Letter from Louisa Cornelia Seward Canfield to Mary Jennings Seward, October 9, 1836
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Letter from Louisa Cornelia Seward Canfield to Mary Jennings Seward, October 9, 1836
transcriberTranscriber:spp:bms
student editorTranscriber:spp:sss
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1836-10-09
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Letter from Louisa Cornelia Seward Canfield to Mary Jennings Seward, October 9, 1836
action: sent
sender:
Louisa Canfield
Person
Name: Louisa Canfield
Birth: 1805-10-29
Death: 1839-01-04
Person
location:
Bargaintown NJ
Place
Name: City: Bargaintown
County: Atlantic
State: NJ
Country: US
Place
receiver:
Mary Seward
Person
Name: Mary Seward
Birth: 1769-11-27
Death: 1844-12-11
Person
location:
Florida NY
Place
Name: City: Florida
County: Orange
State: NY
Country: US
Place
transcription: bms
revision: crb 2015-12-10
<>
Page 1
Bargain town, OctR 9th 1836.
My dear Mother,
I have waited long, and anxiously,
for a letter, not one word since I left Florida—this
is cruel, almost, considering the delicate state of Pa’s
Name: Samuel Seward
Birth: 1768-12-05
Death: 1849-08-24
health, & the situation of things when I left. I thought
Julia Ann
Name: Julia Van Brunt
Birth: 1803
Death: 1847-07-24
would have written, sometimes, to inform me
of your welfare. I almost persuaded myself when I
was at home that I could induce Mahlon
Name: Mahlon Canfield
Birth: 1798-11-26
Death: 1865-01-05
to move
to Orange Co.
Name: Orange County City:
County:
State: NY
Country: US
, but he had a serious attack of
illness which left him with a cough & strong symptoms
of decline, which occupied us more than anything ^else^ —
he concluded a journey would be of service to him.
he solicited & obtained permission ^from the Department^ to be absent six
or eight weeks to travel westward, he set out last
Monday OctR 3rd I believe, was better before he
started, he is not altogether content to remain here,
and if he can be suited better in the far West he talks
of trying to get my consent to Emigrate—which
I am inclined to think will be reluctantly given.
If it had been our lot to have gone West 10 years
ago, I would not have objected, but after spending
a solitary 10 years here, I cannot bear to think of going
further from home and friends to an Exile still
longer, nothing seems to be so hard to bear as the ^almost^ entire
absence of all my family.
I had a beautiful letter from Henry
Name: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
a few days ago,
the second since my return, he says if it was not for
the horror he has of seeing us move West any where, he
Page 2
would be delighted to have us join him and share
with him his lonely house. Frances
Name: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
was pretty smart
the last accounts. I sincerely hope she may be restored,
to health—& her family.
Washington
Name: George Seward
Birth: 1808-08-26
Death: 1888-12-07
wrote a few weeks since in pretty good
spirits. Marcia
Name: Marcia Seward
Birth: 1794-07-23
Death: 1839-10-28
is mending I believe.
Our children have been complaining some, but are
pretty well now, I have a sweet Cousin, Julia Dickerson
Name: Julia Dickerson
Birth: 1815
Death: 1881
staying with me, otherwise the time would be very
tedious, I have been entirely alone for some weeks past,
Elizabeth
I did not see any one who I thought would be likely to
suit & I preferred to wait awhile, I have a very good little
girl
Name: Caroline Beattie
Birth: 1834-07-25
Death: 1922-02-28
now, our family an is small, the boys
Name: Francis Canfield
Birth: 1832-02-20
Death: 1876-01-14
Name: Augustus Canfield
Birth: 1829-12-04
Death: 1867-10-25
still board down
shore. I feel very anxious to hear from you all how
Polydore
Name: Edwin Seward
Birth: 1799-07-02
Death: 1872-04-25
gets along & poor Locke
Name: Rachel Seward
Birth: 1805-07-15
Death: 1848-05-14
, I do hope it may not
be very long before I hear from you all.
