Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, July 18, 1833
xml:
Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, July 18, 1833
transcriberTranscriber:spp:cef
student editorTranscriber:spp:sss
Distributor:Seward Family Papers Project
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1833-07-18
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 Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, July 18, 1833
action: sent
sender:
Benjamin Seward
Person
Name: Benjamin Seward
Birth: 1793-08-23
Death: 1841-02-24
Person
location:
New York NY
Place
Name: City: New York
County:
State: NY
Country: US
Place
receiver:
William Seward
Person
Name: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
Person
location:
London
Place
Name: City: London
County: England
State:
Country: GB
Place
transcription: cef
revision: ekk 2015-10-02
<>
Page 1
New York 18 July 1833
Dear Brother
It is but a few days since
I wrote you a hasty line (I mean
wrote Father
Name: Samuel Seward
Birth: 1768-12-05
Death: 1849-08-24
which is much the same
thing) but still I am inclined to write
again. – I think of you ever day
and almost every hour and wonder
if in the bustle and fatigue of trav-
elling father and yourself do not often
long for the refreshing influence of news
from home? – Perhaps letters reach
you through channels that I know
not of, but I am dissatisfied that
no more are written you. – But for
the kindness & constancy of your
dear Frances
Name: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
, it seems to me you
would hear from America very sel-
dom. It is some how on my mind
that if others do not write you, I am
to make up the deficiency – and it
keeps me a little uneasy, lest I
may be regarded as a delinquent for
not writing oftener. This state of mind
[left Margin] I hear nothing from Auburn – nothing from Thurlow Weed
Name: Thurlow Weed
Birth: 1797-11-15
Death: 1882-11-22
– nothing
from Tracy
Name: Albert Tracy
Birth: 1793-06-17
Death: 1859-09-12
– perhaps other friends write you.
Page 2
and feeling will account to you for recieving
letters from me so often. – But I must
not fill my sheet with apologies
On Monday morning at 6. our dear
Mother
Name: Mary Seward
Birth: 1769-11-27
Death: 1844-12-11
set off for Philadelphia in charge
of the boy Augustus
Name: Augustus Seward
Birth: 1820-05-18
Death: 1889-05-08
, by steam boat and
Rail road line. – Riding thus in boats
& cars alternately we hoped the route thus
broken would not prove oppressive: & so
it turned out; she bore the ride very well
- My friend Mr Porter
Name: James Porter
Birth: 1793-01-06
Death: 1862-11-11Certainty: Probable
recieved her & shew-
ed her every attention & Mrs Wright
Name: Martha Wright
Birth: 1806-12-25
Death: 1875-01-04Certainty: Probable
made her as comfortable as need be.
After stopping one day to rest, she was
resigned to other hands & Augustus
returned. – In a week or two, Marcia
Name: Marcia Seward
Birth: 1794-07-23
Death: 1839-10-28
will go on for her & then she contem-
plates visiting Auburn
Name: City: Auburn
County: Cayuga
State: NY
Country: US
.
We hear very little from Florida
Name: City: Florida
County: Orange
State: NY
Country: US
,
two or three days since & letter came from
George
Name: George Seward
Birth: 1808-08-26
Death: 1888-12-07
(no black seal, we suppose the little
one survives) to mother, it was sent im-
mediately on to her.
The country is exceedingly barren of
interest, our newspapers editors are all
scratching their heads to find something
to enrich thier columns with, but all to
no purpose, their papers are dull enough.
The Cholera continues to approach
[left Margin] The New York Standard is out accusing Webster
Name: Daniel Webster
Birth: 1782-01-18
Death: 1852-10-24
of efforts to get
himself nominated for the next Presidency.
Page 3
us nearer and nearer – a gentleman
direct from Phil
Name: City: Philadelphia
County:
State: PA
Country: US
a
told me last evening
that there were several well authenticated
cases in that city: & I suppose we shall
have it here. – I must say that I
dread it & yet I wish to cultivate a sub-
missive spirit: & trust in the Kind Prov-
idence that has given us such abun-
dant evidence of his wisdom & goodness.
We begin to think the time long
since you left us, not to have recieved let-
ters– 19 July. – The Phila papers make
no mention of Cholera there
and we suppose our friend
must have been misinformed
in relation to it.
We have a letter this morning from Mrs. Wm H Brown
Name: Harriet Brown
Birth: 1807-04-20
Death: 1883
of Vandalia
Name: City: Vandalia
County: Fayette County
State: IL
Country: US
: she mentions
that Uncle John
Name: John Seward
Birth: 1765-06-10
Death: 1845-04
and Aunt Polly
returned to Israels
Name: Israel Seward
Birth: 1795-09-03
Death: 1869
from Ohio
Name: Ohio City:
County:
State: OH
Country: US
& are
tolerably well – friends generally well.
