Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, April 26, 1856
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, April 26, 1856
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:pag
student editorTranscriber:spp:cnk
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1856-04-26
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, April 26, 1856
action: sent
sender: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: Washington D.C., US
receiver: Lazette Worden
Birth: 1803-11-01
Death: 1875-10-03
location: Auburn, NY
transcription: pag
revision: crb 2019-02-08
<>
Page
1
e
This letter was formerly attributed to 1851. It has been
re-attributed to 1856 after contextual comparison with other letters of the
period. Saturday evening.
April 26th
My dear Sister,
Your letter of Thursday
has just come – I am glad
to hear of the safe arrival
of our Son
me he had passed through
Albany– George Grier
us yesterday – I drove with
him to Georgetown Thursday
and yesterday to the Navy
Yard – he dined with me
at 2 oclock left at ½ past 3 –
very much exercised in his
mind on the subject of the
Presidency – Tom Miller
stopped only a few hours
on his return from Richmond.
We are all in trouble today
about our little dog
Page
2
Rover
he disappeared last night
while Kate
at the Theatre – Kate Fanny
and I have all been out to
look for him to day – but
we do not find any traces
of him – I cannot hear
the bark of a young dog without
running to the window –
Green
Henry
breakfast as Fanny was up
so late I did not call
her – Charles Sumner
with Henry yesterday – I
saw him after dinner –
He is to speak on the Kansas
question next week or the
week after – This afternoon
Louisa Webb
and sat an hour with me
I love Louisa very much
she is sensible & gentle –
Matilda
Page
3
with her Father
gave them the 4th boy
yesterday – Louisa says she
was quite ill all night.
I think our John
to live with them this
summer – Lewis
of employment and I presume
it will be better to leave
them together in charge of
the house – though I shall
be sorry to part with John
on many accounts – He is
to return to us next Summer
if he chooses – I know Watch
must be quite happy to have
Will
is supposed to be in Washington
tonight – I do not hear
from Pike
last night after a tedious
joining – Capt. Payne
brought it – the flowers
are very pretty about the
city – hyacinths and primroses
Page
4
I suppose ours are hardly out yet –
Sunday – I could not sleep last
night for thinking of our little
dog – was up at 5 oclock intending
to go out in pursuit of him if I
could hear what we thought
last night was his cry – but
all was still and I had about
come to the conclusion that he was
killed, though Fanny begged me
not to say so – Soon after break
fast a boy
little fellow with him – having
heard that we would pay something
to anyone who would bring him
home – Some circumstances which
have come to our knowledge prove
that he was stolen for the
purpose of extracting money –
We were so glad to get him back
that we let the boy go with
his pay without much questioning
He ran immediately to his little
tub of water and then jumped into
the middle Henry’s bed – he
seemed sore and pained by
handling probably from struggling
Page
5
as he must have been tied
somewhere – has slept in the
sun most of the day – Fanny &
Kate having given him a warm
bath – they are now fondling him
in the hall – Kate being on her way
up stairs with Rover in her
arms – Rover looking very sleepy –
Edwin
to tea – Henry has gone with
them somewhere this evening – perhaps
to see Weed with whom Henry
spent the morning – Weed has
heard that I have spoken dis-
approvingly of him and declines
coming here on that account –
don’t mention this – In the
morning I will speak to Henry
about the bill for slate –
When I can I will write to Will
about the Gas – Henry does not
seem inclined to have it taken
into the house while we are away
but I want it done before
the grass is up so as to be spoiled–
Page
6
Tuesday morning – This letter
is getting old – yesterday
morning Henry said he had
invited Weed, Webb the 2
Morgans & Mr Banks
dinner – I was all day
occupied in preparation – going
to Gautier's
&c - when they went to dinner
I went to bed – I saw them
all at tea – did not sleep
much last night & feel
badly to day – Weed was
very kind & cordial finding
me disposed to be so - he is
at this time acting ^as he thinks^ faithfully
to Henry I believe – Mr Banks
did not appear any way
extraordinary – Kate & Fanny
have gone to the Capitol today
it is warm as June – Rover is
asleep on the grass & I am
going to lie down Louisa
having just brought up my
dinner –
Page
7
Henry seems to think he
does not understand the
bill for “gravel” which
I suppose means slate
Thinks $1 a load a high price –
Does 14 loads include that
drawn last Fall & this Spring
both? – Tell Will I will
write to him soon – Love
to Clara
e
Editorial Note
April 26th
My dear Sister,
Your letter of Thursday
has just come – I am glad
to hear of the safe arrival
of our Son
Birth: 1839-06-18 Death: 1920-04-29
– Fred
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
wroteme he had passed through
Albany– George Grier
Birth: 1802-09-27 Death: 1878-12-20
leftus yesterday – I drove with
him to Georgetown Thursday
and yesterday to the Navy
Yard – he dined with me
at 2 oclock left at ½ past 3 –
very much exercised in his
mind on the subject of the
Presidency – Tom Miller
Birth: 1817-07-09 Death: 1864-07-23
stopped only a few hours
on his return from Richmond.
