[Footnote 37: Norton Quincy, a graduate of Harvard College in 1736, and
the only brother of Mrs. Adams's mother. Sympathizing with the patriotic
movement he was placed on the first committee of safety organized by the
Provincial Assembly. But no inducements could prevail to draw him from
his seclusion at Mount Wollaston, where he lived, and died in 1801.]
[Footnote 38: John Thaxter, Jr., who with the three others here named
and two more were clerks with Mr. Adams at the breaking out of the
Revolution. Mr. Thaxter afterwards acted as private secretary to Mr.
Adams during his second residence in Europe, down to the date of the
treaty of peace, of which he was made the bearer to the United States.]
[Footnote 39: William Tudor, John Trumbull, and Jeremiah Hill. Some of
these letters remain, and are not without interest as contemporaneous
accounts of Revolutionary events.]
[Footnote 40: The words in brackets supplied, as the manuscript is
defective.]