Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, December 13, 1838

  • Posted on: 10 March 2016
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Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, December 13, 1838

transcriber

Transcriber:spp:keh

student editor

Transcriber:spp:sss

Distributor:Seward Family Papers Project

Institution:University of Rochester

Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections

Date:1838-12-13

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Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, December 13, 1838

action: sent

sender: Benjamin Seward
x

Person

Name: Benjamin Seward Birth: 1793-08-23 Death: 1841-02-24

location: Westfield NY
x

Place

Name:  City:  Westfield County:  Chautauqua State:  NY Country:  US

receiver: William Seward
x

Person

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

location: Auburn NY
x

Place

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

transcription: keh 

revision: ekk 2015-10-28

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Page 1

Chautauque Land Office
Westfield Dec 13. 1838
Dear H.
I have sometimes heard it remark-
ed by the suffering sick, that it seemed as if
every nerve in the body termined in a blister
so that the moving of any muscle gave them
pain. It is something so with me – every
muscle I propose to move seems to be
connected with your visit to this ^place^ – & still
I am told (and left to hear it from the E.J.
that this pleasure is to be denied me, I
regret it. I must say that I think the
estate is suffering a little, because of my
want of instructions & knowledge. My
own affairs are becoming difficult –
arrangements for the future seem to
require your judgment – no Bonds & M
have been signed – none printed since
July – although many have been agreed
upon – & not to omit the advantage of
your personal inspection & directtion of
the general account current you wrote
for – all these make it desirable that
you should visit us. But I suppose
it must be deferred till spring.
Page 2

I can readily concieve that it would
be difficult for you to leave & other in-
terests of even greater magnitude would
be left to equal suffering.
We have sent in all $38,000.
to the Trust Co. Some two or three
hundred mortgages are now two years
old without ^payments of^ interest – and as many
Articles or more, where the occupants
of the Lands are not likely to do any-
thing without compulsory process. On
this difficult portion of my duty I have
reflected much & have something to
suggest if we ever meet.
I suppose it to be impossible
for me to make a complete a/c cur-
rent as between you & the estate, without
your aid – because, some of the first
sums recd here were paid even to the
Gen L. Office upon a settllement not
mentioned in our a/c 's here & because
I am uninformed of the ultimate set-
tlement with Van Hall
x

Person

Name: Peter Van Hall Birth: 1799-12-23 Death: 
– no account
is found of what became of several
Page 3

items of cash – only the mode of its
leave – &c &c
But of the entries in the books
I have at infinite pains drawn off
in regular form, everything to its prop-
er place & have been waiting to see
you to learn about the entries above
referred to to make the thing as
perfect as you could desire.
Love to Frances
x

Person

Name: Frances Seward Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21
– sorry
on your a/c that she can
not accompany you.
The Lord bless you.
Yours with the truest
affection
B. J. Seward
Page 4

W. H. Seward Esq
Auburn
N. Y.
WESTFIELD N.Y. DEC 14
x

Stamp

Type: postmark

seward-pen
x

Person

Name: William Seward Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
B J Seward
Dec 13, 1838
date: 
Thursday, December 13, 1838
year: