Letter from William Henry Seward, Jr. to Janet Watson Seward, March 26, 1865
xml:
Letter from William Henry Seward, Jr. to Janet Watson Seward, March 26,
1865
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:srr
student editorTranscriber:spp:keh
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1865-03-26
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Letter from William Henry Seward, Jr. to Janet Watson Seward, March 26, 1865
action: sent
sender: William Seward
Birth: 1839-06-18
Death: 1920-04-29
location: Martinsburg, WV
receiver: Janet Seward
Birth: 1839-11-18
Death: 1913-11-09
location: Auburn, NY
transcription: srr
revision: crb 2017-02-09
<>
Page
1
Sunday Mar 26th/65
My dearest Jenny
I have been
expecting a visit from Mac
for the past two days but
he has not arrived yet, I
think however he will come
in the afternoon train
Your letter of Sunday is the
last I heard I am glad to
know that you are well and
the children also, I can
assure
you I am quite as anxious to
see them as you are to have me
and only with that I could
have had little Nelly & you with
me during the past winter.
I am not in the least surprised
that you have some trouble yet
in controlling her as you wish to.
Page
2
but you must remember
that she is very young yet
and hardly able to comprehend
what obedience is. I have no
fear however that as she grows
older you will have much trouble
on this score particularly if she
has as much of her mothers
disposition as I think she has
the principal thing required is
patience and firmness and when
you have made up your mind
that you are doing right do not
allow any one influence you or
persuade
as soon trust your judgement as
any one I know of.
Your intention to devote your whole
time to the care of the children
is a good one and I am very
happy to know that I have so
good a wife and they a mother
to take care of them. At the
Page
3
same time you must try and
find time occasionally to devote
to your own enjoyment I do not
wish you to seclude yourself entirely
from society on that account nor
do I think it necessary. When I
return home to stay I shall expect
to go with you more than I have
done heretofore. You will I know
always find Mother
to relieve you of part of your care
and you must avail yourself of
it. I hope the time is not
now very far distant when our
family will again be united and
I can once more enjoy the pleasures
of home. Three years seperation
will I think lead me to prize it
all the more highly. It is not
now probable that I shall quit
the army until the end of the
war as that is appearently very
near at hand we shall not have
Page
4
to wait such a very great
while. I Presume it would
amuse you if you could see
all the thoughts that pass through
my mind in the course of a month
in regard to plans for the future
and what is to be done when I
am again a citizen. It would
need a longer life than mine
I think to carry out the one
half of them
A letter from Mrs Knowles
to the Captain
Lyons says that they had a
very pleasant visit indeed at Auburn
and that they enjoyed it much
Mrs K says our boy has
blue eyes the same color of
the Captain’s and wants to know
whether he was in the habit of
visiting Fort Foot very oftain last
spring. She thinks it suspicious as
the boys parents both have dark
eyes &c &c &c
Page
5
Captain Keley
started for Albany yesterday, taking
Joe
have seen you before this reaches
you as he intended going to
Auburn for that purpose
I am just in receipt of a telegram
from Major Anson Wood
9th Arty saying that he will
accept the position of Asst Adj
Genl on my staff with rank of
Captain, it being in reply to one
I sent two days since offering
the position to him. As soon
therefore as Watkins
is accepted, I shall recommend
him, I suppose you remember
who he is, he used to be a
Captain when you were at Fort
Mansfield and had his wife
and two children there with him
Page
6
do not confound him with
Capt Wood
who is entirely another person
Anson Wood is a fine officer
and I think will make a fine
Adjt Genl you may remember I
thought of taking him when I was
first promoted. When Watkins
leaves my staff will be entirely
changed with the exception
of George
has been taking his first lesson
in Military movements. He mounted
the Brigade Guard yesterday in
the square taking the place of the
Adj Genl who was absent He
done very well and if he will
apply himself he will make a
good officer
The weather has become quite cold
and unpleasant again after a
week or two of bright days
Page
7
Monday Morning
Macc did not arrived as I
expected yesterday but I have
a telegraph from him this morning
saying that he will be here to
day. I presume he will wish me
to assist him in getting assigned to
a comd by the War Dept.
The late fall in gold will I fear
cause us some loss in our business
as I understood Mac & Mr Day
not followed my directions strictly
to sell everything of the kind they had
on hand the 1st of March. A great
financial crisis is at hand and I
cannot help feeling much concern
about my Bank as I do not feel
entirely confident that the business
will be conducted as I would do
it myself. This adds much to my
desire to get home for a short
time in order that I may have
things in shape to meet any emergency
that may occur
Page
8
I am surprised to hear that
Frances
and that they are thinking of
selling their place, why is this
has Henry
Does she intend to make Auburn
her home hereafter?
Your
Will
Page
9
Mrs Wm H Seward Jr
Auburn
N.Y.
MARTINSBURG W.V.
