Letter from Francis Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, December 2, 1836

  • Posted on: 10 March 2016
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Letter from Francis Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, December 2, 1836
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transcriber

Transcriber:spp:mep

student editor

Transcriber:spp:sss

Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive

Institution:University of Rochester

Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections

Date:1836-12-02

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Letter from Francis Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, December 2, 1836

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: Westfield, NY

transcription: mep 

revision: ekk 2015-06-01

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Page 1

Auburn, Nov Dec 2d
My Dear Henry, I recieved your first letter on
Teusday after giving myself considerable unnecessary
trouble about your welfare. I am glad to hear you
are safely settled at Westfield. I was sure you would
write from Batavia because you said you would
I supposed that you would detained there some
time and did not anticipate hearing so soon from
you at Westfield. Winter has come bringing with
him frost — snow — cold fingers — cold noses and sleigh bells
I am glad you have the hall stove it will add
much to your comfort. I am glad Mr Carey
Birth: 1787-08-11 Death: 1869-06-20
had his
own way and his own way of having it though I
cannot say that I do think the white china,
oval, dining set at all pretty — the only recommen-
dation that it has is that of making the housemaid
particular & this quality though it might be very
essential here under Mary ann
Certainty: Probable
's administration is
not at all necessary to answer Harriets
Birth: 1807 Death: 1888-08-20
, neatness. You
used great dispatch in making your purchases
at Buffalo. I hope all came safe and that you have
enjoyed the ham and chocolate beside the the
more unsubstantial good things before this. I would
give much for one peep at you and dear Gus
Birth: 1826-10-01 Death: 1876-09-11

eating your breakfast one of these cold mornings.
I have little variation in the monotony of my life
but that little is as much as I can well endure in
the present weak state of my nervous system.
Dear Henry I am positively afraid sometimes that I shall
one of these days become a candidate for the Lunatic
Asylum — the least excitement does produce such
strange feelings, my brain seems to wheel so I my

[left Margin]
Hand Shiftx

William Seward

Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
FA Seward
Dec 2, 1836

Page 2

recollection deserts me and there are times when I cannot
think of the most familiar names. How often I have
wished I could once more ask dear Grandma
Birth: 1751 Death: 1835-10-03
if she
had ever experienced such feelings. I am afraid you
will think this all very silly I am sure I should
have thought so once but I find that my nerves
are not so easily controulled as I once fancied
and that I might as well undertake to reason
myself out of a fit of the ague as to attempt to
compose my nerves while the excitation continues.
Sat — Mrs Throop
Birth: 1806-02-11 Death: 1872-06-17
called yesterday and Lazette
Birth: 1803-11-01 Death: 1875-10-03
came over
to spend the afternoon so I could not finish my
letter. Mrs T spent the time of her visit in recapit-
ulating the faults of her children. She says Montgomery
Birth: 1827-01-26 Death: 1892-09-11

is smart but never will make a "polished gentleman"
(like his father
Birth: 1793-04-12 Death: 1854-02-23
I suppose) that Eliza
Birth: 1828-11-08 Death: 1905-04-12
the only daughter
a proficient in the graces of manner but does
not know any thing and never will — is not this
rather a singular display of maternal fondness —
Dear Gandma
Birth: 1751 Death: 1835-10-03
always taught me that there was no
greater proof of affection than concealing the
faults of those we love. There has been a
large party at Mrs H. Hills
Birth: 1796 Death: 1863-04-22
Ms Conkling
Birth: 1814-01-27 Death: 1890-07-29

flourished in black velvet and an opera hat
with seven enormous black ostrich feathers — no
one excelled her in magnitude the judge
Birth: 1789-10-12 Death: 1874-02-05
was dignified
and the daughter affected — so says Mrs Beardsley
Birth: 1815-03-06 Death: 1854-07-16
.
They seem to be the people most talked of at present
Mrs Hills and the 3 Misses Hills
xMisses Hills
xMisses Hills
x
Unknown

Unknown

Unknown
figured in gay
x

gay

Excited with merriment or delight • Having many or showy colors • An ornament •

silks all of different colours — I suppose Horace
Birth: 1787-10-31 Death: 1873-09-18Certainty: Probable
the
elder was permitted to appear but I heard
nothing of him. Did Worden
Birth: 1797-03-06 Death: 1856-02-16
say any thing to you
about coming at out Lazette
Birth: 1803-11-01 Death: 1875-10-03
is uncomfortable at Mrs
Chase
Birth: 1791 Death: 1862-10-14Certainty: Probable
's but I think will stay there all winter — she
must have a stove if she does Gaston
Birth: 1796-10-03 Death: 1855-12-13Certainty: Probable
says they burn as
much wood on one fire as he does on three — the room is cold and
uncomfortable after all — Your own Frances