Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, February 10, 1842
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, February 10, 1842
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Transcriber:spp:mlb
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Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1842-02-10
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, February 10, 1842
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: mlb
revision: tap 2017-09-08
<>
Page
1
Thursday afternoon
My dear Sister, You would think I had taken a
strange time to write were you here – I see no prospect of
any more leisure – Worden
here to stay yesterday – proposes leaving for Canandaigua
next Monday – Prof. Potter
and this morning before breakfast Aunty
Cary
They were obliged to take the nursery for a dressing
room until the Prof. left his, and Mary
necessary alterations – After breakfast I commenced
a letter to dear Gus
then after arranging household matters, and giving the
directions for tomorrow evening's supper, I went
out with Mrs Cary and made visits until 3
oclock – came home with headache, dined, and
having left Mrs Cary with the gentlemen am writing
this scrawl – I am obliged always to write in
so much of a hurry that I think my chirography
does is not improved by the employment – Henry
not think it best for Augustus to come home until vacation
[top Margin]
The Expresident
is invited here to supper to night — We have coffee and
chocolate in place of wine which answered the purpose so well
Henry has concluded to dispense with dinners —
Page
2
in April – perhaps it is not but I am very anxious to see
him – Henry talks of going to West Point but I am
afraid it will be like the visit to Auburn —
Pa
I am glad he is so much better – I have just
finished reading your letter – I was afraid mine would
be detained by the flood – I am glad you have written
to Gus he enquired in his last letter when I thought you
would write — Fred
and very reluctantly to dancing school – he is deficient
in confidence and thinks Clarence
him a belief which Clarence shares with him —
Clarence attends all the parties, flirts with all the
girls and actually fancies himself very much in love
with a little Miss Wheaton
Philopoena the other day— Fred cannot be persuaded to
go to any parties visits no where but at Weeds where
he goes once a week – Willie's
again, yesterday I was much alarmed by discovering a
^white^ spot on the iris of the eye looking like a small ulcer
Dr Williams
common occurance so Willie has now to go through with
Page
3
the usual process of mustard, leeches, and physick — Since
Dr. Hoffendale
his place until yesterday after the Dr had been here I was told
that Dr Ward
I think he will be the man for me the next time – Friday
morning — I am up this morning before my guests in time
to add a few lines to my letter – I was kept awake last night
by a violent pain through my breast and shoulder which
now seems to be continuing in the left side of my head –
Whittlesey
I left them at the table – I believe when I wrote last I was
just going to Mr Greely's
mile which is more that I would have done so unpleasant
an evening for any one else – The lecture was vey good
but Greely's voice is so so bad – his reading so imperfect that
the effect of it was destroyed – he has promised me a copy
which I shall keep for you – Tuesday night one of the cold[ est ]
Reason: hole
this winter we went to Mrs Stanton's
mation, I wore a black velvet dress, plain unasssuming collar,
and had dress of black lace ornamented with silver wheat —
There was nothing particularly new in dress or entertainment –
The house you know is made on purpose for such occasions – all
the lower rooms were thrown open – in one were a tables with
coffee cake and wine where every body went as they listened
in the course of the evening jelly blanc mange and ice cream
were passed round – then wine – this was the whole of the
entertainment as far as eating and drinking are concerned – Dancing
of course was the chief amusement – it was a gay, and seemed a
happy assemblage – to me it was tiresome duty which I felt
glad to have performed – "Where have you kept yourself all winter"
"This is the first time I have met you this winter" etc – wher the usual
salutations – generally I make no reply but when Mrs. Taylor
made the same observations I did say, "You forget that we lost
a brother
Page
4
remembered a circumstance which would have been considered an
ample apology for any othere persons seclusion for at least one
year – But I am not allowed the benefit of ordinary rules
and observances — Another sin which is set down to my charge
is not calling first on all the (Loco’s) particularly members
wif wives and daughters – they not knowing a custom which has
been established so many years – At Mrs. Stantons I met
Mrs. O.Sullivan—fashionable woman from N. York (one who it is said
rejected the expresident) – she having called I apologised for not
returning her visit earlier when to my astonishment she said she had
(of course) received my card previous to her visit – I told her that my
card reached her by some mistake as I was not informed where
her lodgings were until a day or two ago – I left her with out any further
explanation and yesterday when I called at Miss Carters
[right Margin]
Miss Carter to explain the affair to her intending to have done so myself
had she been visible — she is the mother of O.Sullivan
N.Y. Another Loco Foco member
at Miss Tuttle's
that his wife expected to have me call first and that she
would still
be very happy
to see me –
I think she
will when
I go – Did you
ever hear
any thing so
stupid – or
so impudent?
Mrs. Alvah Worden
Canandaiqua
Paid W.H.S–
ALBANY
FEB
11
N.Y.