I had a letter from Mary Cummins
Name: Mary Horton
Birth: 1816-05-11
Death: 1892-01-18
sometime since she
talked of coming on the 1st of this month—but
declined my invitation to visit me on her way—I regret
it very very much. My Children are at home today (Sunday
have been running about all the time I have been writing.
Caroline talks a great deal about her Grandma, says she
gave her the yellow coat & bonnet & red frock & O, I wish
you could see how sweet she looks in them.
Please try to write or ask Julia Ann to do so, it is so
long since I heard—Excuse all blunders, I cannot write
when my children are buzzing about me.
Remember me in much kindness to my dear Father
P. & Locke Julia Ann Dr. & Mrs. C.
Name: Mary Canfield
Birth: 1778-09-18
Death: 1850-04-27
Israels
Name: Israel Seward
Birth: 1798-05-09
Death: 1868-11Certainty: Possible
family &c &c
Ever your, affectionate Daughter
Cornelia.
Page 3
Mrs. Mary Seward,
Florida
Orange Co.
New York
M.D. Canfield
Bargain Town
N.J. Octbr10 .
Bargain town, OctR 9th 1836.
My dear Mother,
I have waited long, and anxiously,
for a letter, not one word since I left Florida—this
is cruel, almost, considering the delicate state of Pa’s
Person
health, & the situation of things when I left. I thought
Julia Ann
Person
of your welfare. I almost persuaded myself when I
was at home that I could induce Mahlon
Person
to Orange Co.
Place
illness which left him with a cough & strong symptoms
of decline, which occupied us more than anything ^else^ —
he concluded a journey would be of service to him.
he solicited & obtained permission ^from the Department^ to be absent six
or eight weeks to travel westward, he set out last
Monday OctR 3rd I believe, was better before he
started, he is not altogether content to remain here,
and if he can be suited better in the far West he talks
of trying to get my consent to Emigrate—which
I am inclined to think will be reluctantly given.
If it had been our lot to have gone West 10 years
ago, I would not have objected, but after spending
a solitary 10 years here, I cannot bear to think of going
further from home and friends to an Exile still
longer, nothing seems to be so hard to bear as the ^almost^ entire
absence of all my family.
I had a beautiful letter from Henry
Person
the second since my return, he says if it was not for
the horror he has of seeing us move West any where, he
would be delighted to have us join him and share
with him his lonely house. Frances
Person
the last accounts. I sincerely hope she may be restored,
to health—& her family.
Washington
Person
spirits. Marcia
Person
Our children have been complaining some, but are
pretty well now, I have a sweet Cousin, Julia Dickerson
Person
staying with me, otherwise the time would be very
tedious, I have been entirely alone for some weeks past,
Elizabeth
Unknown
went home on account of her Mother’sUnknown
health.I did not see any one who I thought would be likely to
suit & I preferred to wait awhile, I have a very good little
girl
Person
People
shore. I feel very anxious to hear from you all how
Polydore
Person
Person
be very long before I hear from you all.
I had a letter from Mary Cummins
Person
talked of coming on the 1st of this month—but
declined my invitation to visit me on her way—I regret
it very very much. My Children are at home today (Sunday
have been running about all the time I have been writing.
Caroline talks a great deal about her Grandma, says she
gave her the yellow coat & bonnet & red frock & O, I wish
you could see how sweet she looks in them.
Please try to write or ask Julia Ann to do so, it is so
long since I heard—Excuse all blunders, I cannot write
when my children are buzzing about me.
Remember me in much kindness to my dear Father
P. & Locke Julia Ann Dr. & Mrs. C.
Person
Person
Ever your, affectionate Daughter
Cornelia.
Mrs. Mary Seward,
Florida
Orange Co.
New York
M.D. Canfield
Bargain Town
N.J. Octbr10 .
date:
Sunday, October 9, 1836
receiver:
sender:
year:
place_node: