Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, March 22, 1843

  • Posted on: 15 October 2018
  • By: admin
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, March 22, 1843
x

transcriber

Transcriber:spp:pxc

student editor

Transcriber:spp:srr

Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive

Institution:University of Rochester

Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections

Date:1843-03-22

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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, March 22, 1843

action: sent

sender: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24  Death: 1865-06-21

location: Auburn, NY

receiver: Lazette Worden
Birth: 1803-11-01  Death: 1875-10-03

location: Canandaigua, NY

transcription: pxc 

revision: crb 2018-07-09

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Page 1

Wednesday morning –
My dear Sister,
I write to day under the benign in-
fluence of a head ache because I will not delay
my letter (which should have been written Monday)
another day – Your letter came four days after
date – we were without any mail from the last
4 days – The predictions of a hard winter are
fully reinforced – I shall be thankful if it
does not continue until June – My anxiety
to see my boy
Birth: 1826-10-01 Death: 1876-09-11
makes me very impatient for
a thaw but there is now hardly a possibility
of the river being open to Albany – I have
just written to him to come over land if it
is not – I am unwilling to lose any part of his
vacation – The last of Mr Spencers
Birth: 1788-01-08 Death: 1855-05-17
official acts
while Secretary of War was to transmit a
Warrant for Augustus which he did very hand-
somely – Augustus will be very happy – I had
a day or two previous written him a letter telling
him there was very little chance of his succeeding
after the passage of the new Law – I must
try to rejoice in that which makes my boy
happy – though a mothers tenderness shrinks from
Page 2

the hardships to which her child will be exposed –
I do not know how people with families
find time to go out once or twice every day
though such things are – I did not get time
last week to read ten pages at home – Thursday
Henry
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
invited 10 or 12 gentlemen to supper in com-
pliment to Mr Harding
Birth: 1792-09-01 Death: 1866-04-01
– this occupied two entire
days and Saturday always brings brings its
own extra work – Sunday I went to Church
where I was almost frozen – Monday we were
all invited to tea to Mrs Goodwins
Birth: 1808-09-10
Goodwin
Birth: 1807-11-26 Death: 1879-05-13

having been one of Henry's guests Thursday – We
went, Henry Mr Harding and myself – had rather
a dull evening with Dr
Birth: 1816-09-19 Death: 1889-07-22
& Mrs Diamon
Birth: 1816-09-09 Death: 1895-05-31
Mr
Birth: 1807-05-30 Death: 1894-01-15
and
Mrs Beardsley
Birth: 1815-03-06 Death: 1854-07-16
Miss Powers
Unknown
x

Editorial Note

Either Emily Powers
Birth: 1809-09-13 Death: 1893-01-01
or Caroline Powers
Birth: 1811-09-11 Death: 1896-07-28
Bronson
Birth: 1800-05-23 Death: 1866-06-12
& Miss
Mrs Porter
Birth: 1800-04-12 Death: 1886-03-29Certainty: Possible
— We went and returned in the
new omnibus which was altogether the most
pleasant part of the excursion – Yesterday I must
go over and see Mr Hardings picture of Henry –
Clara
Birth: 1793-05-01 Death: 1862-09-05
went along – we found the room full
of men and women on the same business – Henry
was sitting for the last time – I thought Mr
Harding required extraordinary patience to bear all
the interruptions composedly – The portrait is full
length and a handsome picture – unfinished – to me
it is not a likeness – but that I anticipated.
Page 3

Pa's
Birth: 1772-04-11 Death: 1851-11-13
likeness is finished – I will defer expressing my opinion
until you see it – After all the trouble Henry has
had in relation to his picture there is a new source
opened – The Common Council are very wroth that
they have not been consulted about an artist – Henry
had a letter from Ruggles
Birth: 1800-04-11 Death: 1881-08-28
on this subject – I
find the same petty jealousies influence men
women and children, whenever they are associated together
it is human nature – peculiar to no sex or condition –
Henry has written a letter of explanation to Mr Ruggles
if it fails to satisfy these "most patient, grave,
and reserved" children – he will relieve them
from any obligation to have his portrait at all –
At present it is better not to mention all this–
Mrs. Ruggles'
Birth: 1800-09-26 Death: 1878-10-12
father
Birth: 1751-10-20 Death: 1843-03-14
is deceased she in consequence
has become rich — Mr. Harding left us yesterday
to return to N. York – I forgot to mention that
Henry said the supper went off beautifully – The
pictures in the parlor were entertainment – the
tables were set in the south room – coffee
lemonade – oysters, pheasants, sandwiches celary
ice cream nuts and raisins – The door opened
into the recess which is filled with books and
has the pleasing effect of making the south room appear
much longer – it was lighted and looked very
inviting – The guests were Mr. Lathrop
Birth: 1796 Death: 1857-08-20
, Goodwin, Hour
P. Myers
Birth: 1812-08-04 Death: 1878-10-30
, G. Underwood
Birth: 1816-01-04 Death: 1859-05-25
E. Hills
Birth: 1785-11-04 Death: 1856-09-25
, Shipland
Unknown
(in Henry's office)
Clark
Birth: 1793-01-14 Death: 1852-10-25Certainty: Possible
, Judge Conkling
Birth: 1789-10-12 Death: 1874-02-05
, one other whom I have forgotten
G Throop
Birth: 1793-04-12 Death: 1854-02-23
Mr Croswell
Birth: 1807-11-07 Death: 1851-11-09
and R. Howe
Unknown
were invited and
did not come – Willie's
Birth: 1839-06-18 Death: 1920-04-29
eyes are no better he has
not opened his right eye in a week – I have concluded
to take him to Rochester with Henry's reluctant assent
as soon as the weather is favourable – probably not
Page 4

until after the first of April – In that case I shall
expect you to come home with me – Clara and Fred
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25

send love – Clara cannot make up her mind to
make that visit yet –
We made some 7 or 8 visits yesterday afternoon – among others
I went to Mrs. Burr's
Birth: 1819-06-23 Death: 1878-06-26
– her manners are uncommonly English
she appears sensible furthermore I cannot say – Charles
Richardson
Birth: 1813-10-25 Death: 1890-05-08
has returned with his new wife
Birth: 1823 Death: 1849-12-09
she is
AUBURN N.Y.
MAR 22
x

Stamp

Type: postmark


[right Margin] said to be very plain rather common in all respects I hope she
is good for I rather like Charles – they are to go immediately
to housekeeping —


[right Margin] Francis Dwight
Birth: 1808-03-14 Death: 1845-12-15
is to marry Miss Yates
Birth: 1805 Death: 1879-04-04

Mrs. Alvah Worden
Canandaigua