Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, March 21, 1858

  • Posted on: 13 April 2021
  • By: admin
xml: 
Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, March 21, 1858
x

transcriber

Transcriber:spp:rag

student editor

Transcriber:spp:cnk

Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive

Institution:University of Rochester

Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections

Date:1858-03-21

In the context of this project, private URIs with the prefix "psn" point to person elements in the project's persons.xml authority file. In the context of this project, private URIs with the prefix "pla" point to place elements in the project's places.xml authority file. In the context of this project, private URIs with the prefix "psn" point to person elements in the project's staff.xml authority file. In the context of this project, private URIs with the prefix "psn" point to person elements in the project's bibl.xml authority file. verical-align: super; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration: line-through; color: red;

Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, March 21, 1858

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: rag 

revision: vxa 2020-12-06

<>
Page 1

Sunday morning –
My dear Sister,
I went to bed last night very tired
the visit of the little Napier's
x Birth: 1850-07-03  Death: 1874-02-21  Birth: 1846-09-22  Death: 1913-12-06  Birth: 1852-01-21  Death: 1919-08-19  Birth: 1848-11-13  Death: 1938-03-09 
and Fanny Bailey
Birth: 1844

together was rather a boisterous affair – I found
no time to rest after my walk – Before dinner Lady
Napier
Birth: 1823-12-20 Death: 1911-08-24
called for the two youngest boys, but was
persuaded by their earnest entreaties to leave them until
after dinner – Then Mrs Bailey
Birth: 1812-12-12 Death: 1888
and the Dr
Birth: 1807-12-03 Death: 1859-06-05
came
for Fanny – she too was left – I talked some to all
and when 9 oclock came was glad to crawl into
bed – just about the time that our folks all went
to spend the evening at Dr Bailey's – The Napier
children were sent home after tea and Fanny
went home when Sarah
Birth: 1833-06-08 Death: 1891-06-12
& Anna
Birth: 1834-03-29 Death: 1919-05-02
went to her mothers
party – Preston King
Birth: 1806-10-14 Death: 1865-11-12
was here to dinner with the
five children and seemed to enjoy it as much as any
of them – He and Henry
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
went from the Senate to Dr
Baileys – the Senate having an evening session – Mr King
says he shall send you a copy of his speech as soon as
it is printed so do not read it in the Tribune –
I went to sleep last night thinking I had no letter from you

[top Margin] I had a letter from Caroline Seward
Birth: 1828-05-22 Death: 1906-12-09

yesterday – they
x Birth: 1852-02-26  Death: 1927-04-04  Birth: 1857-05-22  Death: 1929-11-27  Birth: 1828-10-07  Death: 1897-07-24 
have taken their house
until November

Page 2

part of the mail was left at the Capitol
which did not reach us until Henry came
home – I have your Wednesday letter this morning –
It is certainly a privilege to have an intelligent and
efficient agent when one is incapable of transacting their
own business – Every thing seems nicely arranged – I am
very sorry that Mr Mansfields
Birth: 1821-07-27 Death: 1900-05-11
school could not have
been in Auburn instead of Rockland county – sorry we
are los ^to^ lose another intelligent & agreeable family – sorry
that Fanny
Birth: 1844-12-09 Death: 1866-10-29
loses the Latin teacher which I had calculated
upon in Mrs Mansfield
Birth: 1822 Death: 1911-05-05
– but I think we are doomed –
Frances
Birth: 1826-12-12 Death: 1909-08-24
very kindly wrote me a letter last week proposing
a housekeeper, every way desirable, not a housekeeper either,
but rather a combination of companion, assistant house
keeper and dress maker – My previous experience satisfies
me that I am not to be assisted in that way – No
person could be less exceptionable as a housekeeper than
Kate
Birth: 1837 Death: 1878-04-08
, as the servants are not suited with her
I shall never attempt any other – I suppose our
peculiar institutions will not admit such a
member in domestic arrangements – certainly not
until they could be more general than at
present – Delegated power is not sufficiently democratic
Page 3

people rather wear self imposed yokes of iron
than to be guided by silken strings in the
hands of another – Unfortunately the mistresses
suffer more from the pressure of the yoke than
the servants in this case – –
Sunday evening has come – Mr Murray
Birth: 1807-11-27 Death: 1885-11-08
& Edwin Morgan
Birth: 1811-02-08 Death: 1883-02-14

were here to tea, they have gone and Mr Stanton
Birth: 1814-12-19 Death: 1869-12-24
&
Mr Somebody else
Unknown
have come – Mr Stanton gives a sorry
account of poor Wilkeson
Birth: 1817-05-09 Death: 1889-12-02
who he says is suffering much
with his knee – he ^Stanton^ does not speak very encouragingly
of his recovery – he is in Albany now and confined
to his room – We had some vegetable oysters
for dinner which reminds me of ours at home – I
wish Clara
Birth: 1793-05-01 Death: 1862-09-05
would use them and the parsnips
if there are any – I am called away to see Throop
Martin
Birth: 1808-11-25 Death: 1883-09-19
who has just come in with Preston King –
Monday morning 6 oclock – As I have not slept since
four I conclude to get up thankful that the mild
weather allows me to sit without a fire – I have been
thinking, dear Sister, that if you could leave your
house unoccupied until I come home I should be
glad to have you occupy ours for a season – when -
ever you get ready – There is some painting to be done
but that ought to be done when you are away as it
makes you sick & perhaps the doors in the front part
Page 4

might not incommode you in that way – I
would like to have the three in the hall
grained as they are in the Library – the outside
door on both sides – I would prefer Bradford
Birth: 1815 Death: 1884-08-16
to
do it – A Baker
Birth: 1807
who works for Abby
Birth: 1822 Death: 1895-09-16
can do it
if he is sober – The table and bench in the upper
kitchen – the color of the wood work if you think
best – the inside of 2 foot tubs which are in
Will's
Birth: 1839-06-18 Death: 1920-04-29
room & Miss Hance's
Birth: 1820-01-25 Death: 1867-06-10
room – & the inside of
the chamber pail and the little tin slop pail
in the nursery ^yellow^ – These might be put out of the
house while they were drying – the rest I would
leave till I come – You can tell me when you are
tired of such commissions – dont attend to them when
you don do not feel like it – I hear John
Birth: 1827
at
the furnace and Kate sweeping, which indicates
that I am not the only one up now – Louis and
his ragged coat will sleep some time yet –
George Andrews'
Birth: 1796-10-16 Death: 1863-06-11
wife
Birth: 1816-10-08 Death: 1894-02-13
looks a little like Garry
Sackett's
Birth: 1790-08-09 Death: 1865-06-02
last
Birth: 1798-01-05 Death: 1851-03-18
– though she is taller and not
quite so dark. Henry had a letter from Garry last
week – he seem well pleased with his visit to
Auburn – Do you suppose Fanny's French teacher
Birth: 1815
could
get a class in Auburn – he wishes to go North this
Summer – is an excellent teacher – I asked Frances
if there was any prospect for him in Canandaigua
Love to Clara – Your own Sister –

[right Margin] This letter
was forgotten for last nights mail ^Tuesday^ morning