Letter from Samuel Sweezey Seward to William Henry Seward, July 12, 1841
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Letter from Samuel Sweezey Seward to William Henry Seward, July 12, 1841
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:tap
student editorTranscriber:spp:sss
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1841-07-12
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Letter from Samuel Sweezey Seward to William Henry Seward, July 12, 1841
action: sent
sender: Samuel Seward
Birth: 1768-12-05
Death: 1849-08-24
location: Florida, NY
receiver: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: Albany, NY
transcription: tap
revision: crb 2017-07-06
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Page
1
Florida 12 July 1841
My dear Henry
A short visit from Augustus Seward
an opportunity of addressing a line to you
The natural propensity of aged parents is
to communicate freely & frequently with
their absent children — Nothing could
prevent my doing so but the known distracted
hurried confused and irregular life which
you live — I know well that all I would say
would be adding anxiety to confusion
I feel myself however compelled to say that
I have for months past suffered every few
days the most severe turns of sickness even
to the borders of the grave. In many of which
I have had no inclinations to live — Think
you how much an affectionate father must
suffer from the desire to see a beloved son
in the days of those sore afflictions — My dear
child you cannot comprehend it
Page
2
These Anxieties are immensely inhansed
if connected with an impression that they are
neglected — You have passed up & down the
Hudson a number of times since you ^left^ us wood
it not have ^be^ possible if not convenient for you
to have changed your course so far us to have
called and spent one or two nights with us
Had you known that the blood was now settled
under my Nails that there is but a hair breadth
between me & death you would not have
passed — But aside from all fillial affections
you have a pecuniary Intrest which to say the
least is as permanant as any other you may
possess and which to do justice to your self &
family you ought to look at 3 or 4 times a
a year in my feeble and helpless state
But again say these requests could not be
complied with — Was it too much for your
parents to expect that while gliding on the
Hudson you would drop a line at Newburgh
Page
3
I have only further to add that our
anxiety to ^see^ you is great and if I should
live it would be one of our greatest
Earthly consolutions to have a visit
from you before you go west —
Give our affectionate love to
our dear Frances and all the chil-
dren — Tell them I know not the day
nor the hour when our heavenly father
will call me home but should be
glad to see them all once more
Affectionately yours
Samuel S Seward
My ever dear W H Seward
Page
4
William H Seward
Gov State New York
Albany
Per A Seward
h
Saml S. Seward
July 12. 1841
Florida 12 July 1841
My dear Henry
A short visit from Augustus Seward
Birth: 1826-10-01 Death: 1876-09-11
affords mean opportunity of addressing a line to you
The natural propensity of aged parents is
to communicate freely & frequently with
their absent children — Nothing could
prevent my doing so but the known distracted
hurried confused and irregular life which
you live — I know well that all I would say
would be adding anxiety to confusion
I feel myself however compelled to say that
I have for months past suffered every few
days the most severe turns of sickness even
to the borders of the grave. In many of which
I have had no inclinations to live — Think
you how much an affectionate father must
suffer from the desire to see a beloved son
in the days of those sore afflictions — My dear
child you cannot comprehend it
These Anxieties are immensely inhansed
if connected with an impression that they are
neglected — You have passed up & down the
Hudson a number of times since you ^left^ us wood
it not have ^be^ possible if not convenient for you
to have changed your course so far us to have
called and spent one or two nights with us
Had you known that the blood was now settled
under my Nails that there is but a hair breadth
between me & death you would not have
passed — But aside from all fillial affections
you have a pecuniary Intrest which to say the
least is as permanant as any other you may
possess and which to do justice to your self &
family you ought to look at 3 or 4 times a
a year in my feeble and helpless state
But again say these requests could not be
complied with — Was it too much for your
parents to expect that while gliding on the
Hudson you would drop a line at Newburgh
I have only further to add that our
anxiety to ^see^ you is great and if I should
live it would be one of our greatest
Earthly consolutions to have a visit
from you before you go west —
Give our affectionate love to
our dear Frances and all the chil-
dren — Tell them I know not the day
nor the hour when our heavenly father
will call me home but should be
glad to see them all once more
Affectionately yours
Samuel S Seward
My ever dear W H Seward
William H Seward
Gov State New York
Albany
Per A Seward
h
Hand Shift
Birth: 1820-03-09 Death: 1893-07-07Samuel Blatchford
July 12. 1841