined George, did not come. Mr Colman is going next week to Connecticut to be absent ten days, which delays the time of our placing Charles with him. My wife returned about Sunset from my brother’s, and I went with my Mother & her to Mrs: Black’s, where we found Mr R. G. Shaw, Mr Lindsey, Mr Cummins who reminded me of having accidentally met me at the Theatre de la Gaieté at Paris in February 1815—and several Ladies— Mrs Black takes Boarders, and has in the summer Season, many who come out from Boston during the Summer for the benefit of the Country Air. After we came home George came in with his old Schoolmates Claudius Bradford and Thomas Bracket. The close of the Evening was showery.