Letter from Mahlon Dickerson Canfield to Frances Miller Seward, January 4, 1842
xml:
Letter from Mahlon Dickerson Canfield to Frances Miller Seward, January 4, 1842
transcriberTranscriber:spp:nds
student editorTranscriber:spp:sss
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1842-01-04
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 Mahlon Dickerson Canfield to Frances Miller Seward, January 4, 1842
action: sent
sender:
Mahlon Canfield
Person
Name: Mahlon Canfield
Birth: 1798-11-26
Death: 1865-01-05
Person
location:
Trenton NJ
Place
Name: City: Trenton
County: Mercer
State: NJ
Country: US
Place
receiver:
Frances Seward
Person
Name: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
Person
location:
Albany NY
Place
Name: City: Albany
County: Albany
State: NY
Country: US
Place
transcription: nds
revision: ekk 2016-02-04
<>
Page 1
Trenton, Jany. 4–, 1842.
My Dear Madam,
Your very kind letter came
to me at Newark
Name: City: Newark
County: Essex
State: NJ
Country: US
, where I have been since
the adjournment of the Legislature, for the
purpose of attending the medical lectures
in New York
Name: City: New York
County:
State: NY
Country: US
which I have done nearly
every day during the recess. I am now here
for the pur attending the Court of errors,
which convened yesterday & will sit 3 or 4
days. The Legislature will meet on the 11–
I am astonished to hear that Augustus Seward
Name: Augustus Seward
Birth: 1826-10-01
Death: 1876-09-11
has acted so unwisely. It was news to me as
I read it in your letter. I find too that rumor
has not confined herself to New Jersey
Name: City:
County:
State: NJ
Country: US
, in her
dealings with me. The worst is it is all
groundless. I am not engaged to be married, un-
likely to be. I cannot make up my mind on
that subject. Perhaps I think of Miss Bleecker
as often as any. She did make a most
favorable impression upon me, & if I thought
I could marry her, I would try. You told her
once, that I wrote about her. Do call & tell her
Page 2
so again. I shall rely on you for a character!
I was at Worcester
Name: City: Worcester
County: Worcester
State: MA
Country: US
, early in Nov. Dined at
Gov. Lincoln
Name: Levi Lincoln
Birth: 1782-10-25
Death: 1868-05-29
's & was treated with all possible
kindness. It is a good family & Miss L.
Name: Penelope Canfield
Birth: 1815-07-01
Death: 1904-10-31
is a
good girl, but somehow or other, I cannot get
sufficiently interested in that quarter.
They have gone to Boston
Name: City: Boston
County: Suffolk
State: MA
Country: US
, to pass the winter.
I am told that Miss Bleecker is the only daughter
unmarried – that her father
hardly suffer a gentleman to look at her for
fear of losing her. If he will give her to me,
& insists upon keeping her himself I will
promise not to take her away. You will
think I talk very foolishly no doubt, but
I do feel as if I could love Miss B. – more
than all the world beside. I would be glad
if you would write to me again, and
say something about her.
I heard from my boys
Name: Francis Canfield
Birth: 1832-02-20
Death: 1876-01-14
Name: Augustus Canfield
Birth: 1829-12-04
Death: 1867-10-25
lately. They were very well
& in a good & safe place, at May's Landing
Name: City: Mays Landing
County: Atlantic
State: NJ
Country: US
, our
chief town of Atlantic
Name: City:
County: Atlantic
State: NJ
Country: US
. Has Saml Blatchford
Name: Samuel Blatchford
Birth: 1820-03-09
Death: 1893-07-07
been at Albany recently? I met him in New
York some three weeks since, & troubled him
with a small matter of business, growing out
of our trip to Boston. I am sorry that various
causes prevented me from attending to it
earlier. The political world seems all in
confusion. I hope something good will grow
out of it. For myself, I am as much used up
Page 3
as Van Buren
Name: Martin Van Buren
Birth: 1782-12-05
Death: 1862-07-24
was in 1840. But I don't care a
rush. If the same question should come up
a thousand times, I would do as I did, even
if it made Pennington
Name: William Pennington
Birth: 1796-05-04
Death: 1862-02-16
Governor as often.
It gives me great satisfaction to know that I am
sustained by the wise and good. I have no taste
for political life. But, to be happy once evermore,
in domestic life, I do most earnestly desire.
This day is the sad anniversary. For three years
I have been a stranger to happiness and peace.
Heaven grant that I may yet find both.
My truest regard to Henry.
Affectionately Yours,
M. D. Canfield
Page 4
Canfield
Mrs W. H. Seward
Albany,
N.Y.
TRENTON N.Y. 5 JAN
Type: postmark
Name: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
Dr Canfield
Jan 1842
Trenton, Jany. 4–, 1842.
My Dear Madam,
Your very kind letter came
to me at Newark
Place
the adjournment of the Legislature, for the
purpose of attending the medical lectures
in New York
Place
every day during the recess. I am now here
for the pur attending the Court of errors,
which convened yesterday & will sit 3 or 4
days. The Legislature will meet on the 11–
I am astonished to hear that Augustus Seward
Person
has acted so unwisely. It was news to me as
I read it in your letter. I find too that rumor
has not confined herself to New Jersey
Place
dealings with me. The worst is it is all
groundless. I am not engaged to be married, un-
likely to be. I cannot make up my mind on
that subject. Perhaps I think of Miss Bleecker
Unknown
as often as any. She did make a most
favorable impression upon me, & if I thought
I could marry her, I would try. You told her
once, that I wrote about her. Do call & tell her
so again. I shall rely on you for a character!
I was at Worcester
Place
Gov. Lincoln
Person
kindness. It is a good family & Miss L.
Person
good girl, but somehow or other, I cannot get
sufficiently interested in that quarter.
They have gone to Boston
Place
I am told that Miss Bleecker is the only daughter
unmarried – that her father
Unknown
is old & willhardly suffer a gentleman to look at her for
fear of losing her. If he will give her to me,
& insists upon keeping her himself I will
promise not to take her away. You will
think I talk very foolishly no doubt, but
I do feel as if I could love Miss B. – more
than all the world beside. I would be glad
if you would write to me again, and
say something about her.
I heard from my boys
People
& in a good & safe place, at May's Landing
Place
chief town of Atlantic
Place
Person
been at Albany recently? I met him in New
York some three weeks since, & troubled him
with a small matter of business, growing out
of our trip to Boston. I am sorry that various
causes prevented me from attending to it
earlier. The political world seems all in
confusion. I hope something good will grow
out of it. For myself, I am as much used up
as Van Buren
Person
rush. If the same question should come up
a thousand times, I would do as I did, even
if it made Pennington
Person
It gives me great satisfaction to know that I am
sustained by the wise and good. I have no taste
for political life. But, to be happy once evermore,
in domestic life, I do most earnestly desire.
This day is the sad anniversary. For three years
I have been a stranger to happiness and peace.
Heaven grant that I may yet find both.
My truest regard to Henry.
Affectionately Yours,
M. D. Canfield
Canfield
Mrs W. H. Seward
Albany,
N.Y.
TRENTON N.Y. 5 JAN
Stamp
Person
Jan 1842
date:
Tuesday, January 4, 1842
receiver:
sender:
year: