Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, July 17, 1852
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, July 17,
1852
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:csh
student editorTranscriber:spp:sts
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1852-07-17
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, July 17, 1852
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: csh
revision: vxa 2019-03-18
<>
Page
1
Auburn. July 17th Saturday
My dear Sister,
My feelings have been so outraged
by a circumstance which has come to my
knowledge this week that I as usual
seek your sympathy though I have waited
to see if I could find any mitigating
circumstance before telling you – You –
may have noticed in our pasture lot
four large trees neither of which could
have been less than 40 or 50 years old –
They were scattered so that they would
have come on three different lots
which you will readily perceive would
greatly enhance the value of each –
Monday Willie
had all been cut down and he was
sorry as there was no shade for Bob
our young hickory being all that were was
left – I immediately called Dennis
and enquired if this were true – He said
yes John
Page
2
for firewood!! –– I asked Dennis why
he did not prevent it – he said John
told him that Fred
to take them – This I knew was untrue –
On examining John he did not say to me
that he had any permission but that the
trees had been injured by the boys and
would have died this summer – –
Both Willie and Dennis said the trees
were perfectly thistly last summer &
Dennis said all but one were perfectly
sound – one had been bored into by
the boys but the foliage remained
unchanged – This morning Fred came
home – I immediately asked him whether
he had given John permission to cut down
any dead trees in our pasture lot – He
said he did not know that there
were any there and that he had no
recollection of John having ever spoken
a word to him on the subject – I have
this moment returned from a visit to
the lot – the stumps are all standing
Page
3
and perfectly sound – every one
of them has sprouted this summer –
I do not know how the value of
these trees might be estimated by others
but I would rather have paid $200
than to have lost them – I have dismissed
John permanently – I believe you will
think this right – Were he a richer
man I would sue him for
the damages to the property – Aunt
Clara's
days that she was obliged to keep her
at home – I should not have sent
Bob there on Sunday had I known that
there was no protection from the burning
sun – I have this morning a
letter from Henry
Washington – He thinks the adjournment
may be earlier than he anticipated –
You will see that the Albany ratification
meeting endorse the compromise resolutions –
John C. Spencer
Will the Silver Grey's have it all their
own way –– Fred said the resolution
in favour of slavery were too long strong
Page
4
to meet Mr Weeds
hard to see the Whig party going backward
just as the Loco Focos's did –
I have made some calls this week –
I went to Mrs Muirs
Lilas – She
looks uncommonly well – Fanny
and Amanda
Willie is better though far from well –
He has gone up to the lake to day
to fish – Clara is well I see her
almost every night – Fred came
quite [ unexpectedl ]
Alternate Text:
unexpectedly this morning I did
not expect him until to night –
My head aches so that I will not
attempt to write any more at present
your own
Sister ––
Auburn. July 17th Saturday
My dear Sister,
My feelings have been so outraged
by a circumstance which has come to my
knowledge this week that I as usual
seek your sympathy though I have waited
to see if I could find any mitigating
circumstance before telling you – You –
may have noticed in our pasture lot
four large trees neither of which could
have been less than 40 or 50 years old –
They were scattered so that they would
have come on three different lots
which you will readily perceive would
greatly enhance the value of each –
Monday Willie
Birth: 1839-06-18 Death: 1920-04-29
told me those treeshad all been cut down and he was
sorry as there was no shade for Bob
Unknown
our young hickory being all that were was
left – I immediately called Dennis
Birth: 1827
and enquired if this were true – He said
yes John
Unknown
cut them down last winterfor firewood!! –– I asked Dennis why
he did not prevent it – he said John
told him that Fred
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
had given him
permissionto take them – This I knew was untrue –
On examining John he did not say to me
that he had any permission but that the
trees had been injured by the boys and
would have died this summer – –
Both Willie and Dennis said the trees
were perfectly thistly last summer &
Dennis said all but one were perfectly
sound – one had been bored into by
the boys but the foliage remained
unchanged – This morning Fred came
home – I immediately asked him whether
he had given John permission to cut down
any dead trees in our pasture lot – He
said he did not know that there
were any there and that he had no
recollection of John having ever spoken
a word to him on the subject – I have
this moment returned from a visit to
the lot – the stumps are all standing
and perfectly sound – every one
of them has sprouted this summer –
I do not know how the value of
these trees might be estimated by others
but I would rather have paid $200
than to have lost them – I have dismissed
John permanently – I believe you will
think this right – Were he a richer
man I would sue him for
the damages to the property – Aunt
Clara's
Birth: 1793-05-01 Death: 1862-09-05
cow suffered so with
heat those warmdays that she was obliged to keep her
at home – I should not have sent
Bob there on Sunday had I known that
there was no protection from the burning
sun – I have this morning a
letter from Henry
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
who has reachedWashington – He thinks the adjournment
may be earlier than he anticipated –
You will see that the Albany ratification
meeting endorse the compromise resolutions –
John C. Spencer
Birth: 1788-01-08 Death: 1855-05-17
being the presiding officerWill the Silver Grey's have it all their
own way –– Fred said the resolution
in favour of slavery were too long strong
to meet Mr Weeds
Birth: 1797-11-15 Death: 1882-11-22
approbation – It
ishard to see the Whig party going backward
just as the Loco Focos's did –
I have made some calls this week –
I went to Mrs Muirs
Birth: 1801-01-27 Death: 1864-01-08
last evening –Lilas
Birth: 1826-10 Death: 1909-04-03
is there with three children
Birth: 1852-04-21
Death: 1948-10-10
Birth: 1849-11-25
Death: 1906-11-15
Birth: 1848-02
Death:
looks uncommonly well – Fanny
Birth: 1844-12-09 Death: 1866-10-29
and Amanda
Birth: 1842-02-01 Death: 1916-05-13
are very happy together
–Willie is better though far from well –
He has gone up to the lake to day
to fish – Clara is well I see her
almost every night – Fred came
quite [ unexpectedl ]
Alternate Text
not expect him until to night –
My head aches so that I will not
attempt to write any more at present
your own
Sister ––