Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, December 25, 1834
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, December 25, 1834
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:cef
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Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1834-12-25
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, December 25, 1834
action: sent
sender: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: Auburn, NY
receiver: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: Albany, NY
transcription: cef
revision: ekk 2015-08-21
<>
Page
1
Auburn Dec 25th
There is so little of happiness in mirth that
I will not wish you a "merry Christmas" dearest
but I will wish you a "happy Christmas" and a happy
day it must surely be to all who think of it as
the birth day of our blessed Saviour. I have
been instrumental in making three glad hearts
and smiling faces to day the childrens stockings
were all "hung by the chimney with care" last
night and this morning they found them "over-
flowing" as Freddy
arranging their toys and candies for a store and
Maria
she may go home this afternoon and display
her treasures, we have no other help yet but have
a girl in expectancy. I had counted the days all
along and thought my Sunday letter would come
to day but it came not and I must e'en content
myself to wait until tomorrow. What a fine
bright sunshine we have to day. I should be tempted
to venture out were it not quite so cold.
Every body has gone to church this morning.
I have been in the village but once, I went Teusday
to the confectioners to buy Christmas presents for
the Children, shopped a little and came home
pretty tired, of course I rode, took Eliza
Andrews
last week. I was lame yesterday and thought I
had taken cold but as I am better again to day
conclude it must have been the effects of overexertion[ . ]
Reason:
Once I rode over to Mr Richardson
about the table these are the only times I have
been out of the house. Teusday I recieved your first
letter from New York and think from your account
you must have very little time at your own disposal
I ni am anxious to hear how and when you returned
to Albany. Was Polydore
Page
2
mention him. Why does the 'Courier' say you stopped
at the Masonick Hall in Italicks?. I received
a letter from Lazette
will come out New Years if she meets with no
opposition. Worden
very frequently. Eliza Burnham
married last evening. I discovered that my letter
was too late about Chloe
I still think we had better take her in the spring
she may not be as good as Maria we can only
ascertain this by making the experiment, as
it will be impracticall to get her here this
winter perhaps it will be as well not to do
anything about it at present.
I think Clary
of January but all is yet undecided. Isaack
very impatient to have his house occupied.
Mr Field
did not accompany them, she came here last
Sunday evening and purposes staying a week or
so, she is low spirited and much l more humble
than I have ever seen her. I feel much compassion
for her she has been deeply injured if the reports
have no foundation, she still persists in innocence.
She says now that though she has suffered greatly,
she hopes it is all for her happiness and may will
lead her to place her hopes and affections where
sin and sorrow cannot come. I see so little
company that I am unable to tell the prominent
subjects of gossip at this time. Clary has been
two evenings to the schoolhouse to tie boughs
for Christmas, had much sport with your Dromier
Tucker
sense from. evening this is the third or fourth time
I have sat down to write and have employed in that
way all the leisure I have had from household duties
you may judge from the length of my letter how much time
I have had. Grandma
Pa
the end and aim of everything, it is now dark and I am
compelled to conclude hastily your own Frances.
Page
3
William H. Seward
Albany.
Auburn N.Y.
Dec 26
Type: postmark
h
Frances A. Seward
December 25. 1834
Auburn Dec 25th
There is so little of happiness in mirth that
I will not wish you a "merry Christmas" dearest
but I will wish you a "happy Christmas" and a happy
day it must surely be to all who think of it as
the birth day of our blessed Saviour. I have
been instrumental in making three glad hearts
and smiling faces to day the childrens stockings
were all "hung by the chimney with care" last
night and this morning they found them "over-
flowing" as Freddy
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
says, the litle boys are nowarranging their toys and candies for a store and
Maria
Unknown
is hurrying through her work thatshe may go home this afternoon and display
her treasures, we have no other help yet but have
a girl in expectancy. I had counted the days all
along and thought my Sunday letter would come
to day but it came not and I must e'en content
myself to wait until tomorrow. What a fine
bright sunshine we have to day. I should be tempted
to venture out were it not quite so cold.
Every body has gone to church this morning.
I have been in the village but once, I went Teusday
to the confectioners to buy Christmas presents for
the Children, shopped a little and came home
pretty tired, of course I rode, took Eliza
Andrews
Unknown
with me, she has been sewing here thelast week. I was lame yesterday and thought I
had taken cold but as I am better again to day
conclude it must have been the effects of overexertion[ . ]
Supplied
Once I rode over to Mr Richardson
Birth: 1780-12-19 Death: 1849-04-14
's shop to seeabout the table these are the only times I have
been out of the house. Teusday I recieved your first
letter from New York and think from your account
you must have very little time at your own disposal
I ni am anxious to hear how and when you returned
to Albany. Was Polydore
Birth: 1799 Death: 1872-04-23
at Jennings
Birth: 1793-08-23 Death: 1841-02-24
', you do notmention him. Why does the 'Courier' say you stopped
at the Masonick Hall in Italicks?. I received
a letter from Lazette
Birth: 1803-11-01 Death: 1875-10-03
this morning she thinks shewill come out New Years if she meets with no
opposition. Worden
Birth: 1797-03-06 Death: 1856-02-16
I believe is in the village very frequently. Eliza Burnham
Death: 1842-08-29
was to have beenmarried last evening. I discovered that my letter
was too late about Chloe
Unknown
's girlUnknown
before you wroteI still think we had better take her in the spring
she may not be as good as Maria we can only
ascertain this by making the experiment, as
it will be impracticall to get her here this
winter perhaps it will be as well not to do
anything about it at present.
I think Clary
Birth: 1793-05-01 Death: 1862-09-05
will not remain long after the 1stof January but all is yet undecided. Isaack
Unknown
seemsvery impatient to have his house occupied.
Mr Field
Birth: 1753-07-07 Death: 1839-08-06
's family have gone to Cammillus. Maria
Birth: 1796-07-10Certainty: Probable
did not accompany them, she came here last
Sunday evening and purposes staying a week or
so, she is low spirited and much l more humble
than I have ever seen her. I feel much compassion
for her she has been deeply injured if the reports
have no foundation, she still persists in innocence.
She says now that though she has suffered greatly,
she hopes it is all for her happiness and may will
lead her to place her hopes and affections where
sin and sorrow cannot come. I see so little
company that I am unable to tell the prominent
subjects of gossip at this time. Clary has been
two evenings to the schoolhouse to tie boughs
for Christmas, had much sport with your Dromier
Tucker
Birth: 1803Certainty: Probable
. I should suppose the man had not commonsense from. evening this is the third or fourth time
I have sat down to write and have employed in that
way all the leisure I have had from household duties
you may judge from the length of my letter how much time
I have had. Grandma
Birth: 1751 Death: 1835-10-03
wanted a Christmas dinner andPa
Birth: 1772-04-11 Death: 1851-11-13
is to have a Christmas supper, eating seems to bethe end and aim of everything, it is now dark and I am
compelled to conclude hastily your own Frances.
William H. Seward
Albany.
Auburn N.Y.
Dec 26
Stamp
h
Hand Shift
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10William Seward
December 25. 1834