25 February 1828
adams-john10 Emily Wieder Recreation Family Relations (Adams Family)
446

25. IV:30. Monday— Marriage of John Adams and Mary Catherine Hellen.

Elgar Joseph Barbour— James Southard Samuel L O’Sullivan— Edward Hassler F. R. Mercer Walch Robert Fendall— Philip R Nourse Charles J Ingersoll Charles. J

Immediately after the scarcely clear rising of the Sun, I took my daily walk round the Capitol Square, and on returning gave my fourth sitting to Mr Greenough at Mr King’s— He said he should want but one sitting more. I spoke to him to make a marble bust of my father next Summer; which he promised to do— Mr Elgar called upon me after breakfast, upon Mr Robert King’s claim to certain lots in the City, in payment of Services as a Surveyor. There was a Letter from Mr Thomas Munroe, to Coll. Lane, setting forth Mr King’s claim; which Lane however declined to recognize— I desired Mr Elgar to send me the record of King’s purchase of the lots which he afterwards did. Governor Barbour and Mr Southard were here together— The Governor spoke of the honours to be paid General Brown at his funeral— The first process was to search for precedents; and the only precedent found was that of the decease of General Washington; who like General Brown was at the time of his decease Commander in Chief of the Army; but his circumstances and situation were so peculiar that few of the measures then adopted could now be followed with propriety. The event was then announced by a special message from the President to Congress. I thought that would now be neither necessary nor proper— The event was also then announced by a General Order in the name of the President to the Army— I supposed it should now emanate from the Secretary of War— Governor Barbour said that Coll. Jones the Adjutant General had made a draft of an Order; but the Governor thought it would be susceptible of improvement, and he asked me to make a sketch of such a paper; which I promised to do, but desired that Coll. Jones’s draft might be sent to me; observing that I presumed much of it might be preserved— The Governor afterwards brought a new Letter of complaint from the Governor of Georgia about another murder by Creek Indians— Mr Southard spoke of a Court of inquiry to be convened at Boston, upon the Charges against Lieutenant Percival— He afterwards sent me the opinion of the Attorney General, and the papers relating to the claim of Coll. Henderson, to appoint the Staff-Officers of the Marine Corps— Edward O’Sullivan, a boy of about 14 came with a Letter from his mother, whom he called his father— I referred him for his solicitation to the Secretary of War— Mr Hassler called and gave me a new book lately published by him entitled a popular exposition of the System of the Universe— He is now going to Richmond. Major Mercer came with Mr Walch from Annapolis, whose object is to obtain the appointment 447of Superintendent of the Public buildings— Mr Fendall came from the Department for some book, which contained a correspondence called for by a Resolution of the House of Representatives. Major Nourse brought me all the papers relating to the controversy between Generals Scott and Gaines, respecting their several Ranks. Mr Charles Ingersoll, called on me just from Philadelphia, and announced to me the wedding in my family this Evening— My second Son John Adams was married to Mary Catherine Hellen, by the Reverend William Hawley, Rector of St. John’s Church in this City— The persons present as witnesses, were besides my wife and myself, Abigail Smith Adams, Judge William Cranch, and his daughter Elizabeth, Edward Everett, Mr and Mrs. Frye, and their Son Thomas, Johnson and Thomas J. Hellen, Dr Henry Huntt, Columbus and Frances Munroe, Matilda Pleasonton, George and Sophia Ramsay, Tench Ringgold, Mary C. Roberdeau, Mr and Mrs W. S. Smith, Dr Watkins and his Son William— The Servants of the family were likewise all present— After the ceremony we had a supper, and the company retired about midnight. May the blessing of God Almighty rest upon this Union!

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