Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to Frances Miller Seward, January 7, 1839
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Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to Frances Miller Seward, January 7, 1839
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:crb
student editorTranscriber:spp:sss
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1839-01-07
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Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to Frances Miller Seward, January 7, 1839
action: sent
sender: Benjamin Seward
Birth: 1793-08-23
Death: 1841-02-24
location: Westfield, NY
receiver: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: Auburn, NY
transcription: crb
revision: crb 2016-02-08
<>
Page
1
Westfield Chautauqua Co N.Y. 7 Jan. 1839
My very dear Sister
The last we knew of you, you
were ill and had the dark prospect of
remaining so through the winter. Thus
are we led to think of youof& speak about
^your^ situation & sympathize with you as a dear
sister in a sick room without the soothing
attentions of a husband. I have sometimes
urged Marcia
opportunity offers) to sit by your bed side
& be your company for a few days or
weeks. But she supposes & hopes your sis-
ter
even if it were otherwise.
Well the message has arrived & been
read by all. I must say I am delighted
with it in every single respect - except possibly
in regard to "little Bills" He may have gone
Page
2
a shade too far - since when he was in the
senate he maintained a little different sen-
timent. But its arrangement- its style
the prominence given to education - its mo-
rality - its freedom from intermeddling with
good Government affairs - the absence of all
carping for popular favour - his respect
for the memory of Clinton
teristicks - it seems to me he has hit
off admirably. I am delighted. I am de-
lighted. I am delighted with it.
Now I am all anxiety to see what
is said of it - lately I was all curiosity
to see what it would be & before that all
wonder what H.
Jay
Granger
a season of excitement! But I fatigue you!
We are all well. Mrs T.
each have a school - doing well. Clarry
is with Mrs T. - Marcia has lately
weighed & finds herself 107 - just 20
pounds heavier in 20 months - prety
well! surely we ought to love Chau-
tauqua & to be thankful.
Page
3
Little Frederick
conversation & I believe Clarence would be
pleased to receive a line from him. C.
has lately written to his brother A.
him Parley's Magazine & hopes to be
interested in it. - Could not your Augus-
tus
of your health. He must be getting to be
quite a young gentlemen! dear me how
old we are all getting! How
necessary for us to think of our
better ends.
But I omit too long the main
[ aim ]
Reason: hole of my letter. Henry calls me
to Albany a week or two hence and I have
supposed it possible your honored father
might be disposed to spend a few weeks
there. Will you be pleased to say to
him from me that it would give me
much pleasure to wait upon him
while travelling as a trifling consid-
eration for the favour he would do
me in allowing me to be his com-
pany, say two weeks hence.
Page
4
Madam is quietly in bed. I am
waiting for our young folks home from a
party- we are full of business & I
believe all things doing well. The Lord
bless you dear sister in the delicate &
responsible station you occupy in your
family & in society. Deeply do we sym-
pathize with you & often you have our
prayers. Remember me respectfully to you
father & affectionately to the children
B.J. Seward
Mrs—Seward
Care of Judge Miller
Auburn
N.Y.
WESTFIELD
N.Y.
JAN 8
Type: postmark
h
Jennings Jan
1839
Westfield Chautauqua Co N.Y. 7 Jan. 1839
My very dear Sister
The last we knew of you, you
were ill and had the dark prospect of
remaining so through the winter. Thus
are we led to think of youof& speak about
^your^ situation & sympathize with you as a dear
sister in a sick room without the soothing
attentions of a husband. I have sometimes
urged Marcia
Birth: 1794-07-23 Death: 1839-10-25
to go down (since a goodopportunity offers) to sit by your bed side
& be your company for a few days or
weeks. But she supposes & hopes your sis-
ter
Birth: 1803-11-01 Death: 1875-10-03
^is^ with you - and would be unable to goeven if it were otherwise.
Well the message has arrived & been
read by all. I must say I am delighted
with it in every single respect - except possibly
in regard to "little Bills" He may have gone
a shade too far - since when he was in the
senate he maintained a little different sen-
timent. But its arrangement- its style
the prominence given to education - its mo-
rality - its freedom from intermeddling with
good Government affairs - the absence of all
carping for popular favour - his respect
for the memory of Clinton
Birth: 1769-03-02 Death: 1828-02-11
& 50 other charac-teristicks - it seems to me he has hit
off admirably. I am delighted. I am de-
lighted. I am delighted with it.
Now I am all anxiety to see what
is said of it - lately I was all curiosity
to see what it would be & before that all
wonder what H.
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
would say to Smith
Birth: 1797-03-07 Death: 1874-12-28
&Jay
Birth: 1789-06-16 Death: 1858-10-14
& before that all apprehension thatGranger
Birth: 1792-12-01 Death: 1868-08-31
would run of over him. Whata season of excitement! But I fatigue you!
We are all well. Mrs T.
Unknown
& Miss DUnknown
each have a school - doing well. Clarry
Birth: 1828-10-07 Death: 1897-07-24
is with Mrs T. - Marcia has lately
weighed & finds herself 107 - just 20
pounds heavier in 20 months - prety
well! surely we ought to love Chau-
tauqua & to be thankful.
Little Frederick
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
is often the subject ofconversation & I believe Clarence would be
pleased to receive a line from him. C.
has lately written to his brother A.
Birth: 1820-05-18 Death: 1889-05-08
to sendhim Parley's Magazine & hopes to be
interested in it. - Could not your Augus-
tus
Birth: 1826-10-01 Death: 1876-09-11
drop his auntie a letter to tell usof your health. He must be getting to be
quite a young gentlemen! dear me how
old we are all getting! How
necessary for us to think of our
better ends.
But I omit too long the main
[ aim ]
Supplied
to Albany a week or two hence and I have
supposed it possible your honored father
Birth: 1772-04-11 Death: 1851-11-13
might be disposed to spend a few weeks
there. Will you be pleased to say to
him from me that it would give me
much pleasure to wait upon him
while travelling as a trifling consid-
eration for the favour he would do
me in allowing me to be his com-
pany, say two weeks hence.
Madam is quietly in bed. I am
waiting for our young folks home from a
party- we are full of business & I
believe all things doing well. The Lord
bless you dear sister in the delicate &
responsible station you occupy in your
family & in society. Deeply do we sym-
pathize with you & often you have our
prayers. Remember me respectfully to you
father & affectionately to the children
B.J. Seward
Mrs—Seward
Care of Judge Miller
Auburn
N.Y.
WESTFIELD
N.Y.
JAN 8
Stamp
h
Hand Shift
Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21Frances Seward
1839