Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, December 25, 1833

  • Posted on: 10 March 2016
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Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, December 25, 1833
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transcriber

Transcriber:spp:cef

student editor

Transcriber:spp:sss

Distributor:Seward Family Papers Project

Institution:University of Rochester

Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections

Date:1833-12-25

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Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, December 25, 1833

action: sent

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

location: New York, NY

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

location: Albany, NY

transcription: cef 

revision: ekk 2015-10-06

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Page 1

N.Y. Christmas 1833
Dear Brother
I have your kind long letter
and am thankful for the frankness it
manifests. – It did not occur to me
that your Grover
Birth: 1775-05-10 Death: 1859-11-22
& Gunn
Birth: 1801 Death: 1849Certainty: Probable
business hung
over your head, still: and I wonder
that it did not: and if it had I should
not have written you. – Indeed I should
not at any rate, if it had not been
to escape an annoyance that goes near
to deprive me of my sweet temper.
The truth is, my friends have made
a free use of me this summer – and
not only of me but of my purse and
of my house and my family. – They
were glad to see us once more in the
land of civilization & we were pleased
to have them with us to enjoy a home
we had long desired & suffered much
for want of. We have seen no in-
dividual soul that has not given us
pleasure to see – none that we have
not invited – none that we do not love
& none that we should trust differently
Page 2

if it were to do over again – and yet
it had been easier and cheaper for us
to have had three steady boarders for
nothing in our house than to have
entertained so much company as we
have had. – I mention these things
merely to account for the circumstance
of being short: list you might think
me prodigal or wanting in ordinary
calculation. – But never mind it, we
do not – (unless when demanded.) – I do in
my inmost soul believe we are a
thousand fold happier in debt as we
are, than those who close thier doors
against the slams of hospitality. But
I have done with this doleful story.
If you will excuse me for troubling
you with it, I will forgive the ne-
cessity for doing so & we will quit
even on that score.
Augustus
Birth: 1820-05-18 Death: 1889-05-08
has returned from Florida
prety well cured of all fondness for a
farm. He thinks he can make head-
way in his books now without loss of
time & is deeply engaged in his latin
From him I learn that all are
Page 3

well in Florida. – Father
Birth: 1768-12-05 Death: 1849-08-24
& mother
Birth: 1769-11-27 Death: 1844-12-11
it is
said have not had better health in
15 years & mother is in business up to
her ears as ever. Cruel. Cruel. Cruel.
Cornelia
Birth: 1805 Death: 1839-01-04
has had a sick baby for
some time – we have invited her to take
schooner & bring it up to our city & stay
with it awhile – and we expect her
soon. Oh how delightful it would be to
have you and Frances
Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21
& the little boys
x Birth: 1830-07-08  Death: 1915-04-25  Birth: 1826-10-01  Death: 1876-09-11 

here at the same time. – We thought
this all over – & supposed that such a
thing might be possible in
the spring after the opening
of the river – but then our
little dwelling would not
so pleasantly contain us all – but still
if Cornelia does not come now we shall
hope to see you all in April or May.
Do write & tell me what is Anti-
vanburenism doing as soon as there is
a moving of the waters. Give my kind-
est regards to sister Frances and a
kiss apiece for the little boys – and
remember me very Respectfully to your
friend Mr Tracy
Birth: 1793-06-17 Death: 1859-09-12
: and if you find
no love about these pages from Marcia
Birth: 1794-07-23 Death: 1839-10-25

it is be cause she is not here to furnish
it. Your Brother B.J.S.
Page 4

Hon Wm H Seward
Albany
NEW YORK
DEC
26
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Stamp

Type: postmark

Hand Shiftx

William Seward

Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
BJ Seward
Dec 25, 1833.