Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, March 11, 1831

  • Posted on: 11 January 2016
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, March 11, 1831

transcriber

Transcriber:spp:mhr

student editor

Transcriber:spp:sss

Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive

Institution:University of Rochester

Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections

Date:1831-03-11

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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, March 11, 1831

action: sent

sender: Frances Seward
x

Person

Name: Frances Seward Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21

location: Auburn NY
x

Place

Name:  City:  Auburn County:  Cayuga State:  NY Country:  US

receiver: William Seward
x

Person

Name: William Seward Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10

location: Albany NY
x

Place

Name:  City:  Albany County:  Albany State:  NY Country:  US

transcription: mhr 

revision: dxt 2015-10-20

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Page 1

Friday night
My Dear Henry, Your letter of Saturday, Sunday and Monday came this morning.
I am disappointed that Cornelia
x

Person

Name: Louisa Canfield Birth: 1805 Death: 1839-01-04
is not coming home with you. She gave Clary
x

Person

Name: Clarinda McClallen Birth: 1793-05-01 Death: 1862-09-05

so much encouragement when she saw her that I considered the event as
quite certain. I do not know when I will ever see Cornelia again it is
now more than four years since we met. I am very sorry she is growing
dissatisfied with their situation if it is not practicable for them to remove
I shall write to her soon and reproach myself for not having done so before
this time – but I must make you my apology. Do not think I can ever
get tired hearing about the Tracy's
x

People

Name: Harriet Tracy Birth: 1800 Death: 1876 Name: Albert Tracy Birth: 1793-06-17 Death: 1859-09-12
. I am more and more interested in them.
I am glad you told me all about the difference in character of Weed
x

Person

Name: Thurlow Weed Birth: 1797-11-15 Death: 1882-11-22
and
Tracy. I knew that you could not esteem both precisely alike I believe that
is impossible except in the case of a parents love for their children.
I am glad that Weed will not feel your preference for Tracy. This has
troubled me very much. This morning Mr Seymour
x

Person

Name: James Seymour Birth: 1791-04-15 Death: 1875-12-03
called here to inform
us that Finney
x

Person

Name: Charles Finney Birth: 1792-08-29 Death: 1875-08-16
was going to preach – no one saw him but Grandma
x

Person

Name: Paulina Miller Birth: 1751 Death: 1835-10-03

he enquired if I would not go to meeting. Grandma told him she
thought not as Seward and his wife did not believe in revivals
of this kind. This afternoon Theodore Hamilton
Unknown
called he came also to see
if he could not induce me to go and her hear Finney (you see I am
an object of some consideration to them although the worlds people do not invite
me to balls). We had a long talk about Finney. Theodore denied all the
stories in circulation about his extravagance and fanaticism – said he had
never seen any thing of the kind although he was, previous to seeing him,
as much prejudiced against him as any one. I did not dare from the
fear of wounding his feelings say half what I felt on the subject but
told him I could not consent to go, for even had my own inclination been
ever so much in favour of going Pa
x

Person

Name: Elijah Miller Birth: 1772-04-11 Death: 1851-11-13
had expressed a wish to have us remain
at home. I had no motive for wishing to hear him but curiosity and I could
very easily dispense with so trifling a gratification. He went away very sorry I
Page 2

suppose that I was so hardened as to refuse to put myself on the way of being
converted. Edward
Unknown
says he came to the office to invite them all to go – they
intend going. Augustus
x

Person

Name: Augustus Seward Birth: 1826-10-01 Death: 1876-09-11
and Sarah
x

Person

Name: Sarah Lewis Birth:  Death: 
have been up to Lazettes
x

Person

Name: Lazette Worden Birth: 1803-11-01 Death: 1875-10-03
this afternoon they
have had a beautiful time from his account he wishes to go again tomor-
row. Lazette says that Theodore has been there trying to persuade
her to go and hear Finney – but she is satisfied with the other per-
formance. Saturday night – Edward says he went to meeting last night
and was very much pleased with the sermon – from all I can learn Finney
is much more moderate than he was at the time of the last excitement.
The house was full to overflowing. This afternoon Nathaniel Hoyt
Unknown
and William
Unknown

were here on business with Pa – they have more trouble but I cannot explain
it. I believe the creditors are endeavouring to get possession of the property
in Williams possession on the grounds that it belongs to N. and Stephen
Unknown
.
He staid here but a few moments said they expected to get back as far
as Canoga
x

