Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Augustus Henry Seward, July 1, 1849

  • Posted on: 5 December 2018
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Augustus Henry Seward, July 1, 1849
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transcriber

Transcriber:spp:pxc

student editor

Transcriber:spp:msr

Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive

Institution:University of Rochester

Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections

Date:1849-07-01

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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Augustus Henry Seward, July 1, 1849

action: sent

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

location: Auburn, NY

receiver: Augustus Seward
Birth: 1826-10-01  Death: 1876-09-11

location: Fort Towson, OK

transcription: pxc 

revision: crb 2018-11-01

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Page 1

Auburn July 1st
My dear Son,
The letter which I have been expecting
from you for some days does not come so I
shall wait no longer – Since I wrote last
your Father
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
has been two weeks attending
court at Canandaigua – Last Saturday
he came home and brought Aunty
Birth: 1803-11-01 Death: 1875-10-03
with
him to spend Sunday – it was a short
visit but we enjoyed it very much
it is the only time I have seen her since
I returned from WashingtonFrances
Birth: 1826-12-12 Death: 1909-08-24
wishes
very much to attend the Commencement
exercises at Schenectady and her uncle
promises to send Clarence
Birth: 1828-10-07 Death: 1897-07-24
with her –
We all hoped you would be home before
that time – but have no doubt your
decision was best – Fred
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
says the Commence-
ment will be unusually dull as there is
other celebration at the same time which
has been an additional attraction for some
three years past – Grandpa
Birth: 1772-04-11 Death: 1851-11-13
is very anxious
to have Fred come home to read for him
Grandpa is in excellent health and looks
Page 2

better than he has done for a long time – He
feels the want of some occupation very greatly –
The impaired state of his eyesight makes him
almost entirely dependent upon others for en-
tertainment – Letters from Florida represent
Grandpa Seward
Birth: 1768-12-05 Death: 1849-08-24
as very infirm – he has
recently had a paralysis which for a
time deprived him entirely of the use of his
arm – He is now so feeble as only to be
able to sit up to have his bed made –
I am anxious to go there for a visit and
almost afraid to wait much longer
for your Father to go with me – He
will be in Court at Canandaigua one
perhaps two more weeks – It is my
present purpose to go next week to Florida
and wait for him to join me – The Erie
rail road is completed to Binghampton
I shall go that way in preference to going
by the way of Albany – Aunty wishes
Frances to go with me as she is not quite
as well as she was when she returned
from Flatbush – I shall try to have her go –
Our little Fanny
Birth: 1844-12-09 Death: 1866-10-29
has been quite sick for
a few days past – to day she is dressed
and running about again –
Page 3

Willie
Birth: 1839-06-18 Death: 1920-04-29
is very desirous to go to Canandaigua
to spend the 4th as he thinks the fire works
there preferable – I do not know how he
and his Father will settle the matter –
Willies eyes are so much improved that
he is able to study now much more than
he is willing to do – however he is improv-
-ing slowly – I am to bring home from
Florida with me Uncle Polydore’s
Birth: 1799 Death: 1872-04-23
second
daughter Frances
Birth: 1836-02-16 Death: 1910-02-06
Augustus Canfield
Birth: 1829-12-04 Death: 1867-10-25

who is studying law with his uncle
Birth: 1807-07-02 Death: 1861-03-25
wrote
to your father a few days ago asking him
to use his influence in getting him a d situation
in some of the departments at Washington.
Your Father advised him to continue his studies
and declined assisting any of his relatives
in getting an office – He considers such situations
very detrimental to a young man – Augustus
says he is very tired of the Law – and doubts
his success even were he through with his
studies – There is some prospect of the
establishment of Agrig Agricultural schools
which I hope may induce some young
men to seek other occupations than the
profession of law which is getting to
be the only resort when a young man
Page 4

seeks a profession – Of course half of them fail
when they commence the practice – and are
obliged to seek some other occupation at last –
I hope you received the Life of John Quincy
Adams
Author: William H. Seward Publisher: Derby, Miller and Company Place of Publication:Auburn, NY Date: 1849
sent you a week or two ago by
your Father – you will find it very
interesting – It was completed by Mr Austin
Birth: 1805-09-26 Death: 1880-12-20

the Universalist Clergyman
Aunt Clara
Birth: 1793-05-01 Death: 1862-09-05
is well and sends love – She
says she shall not visit Canandaigua
again until you come home –
The Cholera increased f very much in
New York during the warm weather of last
week – there are some 5 or 6 cases a day
at Albany – we hear of it all around
us but no cases here yet – I have examined
the papers carefully but see no mention made
of cholera at Ft Towson or Ft Smith
I hope it may not reach you –
May God keep you –
your affectionate
Mother –