Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, March 29, 1837
xml:
Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, March 29,
1837
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:msr
student editorTranscriber:spp:mec
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1837-03-29
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, March 29, 1837
action: sent
sender: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: Auburn, NY
receiver: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: Westfield, NY
transcription: msr
revision: tap 2017-02-21
<>
Page
1
Wednesday Morning 29th
My dearest Henry, Today Mr Lucas
party I wish you were here to tell me what I ought
to send I am in quite a quandary. I received
a letter from you yesterday dated the 22d. Your
Clergyman
gregation notice his omission of the prayer for
the president. Granger
on his way home last week-he sent word to
Pa
Pa say nothing about him. Clary
valescent she sits up part of the time but does
not leave her room yet-her eyes are very weak.
Freddy
regained his former strength. Pa is desirous that
I should send the boys to school which with
due deference I will c not consent to do so
long as I can teach them in one week more
than they have ever learned at school in six—
Augustus
in Arithmetic while at school could not
when I commenced with him enumerate 1,000,000.
I have the satisfaction of knowing that what I do teach
them they learn thoroughly. I am sorry Augustus cannot
proceed with his Latin but I cannot think at his
age that it is advisable to sacrifice all his English
studies to the acquirement of that language.
Page
2
I asked Dr Smith
he said to Mr Lockwood
“Why I told Lockwood that I would have him taught
to spell if he learned nothing else” Well does he
teach him.”-“Why the truth is I believe he tries
but I discovered from a note the other day
that the man knew nothing about spelling
himself”—this was pretty conclusive evidence that
he could not teach others-and I believe it is
the case with half the teachers we have in this
age of rapid improvement. The Dr was in pursuit
of another teacher for charl Charles and seemed to think
I was particularly fortunate in having leisure to instruct
my boys. Friday morning-Well I sent $10
to Mr Lucas-Pa was there he said there were not
many people but they received about $200-
$90 in cash. We see no one I do not know
but we shall lose cast entirely by the fearful
visitation of this winter. You will hardly credit
that people can still fear contagion from coming
to see us-but I was told a week or two ago
that this was the case. Through Clara's illness
Mrs Dean
Unknown Birth: Death: Certainty: Possible
are
the only women I have seen-it is but justice to
dear Mrs Horner
a sprained ancle. Eliza has never had the measles.
Well it has been a good lesson for me- “the friendship
of this world is but a shadow”—in most instances
I cannot say that I have ever once felt this neglect
painful to my pride but I am afraid I have in-
dulged too contemptuous a feeling for the weakness
which occasions it. I am afraid I have little of that
Page
3
Charity which “never faileth”— Why is it that
generally we find more real magnanimity
among the lower classes! They do not seem
to shrink from danger and bury all kindly
feeling in a selfish regard for their own safety so
frequently as those who are better educated!
Mrs Chase
partnership-she leaves the house today. Mr
Hudson
ved into this arrangement and finally told Mrs
Chase that one or the other must quit-he
says she burns up all his wood and yet does
cook any food that can be eaten. Mrs Dean
says it was bad enough there—Mrs Hills’
girl
Eliza Ann Wilcox Hills left yesterday with a
similar complaint.
Tomorrow as the little boys say is April fool’s day
and in ten days more I may expect you home.
I am anxious to know if you hear anything
from Jennings
yesterday and commenced trimming the trees but
was called away by the illness of his little boy
Henry Osborne.
Clara does not seem to gain much her eyes
a[ re ]
Reason: very weak and she
has a violent pain in her
limbs much of the time-her cough continues
but is not alarming-I hope Pa will escape
he has no symptoms yet and it is about time
for them to manifest themselves if he has imbibed
the disease. 33 students in the Seminary have the
measels-it is prevailing generally among children.
The little boys send love and kisses-your own Frances
Page
4
William H. Seward
Westfield
Chautauqua County
AUBURN
APR
1
N.Y.
Type: postmark
h
FA Seward
March 29. 1837
Wednesday Morning 29th
My dearest Henry, Today Mr Lucas
Birth: 1799 Death: 1839-08-25
has a donationparty I wish you were here to tell me what I ought
to send I am in quite a quandary. I received
a letter from you yesterday dated the 22d. Your
Clergyman
Unknown
is indeed very scrupolous-do his
con-gregation notice his omission of the prayer for
the president. Granger
Birth: 1792-12-01 Death: 1868-08-31
passed through hereon his way home last week-he sent word to
Pa
Birth: 1772-04-11 Death: 1851-11-13
that he was at the American. I have
heardPa say nothing about him. Clary
Birth: 1793-05-01 Death: 1862-09-05
continues con-valescent she sits up part of the time but does
not leave her room yet-her eyes are very weak.