The summer remains cold – corn gets along
slow – the wheat and grass crop is abundant
- one quarter of the wheat in Illinois
Name: Illinois City:
County:
State: IL
Country: US
it is
said wil be lost for want of help to
gather it – for two years the people had lost
their corn crops & this year, had provided
for extraordinary wheat crops & now are unable
fully to gather them
[left Margin] I suppose you saw the not the death of old Col Burr
Name: Aaron Burr
Birth: 1756-02-06
Death: 1836-09-14
in the newspapers – but his marriage – Strange?
Page 4
I hear that Berdan
Name: James Berdan
Birth: 1805-07-04
Death: 1884-08-24
and Pierre Irving
Name: Pierre Irving
Birth: 1802-04-03
Death: 1876-02-25
are very
much pleased with Illinois – but it seems
to me that Irving cannot long be suited with
a new country – I am looking for his return.
Up to this hour we have no Cholera
Be pleased to give my dutiful remembrance
to
to Father – and accept for yourself the
sincere assurance of unabated affection
from your brother: and may the Good
Lord have you both in His gracious
keeping & return you in safety to your homes
& your friends. B.J. Seward
Wm Henry Seward Esq
Care Baring Brothers
Name: Thomas Baring
Birth: 1772-06-12
Death: 1848-04-03
Name: Alexander Baring
Birth: 1774-10-27
Death: 1848-05-12
& Co
London
Name: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
B.J. Seward
July 18, 1833
New York 18 July 1833
Dear Brother
It is but a few days since
I wrote you a hasty line (I mean
wrote Father
Person
thing) but still I am inclined to write
again. – I think of you ever day
and almost every hour and wonder
if in the bustle and fatigue of trav-
elling father and yourself do not often
long for the refreshing influence of news
from home? – Perhaps letters reach
you through channels that I know
not of, but I am dissatisfied that
no more are written you. – But for
the kindness & constancy of your
dear Frances
Person
would hear from America very sel-
dom. It is some how on my mind
that if others do not write you, I am
to make up the deficiency – and it
keeps me a little uneasy, lest I
may be regarded as a delinquent for
not writing oftener. This state of mind
[left Margin] I hear nothing from Auburn – nothing from Thurlow Weed
Person
from Tracy
Person
and feeling will account to you for recieving
letters from me so often. – But I must
not fill my sheet with apologies
On Monday morning at 6. our dear
Mother
Person
of the boy Augustus
Person
Rail road line. – Riding thus in boats
& cars alternately we hoped the route thus
broken would not prove oppressive: & so
it turned out; she bore the ride very well
- My friend Mr Porter
Person
ed her every attention & Mrs Wright
Person
made her as comfortable as need be.
After stopping one day to rest, she was
resigned to other hands & Augustus
returned. – In a week or two, Marcia
Person
will go on for her & then she contem-
plates visiting Auburn
Place
We hear very little from Florida
Place
two or three days since & letter came from
George
Person
one survives) to mother, it was sent im-
mediately on to her.
The country is exceedingly barren of
interest, our newspapers editors are all
scratching their heads to find something
to enrich thier columns with, but all to
no purpose, their papers are dull enough.
The Cholera continues to approach
[left Margin] The New York Standard is out accusing Webster
Person
himself nominated for the next Presidency.
us nearer and nearer – a gentleman
direct from Phil
Place
that there were several well authenticated
cases in that city: & I suppose we shall
have it here. – I must say that I
dread it & yet I wish to cultivate a sub-
missive spirit: & trust in the Kind Prov-
idence that has given us such abun-
dant evidence of his wisdom & goodness.
We begin to think the time long
since you left us, not to have recieved let-
ters– 19 July. – The Phila papers make
no mention of Cholera there
and we suppose our friend
must have been misinformed
in relation to it.
We have a letter this morning from Mrs. Wm H Brown
Person
Place
that Uncle John
Person
Unknown
havereturned to Israels
Person
Place
tolerably well – friends generally well.
The summer remains cold – corn gets along
slow – the wheat and grass crop is abundant
- one quarter of the wheat in Illinois
Place
said wil be lost for want of help to
gather it – for two years the people had lost
their corn crops & this year, had provided
for extraordinary wheat crops & now are unable
fully to gather them
[left Margin] I suppose you saw the not the death of old Col Burr
Person
in the newspapers – but his marriage – Strange?
I hear that Berdan
Person
Person
much pleased with Illinois – but it seems
to me that Irving cannot long be suited with
a new country – I am looking for his return.
Up to this hour we have no Cholera
Be pleased to give my dutiful remembrance
to
to Father – and accept for yourself the
sincere assurance of unabated affection
from your brother: and may the Good
Lord have you both in His gracious
keeping & return you in safety to your homes
& your friends. B.J. Seward
Wm Henry Seward Esq
Care Baring Brothers
People
London
Person
July 18, 1833
date:
Thursday, July 18, 1833
receiver:
sender:
year: