Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, May 31, 1841
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, May 31, 1841
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:tap
student editorTranscriber:spp:sss
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1841-05-31
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, May 31, 1841
action: sent
sender: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: Albany, NY
receiver: Lazette Worden
Birth: 1803-11-01
Death: 1875-10-03
location: Canandaigua, NY
transcription: tap
revision: crb 2017-07-05
<>
Page
1
Monday morning —
My dear sister, You would think I have chosen a strange
time to write could you see the situation of our house — Mrs
Cooper
others blacking stoves — Nicholas
the dining room and Mary taking up the carpet in the
entry — Mrs Tompkins
for Brown and dear little Willie
time because there are so many strange faces — Henry
and Blatchford
been down stairs cutting the last pine apple for dinner
I preserved some on Saturday — I found so many of them
spoiled that I am afraid yours will be of no use to you —
I found a receipt in the cook book which directed me
to slice them and put in half the quantity of sugar
let them lie one day the next day add the remainder
of the sugar to the syrup and boil them in it until
tender — this being a very long process the syrup of
course becomes rather red — then by the time they
are fairly boiled the fine flavour is all destroyed
so much for my success in the culinary art
Page
2
you can hardly know how much I have missed you and how
much I have regretted that you could not have stayed
one week after the adjournment — I never breathe freely
until the Legislature have adjourned — I was very thankful
Saturday that I could come to the dinner table as
dishabille engaged as I was making sweet meats —
Fortunately I have found but little leisure to sit down and
be lonely since you left — Thursday morning I employed
in putting the house in order that Mary might finish
the ironing — Levi Hubble
day with his address— He and Weed
tea — after tea I went over to Harriet's
half an hour — Frances
not think Harriet is much encouraged about her — came
home — dressed Brown issue — took my two boys and
went to bed — Friday morning I commenced with the pine
Apples — received a call from Mr
B. was as handsomely dressed and otherwise as uninteresting
as usual — enquired particularly about you — the baby
has been christened — Miss King
God mother — Mr and Mrs Bradish go to New York
this week — After tea I called on my neighbours
Page
3
the Porters and Kelers
on account of my unrightously conduct — Mrs Hackley
her sister has been there two months — has been recently
confined — I did not ask where Hackley was not thinking
it a matter of importance — When I returned I found my
dressed from Miss Calely's
alteration and was sent back ^the^ next day — Saturday I comple-
ted the destruction of the pine apples — mended the weeks washing
and after tea went to Mrs Horners
and much changed in appearance — she intends going to Auburn
when she recovers — The little girls were glad to see Fred who
accompanies me in all my peregrinations — Miss Horners mind
seems quite as feeble as her health — I talked with her but
a little while and was relieved when Nicholas came
Yesterday morning Sami
it was communion day — so I was left to come home alone —
It seems almost inc[ r ]
Reason: edible to me that I can have been
here so long and still see so few familiar faces when I go to
Church — Mrs Dix
were the only faces I recognized out of our own pew —
You very well know how thankful I am that I have
but one mo[ re ]
Reason: hole year of exile in prospect still I feel
inclined to [ rep ]
Reason: holeeat it to you very often particular[ ly ]
Reason: hole
as I seldom say it to any one else — After dinner I
sent Brown to bed and took care of Willie the remainder
of the day — Willie is not well though I cannot discern
what ails him he coughs more is more peevish
and this morning one of his eyes is quite inflamed
or rather so weak that he can hardly open it — Fred
I think is improving he is very impatient for the time to
come to go home — To night I expect a letter from you
which I fancy was written yesterday giving me tidings of my
boy
letter did not come until last night just as I was going
to bed — Fred was awake to enjoy the reading thereof — it was
a satisfactory letter to us both — I am still in the
midst of housecleaning — every thing is in confusion — Jane Lewis
the new nurse came yesterday but as yet takes no care
of master Willie who is slow to make new acquaintances
Page
4
Brown grows more ill daily — I must hasten home as soon as
possible on her account — Freddy has written you a long
letter all about Willie which he will copy and send
soon — Willie says — "Aunt gone home" — I am sorry I have
kept this letter so long — I expect the Weeds and
their guests tomorrow —
Mr Blatchford ^is^ here — came this morning to breakfast
he brought my dress which Mary selected but I do not
fancy it much however it is cheap calico — also a
note from Mary — like herself — very pretty and exceedingly
well bred — I write in haste your own sister
Mrs Alvah Worden
Canandaigua
Paid — W.H.S.
ALBANY N.Y.
