Abigail Adams Writes to Jefferson about Sally Hemings, 1787
Engraving of Abigail Adams, n.d. (Gilder Lehrman Collection)
In 1787, at the age of 14, Sally Hemings accompanied Thomas Jefferson’s daughter Polly to London, where they met Abigail Adams, and then to Paris, where Jefferson was serving as the US minister to France. In this letter, Abigail Adams expresses some qualms about Sally, thinking her too young to take care of nine-year-old Polly, but praises her for her amiability.
A Letter from Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, June 27, 1787
London june 27 1787
dear sir
I had the Honour of addressing you yesterday and informing you of the safe arrival of your daughter. She was but just come when I sent of my Letter by the post, & the poor little Girl was very unhappy being wholy left to strangers this however lasted only a few Hours, & miss is as contented to day as she was misirable yesterday. She is indeed a fine child. I have taken her out to day and purchased her a few articles which she could not well do without & I hope they will meet your approbation. The Girl who is with her is quite a child, and captain Ramsey is of opinion will be of so little service that he had better carry her back with him, but of this you will be a judge. she seems fond of the child and appears good Naturd.
I sent by yesterdays post a Number of Letters which captain Ramsey brought with him not knowing of any private hand, but mr Trumble has just calld to let me know that a Gentleman sets off for Paris tomorrow morning. I have deliverd him two Letters this afternoon received, and requested him to wait that I might inform you how successfull a Rival I have been to captain Ramsey, & you will find it I imagine as difficult to Seperate miss Polly from me as I did to get her from the Captain. She stands by me while I write & asks if I write every day to her pappa? but as I have never had so interesting a subject to him to write upon [text loss] hope he will excuse the hasty scrips for the [text loss] intelligence they contain, and be assured dear Sir
that I am with Sentiments
of sincere esteem your
Humble Servant
A Adams
Source: Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, June 27, 1787, in The Adams Papers Digital Edition, ed. C. James Taylor (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, Rotunda, 2008–2017).
A Letter from Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, June 27, 1787
London june 27 1787
dear sir
I had the Honour of addressing you yesterday and informing you of the safe arrival of your daughter. She was but just come when I sent of my Letter by the post, & the poor little Girl was very unhappy being wholy left to strangers this however lasted only a few Hours, & miss is as contented to day as she was misirable yesterday. She is indeed a fine child. I have taken her out to day and purchased her a few articles which she could not well do without & I hope they will meet your approbation. The Girl who is with her is quite a child, and captain Ramsey is of opinion will be of so little service that he had better carry her back with him, but of this you will be a judge. she seems fond of the child and appears good Naturd.
I sent by yesterdays post a Number of Letters which captain Ramsey brought with him not knowing of any private hand, but mr Trumble has just calld to let me know that a Gentleman sets off for Paris tomorrow morning. I have deliverd him two Letters this afternoon received, and requested him to wait that I might inform you how successfull a Rival I have been to captain Ramsey, & you will find it I imagine as difficult to Seperate miss Polly from me as I did to get her from the Captain. She stands by me while I write & asks if I write every day to her pappa? but as I have never had so interesting a subject to him to write upon . . . hope he will excuse the hasty scrips for the . . . intelligence they contain, and be assured dear Sir
that I am with Sentiments
of sincere esteem your
Humble Servant
A Adams
Source: Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, June 27, 1787, in The Adams Papers Digital Edition, ed. C. James Taylor (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, Rotunda, 2008–2017).
approbation – approval or praise
Background
In 1787, at the age of 14, Sally Hemings accompanied Thomas Jefferson’s daughter Polly to London, where they met Abigail Adams, and then to Paris, where Jefferson was serving as the US minister to France. In this letter, Abigail Adams expresses some qualms about Sally, thinking her too young to take care of nine-year-old Polly, but praises her for her amiability.
Transcript
A Letter from Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, June 27, 1787
London june 27 1787
dear sir
I had the Honour of addressing you yesterday and informing you of the safe arrival of your daughter. She was but just come when I sent of my Letter by the post, & the poor little Girl was very unhappy being wholy left to strangers this however lasted only a few Hours, & miss is as contented to day as she was misirable yesterday. She is indeed a fine child. I have taken her out to day and purchased her a few articles which she could not well do without & I hope they will meet your approbation. The Girl who is with her is quite a child, and captain Ramsey is of opinion will be of so little service that he had better carry her back with him, but of this you will be a judge. she seems fond of the child and appears good Naturd.
I sent by yesterdays post a Number of Letters which captain Ramsey brought with him not knowing of any private hand, but mr Trumble has just calld to let me know that a Gentleman sets off for Paris tomorrow morning. I have deliverd him two Letters this afternoon received, and requested him to wait that I might inform you how successfull a Rival I have been to captain Ramsey, & you will find it I imagine as difficult to Seperate miss Polly from me as I did to get her from the Captain. She stands by me while I write & asks if I write every day to her pappa? but as I have never had so interesting a subject to him to write upon [text loss] hope he will excuse the hasty scrips for the [text loss] intelligence they contain, and be assured dear Sir
that I am with Sentiments
of sincere esteem your
Humble Servant
A Adams
Source: Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, June 27, 1787, in The Adams Papers Digital Edition, ed. C. James Taylor (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, Rotunda, 2008–2017).
Excerpt
A Letter from Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, June 27, 1787
London june 27 1787
dear sir
I had the Honour of addressing you yesterday and informing you of the safe arrival of your daughter. She was but just come when I sent of my Letter by the post, & the poor little Girl was very unhappy being wholy left to strangers this however lasted only a few Hours, & miss is as contented to day as she was misirable yesterday. She is indeed a fine child. I have taken her out to day and purchased her a few articles which she could not well do without & I hope they will meet your approbation. The Girl who is with her is quite a child, and captain Ramsey is of opinion will be of so little service that he had better carry her back with him, but of this you will be a judge. she seems fond of the child and appears good Naturd.
I sent by yesterdays post a Number of Letters which captain Ramsey brought with him not knowing of any private hand, but mr Trumble has just calld to let me know that a Gentleman sets off for Paris tomorrow morning. I have deliverd him two Letters this afternoon received, and requested him to wait that I might inform you how successfull a Rival I have been to captain Ramsey, & you will find it I imagine as difficult to Seperate miss Polly from me as I did to get her from the Captain. She stands by me while I write & asks if I write every day to her pappa? but as I have never had so interesting a subject to him to write upon . . . hope he will excuse the hasty scrips for the . . . intelligence they contain, and be assured dear Sir
that I am with Sentiments
of sincere esteem your
Humble Servant
A Adams
Source: Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, June 27, 1787, in The Adams Papers Digital Edition, ed. C. James Taylor (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, Rotunda, 2008–2017).
approbation – approval or praise