27
MAR
‘65
Type: postmark
h
Mar. 26th
65
Sunday Mar 26th/65
My dearest Jenny
I have been
expecting a visit from Mac
Birth: 1839-09-14 Death: 1914-05-24
for the past two days but
he has not arrived yet, I
think however he will come
in the afternoon train
Your letter of Sunday is the
last I heard I am glad to
know that you are well and
the children
Birth: 1864-11-10
Death:
Birth: 1862-09-11
Death: 1921-10-05
you I am quite as anxious to
see them as you are to have me
and only with that I could
have had little Nelly & you with
me during the past winter.
I am not in the least surprised
that you have some trouble yet
in controlling her as you wish to.
but you must remember
that she is very young yet
and hardly able to comprehend
what obedience is. I have no
fear however that as she grows
older you will have much trouble
on this score particularly if she
has as much of her mothers
disposition as I think she has
the principal thing required is
patience and firmness and when
you have made up your mind
that you are doing right do not
allow any one influence you or
persuade
To influence by argument, advice, or intreaty • To convince by arguments, or reasons offered •
you to change it. I would as soon trust your judgement as
any one I know of.
Your intention to devote your whole
time to the care of the children
is a good one and I am very
happy to know that I have so
good a wife and they a mother
to take care of them. At the
same time you must try and
find time occasionally to devote
to your own enjoyment I do not
wish you to seclude yourself entirely
from society on that account nor
do I think it necessary. When I
return home to stay I shall expect
to go with you more than I have
done heretofore. You will I know
always find Mother
Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21
ready and gladto relieve you of part of your care
and you must avail yourself of
it. I hope the time is not
now very far distant when our
family will again be united and
I can once more enjoy the pleasures
of home. Three years seperation
will I think lead me to prize it
all the more highly. It is not
now probable that I shall quit
the army until the end of the
war as that is appearently very
near at hand we shall not have
to wait such a very great
while. I Presume it would
amuse you if you could see
all the thoughts that pass through
my mind in the course of a month
in regard to plans for the future
and what is to be done when I
am again a citizen. It would
need a longer life than mine
I think to carry out the one
half of them
A letter from Mrs Knowles
Birth: 1840 Death: 1924
written to the Captain
Birth: 1833 Death: 1906
since her return to Lyons says that they had a
very pleasant visit indeed at Auburn
and that they enjoyed it much
Mrs K says our boy has
blue eyes the same color of
the Captain’s and wants to know
whether he was in the habit of
visiting Fort Foot very oftain last
spring. She thinks it suspicious as
the boys parents both have dark
eyes &c &c &c
Captain Keley
Birth: 1807-04-10 Death: 1891-07-16
of my staffstarted for Albany yesterday, taking
Joe
Birth: 1814-11-13 Death: 1879-10-31
with him. I presume he will have seen you before this reaches
you as he intended going to
Auburn for that purpose
I am just in receipt of a telegram
from Major Anson Wood
Birth: 1834-10-30 Death: 1904-08
of the 9th Arty saying that he will
accept the position of Asst Adj
Genl on my staff with rank of
Captain, it being in reply to one
I sent two days since offering
the position to him. As soon
therefore as Watkins
Unknown
resignation is accepted, I shall recommend
him, I suppose you remember
who he is, he used to be a
Captain when you were at Fort
Mansfield and had his wife
Birth: 1838-09-18 Death: 1910
and two children
Birth: 1862
Death:
Birth: 1858
Death:
do not confound him with
Capt Wood
Birth: 1823-09-25 Death: 1906-02-26
the old bachelorwho is entirely another person
Anson Wood is a fine officer
and I think will make a fine
Adjt Genl you may remember I
thought of taking him when I was
first promoted. When Watkins
leaves my staff will be entirely
changed with the exception
of George
Birth: 1808-08-26 Death: 1888-12-07Certainty: Possible
& Knowles, George
has been taking his first lesson
in Military movements. He mounted
the Brigade Guard yesterday in
the square taking the place of the
Adj Genl who was absent He
done very well and if he will
apply himself he will make a
good officer
The weather has become quite cold
and unpleasant again after a
week or two of bright days
Monday Morning
Macc did not arrived as I
expected yesterday but I have
a telegraph from him this morning
saying that he will be here to
day. I presume he will wish me
to assist him in getting assigned to
a comd by the War Dept.
The late fall in gold will I fear
cause us some loss in our business
as I understood Mac & Mr Day
Birth: 1817-02-23 Death: 1878-02-28
have
not followed my directions strictly
to sell everything of the kind they had
on hand the 1st of March. A great
financial crisis is at hand and I
cannot help feeling much concern
about my Bank as I do not feel
entirely confident that the business
will be conducted as I would do
it myself. This adds much to my
desire to get home for a short
time in order that I may have
things in shape to meet any emergency
that may occur
I am surprised to hear that
Frances
Birth: 1826-12-12 Death: 1909-08-24
has broken up house keeping and that they are thinking of
selling their place, why is this
has Henry
Birth: 1822-02-03 Death: 1888-11-24
lost money of late? Does she intend to make Auburn
her home hereafter?
Your
Will
Mrs Wm H Seward Jr
Auburn
N.Y.
MARTINSBURG W.V.
27
MAR
‘65
Stamp
h
Hand Shift
Birth: 1839-11-18 Death: 1913-11-09Certainty: Probable
Janet Seward
65