We are all in trouble today
about our little dog
Rover
Death: 1858-07-04
– we fear he is stolenhe disappeared last night
while Kate
Birth: 1837 Death: 1878-04-08
and Fanny
Birth: 1844-12-09 Death: 1866-10-29
wereat the Theatre – Kate Fanny
and I have all been out to
look for him to day – but
we do not find any traces
of him – I cannot hear
the bark of a young dog without
running to the window –
Green
Unknown
does not come
yet -Henry
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
and I were alone atbreakfast as Fanny was up
so late I did not call
her – Charles Sumner
Birth: 1811-01-06 Death: 1874-03-11
dinedwith Henry yesterday – I
saw him after dinner –
He is to speak on the Kansas
question next week or the
week after – This afternoon
Louisa Webb
Birth: 1830-12-14 Death: 1918-12-04
came roundand sat an hour with me
I love Louisa very much
she is sensible & gentle –
Matilda
Birth: 1827-11-30 Death: 1896-10-03
had gone to Baltimore
with her Father
Birth: 1802-02-08 Death: 1884-06-07
– Mrs Webb
Birth: 1826-01-02 Death: 1890-01-16
gave them the 4th boy
Birth: 1856-04-24 Death: 1928-12-24
day beforeyesterday – Louisa says she
was quite ill all night.
I think our John
Birth: 1827Certainty: Possible
will goto live with them this
summer – Lewis
Unknown
is
here – outof employment and I presume
it will be better to leave
them together in charge of
the house – though I shall
be sorry to part with John
on many accounts – He is
to return to us next Summer
if he chooses – I know Watch
Death: 1856-04-29
must be quite happy to have
Will
Birth: 1839-06-18 Death: 1920-04-29
at home again. Weed
Birth: 1797-11-15 Death: 1882-11-22
is supposed to be in Washington
tonight – I do not hear
from Pike
Birth: 1811-09-08 Death: 1882-11-29
– my dress camelast night after a tedious
joining – Capt. Payne
Unknown
of Albanybrought it – the flowers
are very pretty about the
city – hyacinths and primroses
I suppose ours are hardly out yet –
Sunday – I could not sleep last
night for thinking of our little
dog – was up at 5 oclock intending
to go out in pursuit of him if I
could hear what we thought
last night was his cry – but
all was still and I had about
come to the conclusion that he was
killed, though Fanny begged me
not to say so – Soon after break
fast a boy
Unknown
came
bringing thelittle fellow with him – having
heard that we would pay something
to anyone who would bring him
home – Some circumstances which
have come to our knowledge prove
that he was stolen for the
purpose of extracting money –
We were so glad to get him back
that we let the boy go with
his pay without much questioning
He ran immediately to his little
tub of water and then jumped into
the middle Henry’s bed – he
seemed sore and pained by
handling probably from struggling
as he must have been tied
somewhere – has slept in the
sun most of the day – Fanny &
Kate having given him a warm
bath – they are now fondling him
in the hall – Kate being on her way
up stairs with Rover in her
arms – Rover looking very sleepy –
Edwin
Birth: 1806-05-02 Death: 1881-10-13
& Kit Morgan
Birth: 1808-06-04 Death: 1877-04-03
were hereto tea – Henry has gone with
them somewhere this evening – perhaps
to see Weed with whom Henry
spent the morning – Weed has
heard that I have spoken dis-
approvingly of him and declines
coming here on that account –
don’t mention this – In the
morning I will speak to Henry
about the bill for slate –
When I can I will write to Will
about the Gas – Henry does not
seem inclined to have it taken
into the house while we are away
but I want it done before
the grass is up so as to be spoiled–
Tuesday morning – This letter
is getting old – yesterday
morning Henry said he had
invited Weed, Webb the 2
Morgans & Mr Banks
Birth: 1816-01-30 Death: 1894-09-01
todinner – I was all day
occupied in preparation – going
to Gautier's
Birth: 1812 Death: 1884
& then Green house&c - when they went to dinner
I went to bed – I saw them
all at tea – did not sleep
much last night & feel
badly to day – Weed was
very kind & cordial finding
me disposed to be so - he is
at this time acting ^as he thinks^ faithfully
to Henry I believe – Mr Banks
did not appear any way
extraordinary – Kate & Fanny
have gone to the Capitol today
it is warm as June – Rover is
asleep on the grass & I am
going to lie down Louisa
having just brought up my
dinner –
Henry seems to think he
does not understand the
bill for “gravel” which
I suppose means slate
Thinks $1 a load a high price –
Does 14 loads include that
drawn last Fall & this Spring
both? – Tell Will I will
write to him soon – Love
to Clara
Birth: 1793-05-01 Death: 1862-09-05
– your own
Sister