Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Augustus Henry Seward, December 18, 1853
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Augustus Henry Seward, December 18, 1853
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:nwh
student editorTranscriber:spp:sts
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1853-12-18
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Augustus Henry Seward, December 18, 1853
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: Key West, FL
transcription: nwh
revision: crb 2019-07-01
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Page
1
Auburn Dec 18th –
My dear Son,
It is over a week
since you left New York
I hope by this time you
are near the end of your
journey – We have had
mild weather until
yesterday — it is now cold
– snowing — I hear frequently
from your father
well and very much
engaged — will come home
some time next month –
Fred
Page
2
week ago — Did I write
that Anna Wharton
with him on his previous
visit? – I believe I did —
Dont you remember when
you were home I mentioned
the report that he was
paying his addresses
to a young lady in Albany
about whom I enquired –
Well the next time he
came he told me they
were engaged – I asked
him to bring her home
with him if she would
come — which he did —
I was pleased with her
Page
3
appearance — she is modest
and quiet in her manners –
of her character of course
I can form no correct
opinion – I was too ill when
she was here to talk with
her much — but if Fred
is pleased I shall not be
dissatisfied — There is
abundance of gossip on
this subject both here
and at Albany — the general
impression seems to be
that Fred has not been
sufficiently ambitious in
this connection — I will
tell you what I hear of
the family – what is
Page
4
reliable — Mr Wharton
a wholesale Druggist – was
born in the West Indies of
English parents
Unknown Birth: 1779-08-02 Death: 1863-02-13 — Mrs Wharton
was a Miss Boyd of Albany
her family are of Scotch
descent — Mr Schoolcraft
was grooms man at their
wedding which must
have taken place about
20 years ago — Anna is 19
and their eldest child.
At the time we lived in
Albany I have no recollection
of the Wharton’s — I exchanged
visits with the Boyd’s –
they may not have been
in fashionable society at that
time — or they may have
Page
5
been among many respectable
people of whom we knew
nothing — I believe their
respectability is undoubted
this is with me more im-
portant than wealth or
fashion – There are four
children — the
father is in
comfortable circumstances —
Mrs W– is accused of being
a very ambitious mother
who has ensnared Fred —
I presume there are many
equally ambitious who
did not ensnare him.
He has no intention of being
married at present –
nothing is fixed about
his connection with the
Journal —
Page
6
Abbey
visit a week ago –
Aunty
The carpenters are still
here at work I am very
tired of them — I am
not quite as well as I
was when the weather
was such that I could
take the air — but
not confined to my room —
Willie
before a cutter to day
for the first time which
is very satisfactory —
Aunty and Fanny
going to ride — Aunt Clara
is well — all send love
[right Margin] god bless and keep you
Mother
Auburn Dec 18th –
My dear Son,
It is over a week
since you left New York
I hope by this time you
are near the end of your
journey – We have had
mild weather until
yesterday — it is now cold
– snowing — I hear frequently
from your father
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
— he iswell and very much
engaged — will come home
some time next month –
Fred
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
was at home aweek ago — Did I write
that Anna Wharton
Birth: 1834-03-29 Death: 1919-05-02
camewith him on his previous
visit? – I believe I did —
Dont you remember when
you were home I mentioned
the report that he was
paying his addresses
to a young lady in Albany
about whom I enquired –
Well the next time he
came he told me they
were engaged – I asked
him to bring her home
with him if she would
come — which he did —
I was pleased with her
appearance — she is modest
and quiet in her manners –
of her character of course
I can form no correct
opinion – I was too ill when
she was here to talk with
her much — but if Fred
is pleased I shall not be
dissatisfied — There is
abundance of gossip on
this subject both here
and at Albany — the general
impression seems to be
that Fred has not been
sufficiently ambitious in
this connection — I will
tell you what I hear of
the family – what is
reliable — Mr Wharton
Birth: 1808-02-07 Death: 1868-09-09
isa wholesale Druggist – was
born in the West Indies of
English parents
Unknown Birth: 1779-08-02 Death: 1863-02-13
Birth: 1812-10-29 Death: 1889-10-09
was a Miss Boyd of Albany
her family are of Scotch
descent — Mr Schoolcraft
Birth: 1804-09-22 Death: 1860-06-07
was grooms man at their
wedding which must
have taken place about
20 years ago — Anna is 19
and their eldest child.
At the time we lived in
Albany I have no recollection
of the Wharton’s — I exchanged
visits with the Boyd’s
Birth: 1776
Death: 1846-07-03
Birth: 1781-11-22
Death: 1860-11-20
they may not have been
in fashionable society at that
time — or they may have
been among many respectable
people of whom we knew
nothing — I believe their
respectability is undoubted
this is with me more im-
portant than wealth or
fashion – There are four
children
Birth: 1850-06-09
Death: 1859-03-13
Birth: 1841-12-14
Death: 1896-10-15
Birth:
Death:
comfortable circumstances —
Mrs W– is accused of being
a very ambitious mother
who has ensnared Fred —
I presume there are many
equally ambitious who
did not ensnare him.
He has no intention of being
married at present –
nothing is fixed about
his connection with the
Journal —
Abbey
Birth: 1822 Death: 1895-09-16
went home on a visit a week ago –
Aunty
Birth: 1793-05-01 Death: 1862-09-05
is staying with me.The carpenters are still
here at work I am very
tired of them — I am
not quite as well as I
was when the weather
was such that I could
take the air — but
not confined to my room —
Willie
Birth: 1839-06-18 Death: 1920-04-29
is driving ponybefore a cutter to day
for the first time which
is very satisfactory —
Aunty and Fanny
Birth: 1844-12-09 Death: 1866-10-29
aregoing to ride — Aunt Clara
is well — all send love
[right Margin] god bless and keep you
Mother