Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, November 23, 1834
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, November 23, 1834
transcriberTranscriber:spp:gew
student editorTranscriber:spp:mhr
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1834-11-23
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, November 23, 1834
action: sent
sender:
Frances Seward
Person
Name: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
Person
location:
Auburn NY
Place
Name: City: Auburn
County: Cayuga
State: NY
Country: US
Place
receiver:
William Seward
Person
Name: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
Person
location:
Albany NY
Place
Name: City: Albany
County:
State: NY
Country: US
Place
transcription: gew
revision: crb 2014-06-22
publication:
<>
Page 1
Sunday 23d Nov
My Dear Henry, I recived your letter from
Utica
Name: City: Utica
County: Oneida County
State: NY
Country: US
this morning am glad you did not
ride
the whole of that storming night, I thought
of you many times but did not express any
apprehensions, poor Gus
Name: Augustus Seward
Birth: 1826-10-01
Death: 1876-09-11
felt so
bad. When
you departed he cried aloud, his grief yeilded
to a little soothing from his mother and he
spent the remainder of the evening reading aloud
for me in Scotts
Name: Walter Scott
Birth: 1771-08-15
Death: 1832-09-21
“Tales of a
Grandfather” which
interested us both exceedingly, he has read for
me an hour every evening since, he and Fred
Name: Frederick Seward
Birth: 1830-07-08
Death: 1915-04-25
stay with me constantly and I am very grateful
and happy to be once more well enough to instruct
them and enjoy their caresses. I was just beginning
to imagine my serenity of mind proof against
all minor ills when a return of Fredericks
painful disorder has wonderfully disturbed my
philosophy and filled my heart with gloomy
forebodings. He continued free from pain Wednes-
day a and Thursday nights. Friday morning he
complained of his hand a little before getting up
but the pain seemed so trifling that I did not feel
alarmed and hoped it would pass by, but last night
it returned again with more violence. I do not
think he suffered as much as before you left home
but I slept none after 4 oclock. This morning
I told Peter
Name: Peter Crosby
Birth:
Death:
to ask the Dr
Name: Joseph Pitney
Birth: 1786-11-18
Death: 1853-04-20
to come over
I have
seen neither Peter or the Dr since, it is now
4 oclock PM. I will not close this letter now
but the weakness of my eyes prevents my writing
any more at present.
Page 2
Monday afternoon. The Dr came last evening and gave
my little boy another portion of calomel and advised
giving him Iodine in very small quantities every day.
I felt much releived by this visit although I have
not the utmost confidence in the Dr’s judgement.
But it is easy to believe what we hope, he spoke
very encouragingly, says he has no doubt that
with care and the application of proper remidies
this tendency to chronick disease may be removed.
Fred is running about the house to day, no com-
plaining of pain last night. Clary
Name: Clarinda McClallen
Birth: 1794
Death: 1862-09-05
and Augustus
have both violent colds. Hugh
Name: Hugh McClallen
Birth: 1791
Death: 1860-11-16
spent Saturday
and Sunday evenings here furthermore your deponent
cannot say. I have not heard a word from Lazette
Name: Lazette Worden
Birth: 1803-11-01
Death: 1875-10-03
yet. I am afraid she is ill, she said she should
not fail to write the next day if she did not get
killed coming going home. I do not imagine that
so great a calamity has befallen her but am
anxious to hear something. This dismal weather
continues yet. I receive occasionally some demonstration
of kindness from our neighbor Mrs Hills
Name: Sarah Hills
Birth: 1796
Death: 1863-04-22
, her billet doux
express her affection in the most flattering terms, I wish
I had a little more faith in her sincerity. She is
a strange mixture of artificial and natural feeling.
I have not seen a mortal except the members of our
own family since you left me. The weather has been
such that it was impossible for ladies to go out,
though I understood that H Wallace
Name: Hiram Wallace
Birth:
Death: 1879-04-11Certainty: Probable
came to the
door Saturday to enquire the state of my health.
I go down stairs once every day sometimes twice
these interminable stairs of ours su so completely exhaust
my strength that I have not yet accomplished
any thing else, except debility and some pain from the
stress. I am as well as usual which is not saying
much you know but with which I am satisfied
being determined for the future to be content
with a moderate degree of health. I am very tired
and must close this letter, I hope to hear from you
tomorrow, remember me to all by whom I am not forgotten.
Your own Frances.
Page 3
William H. Seward
Albany
AUBURN NOV 25
Type: postmark
Name: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
Frances A Seward
Nov. 23. 1834.
Sunday 23d Nov
My Dear Henry, I recived your letter from
Utica
Place
the whole of that storming night, I thought
of you many times but did not express any
apprehensions, poor Gus
Person
you departed he cried aloud, his grief yeilded
to a little soothing from his mother and he
spent the remainder of the evening reading aloud
for me in Scotts
Person
interested us both exceedingly, he has read for
me an hour every evening since, he and Fred
Person
stay with me constantly and I am very grateful
and happy to be once more well enough to instruct
them and enjoy their caresses. I was just beginning
to imagine my serenity of mind proof against
all minor ills when a return of Fredericks
painful disorder has wonderfully disturbed my
philosophy and filled my heart with gloomy
forebodings. He continued free from pain Wednes-
day a and Thursday nights. Friday morning he
complained of his hand a little before getting up
but the pain seemed so trifling that I did not feel
alarmed and hoped it would pass by, but last night
it returned again with more violence. I do not
think he suffered as much as before you left home
but I slept none after 4 oclock. This morning
I told Peter
Person
Person
seen neither Peter or the Dr since, it is now
4 oclock PM. I will not close this letter now
but the weakness of my eyes prevents my writing
any more at present.
Monday afternoon. The Dr came last evening and gave
my little boy another portion of calomel and advised
giving him Iodine in very small quantities every day.
I felt much releived by this visit although I have
not the utmost confidence in the Dr’s judgement.
But it is easy to believe what we hope, he spoke
very encouragingly, says he has no doubt that
with care and the application of proper remidies
this tendency to chronick disease may be removed.
Fred is running about the house to day, no com-
plaining of pain last night. Clary
Person
have both violent colds. Hugh
Person
and Sunday evenings here furthermore your deponent
cannot say. I have not heard a word from Lazette
Person
yet. I am afraid she is ill, she said she should
not fail to write the next day if she did not get
killed coming going home. I do not imagine that
so great a calamity has befallen her but am
anxious to hear something. This dismal weather
continues yet. I receive occasionally some demonstration
of kindness from our neighbor Mrs Hills
Person
express her affection in the most flattering terms, I wish
I had a little more faith in her sincerity. She is
a strange mixture of artificial and natural feeling.
I have not seen a mortal except the members of our
own family since you left me. The weather has been
such that it was impossible for ladies to go out,
though I understood that H Wallace
Person
door Saturday to enquire the state of my health.
I go down stairs once every day sometimes twice
these interminable stairs of ours su so completely exhaust
my strength that I have not yet accomplished
any thing else, except debility and some pain from the
stress. I am as well as usual which is not saying
much you know but with which I am satisfied
being determined for the future to be content
with a moderate degree of health. I am very tired
and must close this letter, I hope to hear from you
tomorrow, remember me to all by whom I am not forgotten.
Your own Frances.
William H. Seward
Albany
AUBURN NOV 25
Stamp
Person
Nov. 23. 1834.
date:
Sunday, November 23, 1834
receiver:
sender:
year:
place_node: