CxS died 5 months after her birth of small pox. Her death devastated Frances. The Sewards' first daughter, Cornelia, was born August 25, 1836, and the proud father actually managed almost two weeks in Auburn before returning to his business affairs in Westfield and to the campaign of the Whig candidate for governor. He was not with Frances when their infant daughter sickened, arriving only in time to find the child blinded, scarred, and dying of smallpox.