Type: postmark
PAID
Type: postmark
Thursday afternoon
My dear Sister, You would think I had taken a
strange time to write were you here – I see no prospect of
any more leisure – Worden
Birth: 1797-03-06 Death: 1856-02-16
came in town Tuesday – he camehere to stay yesterday – proposes leaving for Canandaigua
next Monday – Prof. Potter
Birth: 1800-07-06 Death: 1865-07-04
staid with us last nightand this morning before breakfast Aunty
Birth: 1788 Death: 1863-06-22
and Uncle
Cary
Birth: 1787-08-11 Death: 1869-06-20
and Sam Blatchford
Birth: 1820-03-09 Death: 1893-07-07
made their appearance –They were obliged to take the nursery for a dressing
room until the Prof. left his, and Mary
Certainty: Possible
made thenecessary alterations – After breakfast I commenced
a letter to dear Gus
Birth: 1826-10-01 Death: 1876-09-11
which I have just finished andthen after arranging household matters, and giving the
directions for tomorrow evening's supper, I went
out with Mrs Cary and made visits until 3
oclock – came home with headache, dined, and
having left Mrs Cary with the gentlemen am writing
this scrawl – I am obliged always to write in
so much of a hurry that I think my chirography
does is not improved by the employment – Henry
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
doesnot think it best for Augustus to come home until vacation
[top Margin]
The Expresident
Birth: 1782-12-05 Death: 1862-07-24
is in town – leaves to dayis invited here to supper to night — We have coffee and
chocolate in place of wine which answered the purpose so well
Henry has concluded to dispense with dinners —
in April – perhaps it is not but I am very anxious to see
him – Henry talks of going to West Point but I am
afraid it will be like the visit to Auburn —
Pa
Birth: 1772-04-11 Death: 1851-11-13
writes that he shall probably be here next weekI am glad he is so much better – I have just
finished reading your letter – I was afraid mine would
be detained by the flood – I am glad you have written
to Gus he enquired in his last letter when I thought you
would write — Fred
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
is better goes to school againand very reluctantly to dancing school – he is deficient
in confidence and thinks Clarence
Birth: 1828-10-07 Death: 1897-07-24
much superior tohim a belief which Clarence shares with him —
Clarence attends all the parties, flirts with all the
girls and actually fancies himself very much in love
with a little Miss Wheaton
Unknown
to whom he sent aPhilopoena the other day— Fred cannot be persuaded to
go to any parties visits no where but at Weeds
Birth: 1797
Death: 1858-07-03
Birth: 1797-11-15
Death: 1882-11-22
he goes once a week – Willie's
Birth: 1839-06-18 Death: 1920-04-29
eyes have been inflamedagain, yesterday I was much alarmed by discovering a
^white^ spot on the iris of the eye looking like a small ulcer
Dr Williams
Birth: 1812-05-12 Death: 1882
says it is the effect of the inflammation and acommon occurance so Willie has now to go through with
the usual process of mustard, leeches, and physick — Since
Dr. Hoffendale
Death: 1891-12-28
left I have not been able to learn who had takenhis place until yesterday after the Dr had been here I was told
that Dr Ward
Birth: 1806-10-28 Death: 1895-02-24
was the man and a very good physician –I think he will be the man for me the next time – Friday
morning — I am up this morning before my guests in time
to add a few lines to my letter – I was kept awake last night
by a violent pain through my breast and shoulder which
now seems to be continuing in the left side of my head –
Whittlesey
Birth: 1799-06-12 Death: 1851-09-19
and some others were here to supper Mrs. Cary andI left them at the table – I believe when I wrote last I was
just going to Mr Greely's
Birth: 1811-02-03 Death: 1872-11-29
lecture – I went – walked half amile which is more that I would have done so unpleasant
an evening for any one else – The lecture was vey good
but Greely's voice is so so bad – his reading so imperfect that
the effect of it was destroyed – he has promised me a copy
which I shall keep for you – Tuesday night one of the cold[ est ]
Supplied
this winter we went to Mrs Stanton's
Birth: 1815-11-12 Death: 1902-10-26
last service— For DavisUnknown
infor-mation, I wore a black velvet dress, plain unasssuming collar,
and had dress of black lace ornamented with silver wheat —
There was nothing particularly new in dress or entertainment –
The house you know is made on purpose for such occasions – all
the lower rooms were thrown open – in one were a tables with
coffee cake and wine where every body went as they listened
in the course of the evening jelly blanc mange and ice cream
were passed round – then wine – this was the whole of the
entertainment as far as eating and drinking are concerned – Dancing
of course was the chief amusement – it was a gay, and seemed a
happy assemblage – to me it was tiresome duty which I felt
glad to have performed – "Where have you kept yourself all winter"
"This is the first time I have met you this winter" etc – wher the usual
salutations – generally I make no reply but when Mrs. Taylor
Birth: 1810 Death: 1866-05-17Certainty: Possible
made the same observations I did say, "You forget that we lost
a brother
Birth: 1793-08-23 Death: 1841-02-24
last winter"– she evidently felt regret that she had notremembered a circumstance which would have been considered an
ample apology for any othere persons seclusion for at least one
year – But I am not allowed the benefit of ordinary rules
and observances — Another sin which is set down to my charge
is not calling first on all the (Loco’s) particularly members
wif wives and daughters – they not knowing a custom which has
been established so many years – At Mrs. Stantons I met
Mrs. O.Sullivan—fashionable woman from N. York (one who it is said
rejected the expresident) – she having called I apologised for not
returning her visit earlier when to my astonishment she said she had
(of course) received my card previous to her visit – I told her that my
card reached her by some mistake as I was not informed where
her lodgings were until a day or two ago – I left her with out any further
explanation and yesterday when I called at Miss Carters
Unknown
(her lodgings) I desired[right Margin]
Miss Carter to explain the affair to her intending to have done so myself
had she been visible — she is the mother of O.Sullivan
Birth: 1813-11-15 Death: 1895-03-24
the member fromN.Y. Another Loco Foco member
Unknown
invited me to call upon his wifeUnknown
at Miss Tuttle's
Birth: 1820-03-25 Death: 1898-02-20Certainty: Possible
and when I explained the custom – saidthat his wife expected to have me call first and that she
would still
be very happy
to see me –
I think she
will when
I go – Did you
ever hear
any thing so
stupid – or
so impudent?
Mrs. Alvah Worden
Canandaiqua
Paid W.H.S–
ALBANY
FEB
11
N.Y.