JUN 2
Type: postmark
Monday morning —
My dear sister, You would think I have chosen a strange
time to write could you see the situation of our house — Mrs
Cooper
Unknown
is washing — one man whitewashing my room twoothers blacking stoves — Nicholas
Birth: 1801-12-24 Death: 1893-02-15
rubbing the wall inthe dining room and Mary taking up the carpet in the
entry — Mrs Tompkins
Unknown
in the nursery fitting a dressfor Brown and dear little Willie
Birth: 1839-06-18 Death: 1920-04-29
crying half thetime because there are so many strange faces — Henry
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
and Blatchford
Birth: 1798-04-23 Death: 1875-09-04
have retreated to the Office — I havebeen down stairs cutting the last pine apple for dinner
I preserved some on Saturday — I found so many of them
spoiled that I am afraid yours will be of no use to you —
I found a receipt in the cook book which directed me
to slice them and put in half the quantity of sugar
let them lie one day the next day add the remainder
of the sugar to the syrup and boil them in it until
tender — this being a very long process the syrup of
course becomes rather red — then by the time they
are fairly boiled the fine flavour is all destroyed
so much for my success in the culinary art
you can hardly know how much I have missed you and how
much I have regretted that you could not have stayed
one week after the adjournment — I never breathe freely
until the Legislature have adjourned — I was very thankful
Saturday that I could come to the dinner table as
dishabille engaged as I was making sweet meats —
Fortunately I have found but little leisure to sit down and
be lonely since you left — Thursday morning I employed
in putting the house in order that Mary might finish
the ironing — Levi Hubble
Birth: 1808-04-15
desired her and was here allday with his address— He and Weed
Birth: 1797-11-15 Death: 1882-11-22
were both here totea — after tea I went over to Harriet's
Birth: 1807Certainty: Possible
and sathalf an hour — Frances
Birth: 1826-12-12 Death: 1909-08-24
is more comfortable but I donot think Harriet is much encouraged about her — came
home — dressed Brown issue — took my two boys
Birth: 1839-06-18
Death: 1920-04-29
Birth: 1830-07-08
Death: 1915-04-25
went to bed — Friday morning I commenced with the pine
Apples — received a call from Mr
Birth: 1783-09-15 Death: 1863-08-30
and Mrs Bradish
Birth: 1803 Death: 1868
— MrsB. was as handsomely dressed and otherwise as uninteresting
as usual — enquired particularly about you — the baby
Unknown
has been christened — Miss King
Birth: 1813-11-10 Death: 1863-07-24
daughter of James King
Birth: 1791-05-08 Death: 1853-10-03
wasGod mother — Mr and Mrs Bradish go to New York
this week — After tea I called on my neighbours
the Porters
Birth: 1790-10-24
Death: 1874-02-03
Birth: 1800-04-12
Death: 1886-03-29
Unknown
— Mrs LushUnknown
was very cool I supposeon account of my unrightously conduct — Mrs Hackley
Unknown
her sister has been there two months — has been recently
confined — I did not ask where Hackley was not thinking
it a matter of importance — When I returned I found my
dressed from Miss Calely's
Unknown
— of course it required somealteration and was sent back ^the^ next day — Saturday I comple-
ted the destruction of the pine apples — mended the weeks washing
and after tea went to Mrs Horners
Birth: 1813 Death: 1873-04-29
— Mrs Horner is very thinand much changed in appearance — she intends going to Auburn
when she recovers — The little girls
Birth: 1833
Death:
Birth: 1834
Death: 1900-02-05
accompanies me in all my peregrinations — Miss Horners mind
seems quite as feeble as her health — I talked with her but
a little while and was relieved when Nicholas came
Yesterday morning Sami
Unknown
and Fred went with me to Churchit was communion day — so I was left to come home alone —
It seems almost inc[ r ]
Supplied
here so long and still see so few familiar faces when I go to
Church — Mrs Dix
Unknown
Mr and Mrs Bradish and Watts Sherman
Birth: 1809-02-22 Death: 1865-02-20
were the only faces I recognized out of our own pew —
You very well know how thankful I am that I have
but one mo[ re ]
Supplied
inclined to [ rep ]
Supplied
Supplied
as I seldom say it to any one else — After dinner I
sent Brown to bed and took care of Willie the remainder
of the day — Willie is not well though I cannot discern
what ails him he coughs more is more peevish
and this morning one of his eyes is quite inflamed
or rather so weak that he can hardly open it — Fred
I think is improving he is very impatient for the time to
come to go home — To night I expect a letter from you
which I fancy was written yesterday giving me tidings of my
boy
Birth: 1826-10-01 Death: 1876-09-11
and all at home — Wednesday morning — The expectedletter did not come until last night just as I was going
to bed — Fred was awake to enjoy the reading thereof — it was
a satisfactory letter to us both — I am still in the
midst of housecleaning — every thing is in confusion — Jane Lewis
Unknown
the new nurse came yesterday but as yet takes no care
of master Willie who is slow to make new acquaintances
Brown grows more ill daily — I must hasten home as soon as
possible on her account — Freddy has written you a long
letter all about Willie which he will copy and send
soon — Willie says — "Aunt gone home" — I am sorry I have
kept this letter so long — I expect the Weeds and
their guests tomorrow —
Mr Blatchford ^is^ here — came this morning to breakfast
he brought my dress which Mary selected but I do not
fancy it much however it is cheap calico — also a
note from Mary — like herself — very pretty and exceedingly
well bred — I write in haste your own sister
Mrs Alvah Worden
Canandaigua
Paid — W.H.S.
ALBANY N.Y.
JUN 2