Freddy
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
is as well as usual but has not
quiteregained his former strength. Pa is desirous that
I should send the boys to school which with
due deference I will c not consent to do so
long as I can teach them in one week more
than they have ever learned at school in six—
Augustus
Birth: 1826-10-01 Death: 1876-09-11
who had advanced to compound
Divisionin Arithmetic while at school could not
when I commenced with him enumerate 1,000,000.
I have the satisfaction of knowing that what I do teach
them they learn thoroughly. I am sorry Augustus cannot
proceed with his Latin but I cannot think at his
age that it is advisable to sacrifice all his English
studies to the acquirement of that language.
I asked Dr Smith
Birth: 1780-12-27 Death: 1839-12-04
the other day where
he sent Charles
Birth: 1829-08-28 Death: 1882-04-04
-he said to Mr Lockwood
Birth: 1793-11-07 Death: 1875-02-12Certainty: Probable
- “does he learn
to spell”“Why I told Lockwood that I would have him taught
to spell if he learned nothing else” Well does he
teach him.”-“Why the truth is I believe he tries
but I discovered from a note the other day
that the man knew nothing about spelling
himself”—this was pretty conclusive evidence that
he could not teach others-and I believe it is
the case with half the teachers we have in this
age of rapid improvement. The Dr was in pursuit
of another teacher for charl Charles and seemed to think
I was particularly fortunate in having leisure to instruct
my boys. Friday morning-Well I sent $10
to Mr Lucas-Pa was there he said there were not
many people but they received about $200-
$90 in cash. We see no one I do not know
but we shall lose cast entirely by the fearful
visitation of this winter. You will hardly credit
that people can still fear contagion from coming
to see us-but I was told a week or two ago
that this was the case. Through Clara's illness
Mrs Dean
Death: 1898
, Mrs Benedict
Birth: 1791 Death: 1869-12-30
, H. HughesUnknown
and
our cousinsUnknown Birth: Death: Certainty: Possible
the only women I have seen-it is but justice to
dear Mrs Horner
Birth: 1807 Death: 1876-10-31
to say she is confined at home with
a sprained ancle. Eliza has never had the measles.
Well it has been a good lesson for me- “the friendship
of this world is but a shadow”—in most instances
I cannot say that I have ever once felt this neglect
painful to my pride but I am afraid I have in-
dulged too contemptuous a feeling for the weakness
which occasions it. I am afraid I have little of that
Charity which “never faileth”— Why is it that
generally we find more real magnanimity
among the lower classes! They do not seem
to shrink from danger and bury all kindly
feeling in a selfish regard for their own safety so
frequently as those who are better educated!
Mrs Chase
Birth: 1791 Death: 1862-10-14Certainty: Possible
and Beardsley
Birth: 1807-05-30 Death: 1894-01-15
have dissolvedpartnership-she leaves the house today. Mr
Hudson
Birth: 1782-08-23 Death: 1860-01-12Certainty: Possible
takes her place. Beardsley has been star-ved into this arrangement and finally told Mrs
Chase that one or the other must quit-he
says she burns up all his wood and yet does
cook any food that can be eaten. Mrs Dean
says it was bad enough there—Mrs Hills’
Birth: 1790-10-15 Death: 1857-10-25
girl
Unknown
eEditorial Note
Birth: 1821-04-29
or Emily Almira Hills
Birth: 1813-10-25
or Mary Wilcox Hills
Birth: 1816-02-17 Death: 1897
or Clarissa Hills
Birth: 1814-11-10 Death: 1883
Tomorrow as the little boys say is April fool’s day
and in ten days more I may expect you home.
I am anxious to know if you hear anything
from Jennings
Birth: 1793-08-23 Death: 1841-02-24
yet.
Nathan Osborne
Birth: 1791
cameyesterday and commenced trimming the trees but
was called away by the illness of his little boy
Unknown
eEditorial Note
Birth: 1820-07-08 Death: 1900
or Lyman Osborne
Birth: 1831-04-17 Death: 1902-08-29
or George Barton Osborne
Birth: 1833-10-01 Death: 1895-10-20
Clara does not seem to gain much her eyes
a[ re ]
Supplied
limbs much of the time-her cough continues
but is not alarming-I hope Pa will escape
he has no symptoms yet and it is about time
for them to manifest themselves if he has imbibed
the disease. 33 students in the Seminary have the
measels-it is prevailing generally among children.
The little boys send love and kisses-your own Frances
William H. Seward
Westfield
Chautauqua County
AUBURN
APR
1
N.Y.
Stamp
h
Hand Shift
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10William Seward
March 29. 1837