Place

Name:  City:  Canoga County:  Seneca State:  NY Country:  US
to night. I sent a few lines by him to Aunt Eliza
x

Person

Name: Elizabeth Miller Birth: 1784 Death: 
to assure
her of Sarahs health and happiness and prevent her coming out express
to see if Sarah is not dead is [ as ]
x

Supplied

Reason: 
she did once before. We have just been
looking out of the window at a brilliant light in the east – we think
it must proceed from some building on fire. we hear no alarm
it is undoubtedly at some distance. The sky is very beautifully illuminated
I have been down in my night gown to tell Pa and Grandma to look at it.
it is now almost eleven oclock all have gone to bed and I am just going
to get in between the little ones – the light in the east has almost entirely
disappeared. good night. Sunday evening. To day I have read
over your last letter two or three times which I always do on Sunday
tomorrow morning I shall have another. It was ten weeks last Wednesday since
you left us the time is more than half gone when we shall see your face
once more. I do not intend to expect you at all before the middle of April
that will be one month more. When do you go to Orange County
x

Place

Name: Orange County City:   County:  Orange State:  NY Country:  US
I hope
you will not give your Father
x

Person

Name: Samuel Seward Birth: 1768-12-05 Death: 1849-08-24
any encouragement about coming there
to live. Why cannot George
x

Person

Name: George Grier Birth: 1802-09-27 Death: 1878-12-20
take the charge of the business – he is old enough
Page 3

if he ever will be. Clary has been to Church this afternoon she says that Dr Rudd
x

Person

Name: John Rudd Birth: 1779-05-24 Death: 1848-04-15
is not well - preached a sermon but did not go in to the pulpit
I suppose he has a turn of the gout. There were seven more persons bap-
tised in the creek this morning – the baptist's continue their morning
meetings yet. Theodore told me yesterday that Mary Pitney
x

Person

Name: Mary Morgan Birth: 1813-02-16 Death: 1893-10-14
was one
of the subjects of the revival - he and Frances Dibble
x

Person

Name:   Birth:  Death: 
are there a great
part of the time. I had heard this before but rather doubted as Mary went
to the last cotillion party - but he says it is since that time that Mary
has experienced a change in her feelings – or "felt differently" as he expresses
it. I hope Mary will act as well as feel differently if this is the case.
Did I tell you that the Fosgates
x

People

Name: Blanchard Fosgate Birth: 1809 Death: 1887-09-11 Name: Margaretta Fosgate Birth:  Death: 1848-03-10
do not any of them attend Church any more
they have become displeased and dissatisfied with Dr and Mrs Rudd
x

Person

Name: Phebe Rudd Birth: 1785 Death: 
because
they do not visit them and because they were not invited to Mrs Rudds party
they attend the new church – Mrs Fosgate and all, when they go any where.
I am sorry for this - think it childish. I do not think any trifling
cause of dissatisfaction with the clergyman would induce me to
forsake our own church – and Mrs Fosgate has been a member for many
years – of course they do not call at the Dr's. I suppose they are ignorant
of all this as yet but I think they will not long continue so. Serene
x

Person

Name: Serene Birdsall Birth: 1805 Death: 1884-01-19
talks
it very publickly. Clary has gone this evening to George Woods
x

Person

Name: George  Wood Birth: 1799 Death: 1870-08-24
. The
babies are both asleep. Augustus said I must tell his Pa that he was
nice. Frederick
x

Person

Name: Frederick Seward Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
appears quite well now his cough has left him and his
teeth have ceased their persecution for a short time. I hope he will grow
fat again before you come home – he is a dear tiny thing now. Do the Tracy's
go to our church? – it is dark and muddy to night but I suppose the meeting house
will be crowded because Finney preaches. Clary has come home from George's
says Maria
x

Person

Name: Maria Rudd Birth: 1784 Death: Certainty: Possible
and Debby
x

Person

Name: Deborah Wood Bronson Birth: 1809 Death: 1888-03-16
are coming here to take tea tomorrow. I cannot
read much in the evening my eyes continue so weak-yet. We have
not yet heard any thing about the fire last night. Pa has been
out most of the day I think he appears better. your own Frances
Page 4
Auburn, NY Mar 14
x

Stamp

Type: postmark
William H. Seward
Albany
seward-pen
x

Person

Name: William Seward Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
Frances A Seward
14 March 1831
date: 
Friday, March 11, 1831
year: 
place_node: