John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

248 Quincy. Friday 5. September 1845.

5. IV:10. Friday.

Funeral of Mrs Ann widow of T. B. Adams.

My Son came home last Night very ill, though it was not made known to me till this day— He had taken a severe cold last Tuesday at Holmes’s hole, and on Wednesday morning found himself seized suddenly with a violent cough, hoarseness, sore throat and fever— He remained however there till yesterday morning, when he returned by a Steamer to New-Bedford which he reached at Noon— There he was detained 3 hours to take the railway cars, and saw Mr Grinnell but could not visit his Lady. It was past 6 O’Clock when he arrived in the railway train from New-Bedford at Boston. He had written to his wife last Monday, giving notice that he proposed to come home on Thursday and requesting that Fuller might be sent to meet him at the depot of the Providence railroad with the Carriage at 5— p.m of yesterday— Fuller went accordingly; but it was half past 6. when the Cars arrived, and before coming out he went and took advice of Dr Bigelow, who directed him on reaching home to shut himself up and keep house for some days— From 6. O’Clock last evening till 8 when he arrived, I was in extreme uneasiness, fearing that some disastrous accident had befallen on him in the railway cars— He arrived in a shower of rain— The family of Mrs Ann Adams had depended upon him to make all the arrangements for her funeral this afternoon— In the delay of his arrival last evening, John Kirke came to me for directions. I named to him Thomas and Daniel Greenleaf—Lemuel Bracket, Josiah Brigham, George W. Beale and John Whitney, to be requested to serve as Pall-holders— When he came I directed Kirk to go up the hill and ask him to come and speak with me about the Pall holders— He sent me back word that he was somewhat fatigued; and that there was no occasion for Pallholders, the custom of having any at funerals being in this part of the country discontinued— This morning, under the depression of Spirits, of increasing tremulous debility, still encroaching upon my physical powers like the surge of a rising tide, I first learnt the illness of my Son. After an early dinner I went with my wife to his house, and found him with a hoarse cough and sore throat scarcely able to speak.— He was of course confined to his house. I went with my wife, Mrs John Adams, her daughter Mary-Louisa and Louisa C. Smith, to the house where Mrs. Ann Adams has resided since May 1829. and where she died— Many of her relatives of her own family and of ours, together with her neighbours of her late residence male and female were there assembled. The house was filled— Her daughter Elizabeth, her Son Isaac Hull Adams, and John Quincy Adams, her sisters Greenough Foster and Stebbins were there, and many other Friends and Acquaintance— The funeral service was performed by the Revd. William P. Lunt. The Coffin was transported in a Carriage to the grave yard without Pall bearers, and followed by a procession of mourners in Carriages and of friends and strangers on foot. It was deposited in the tomb bearing my name over its door. I walked home and spent the Evening at Charles’s and at my own house.