Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, September 1, 1839
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, September 1,
1839
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:dxt
student editorTranscriber:spp:crb
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1839-09-01
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, September 1, 1839
action: sent
sender: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: Auburn, NY
receiver: Lazette Worden
Birth: 1803-11-01
Death: 1875-10-03
location: Canandaigua, NY
transcription: dxt
revision: crb 2017-03-22
<>
Page
1
Sunday Sep 1st 1839
My dearest Sister
I begin to feel uneasy about you
having no letter this week. You have before this heard
of the death of Mr Lucas
as well as his own family. Although I had begun to
despair of his recovery his death was very unexpected
as we had been the last week hearing constantly that
he was better. Wednesday morning Bishop De Lancey
breakfast with him. he felt unusually well and said he
hoped to be able to preach in a few months. after the
departure of the Bishop he sent for a wagon to ride
as was his custom every day when he was sufficiently
well. the wagon could not be had until after dinner
so he told Mrs Lucas
and went up stairs for that purpose. She followed
him in a few minutes without knowing why. she
found him sitting on the side of his bed endeavoring
to tear open the collar of his shirt. he requested
her to open the window immediately. uttered a few
inarticulate sentences "write, write" and "palsy" were
all she could understand. after opening the window she
Page
2
flew to his side. he said "dont be alarmed" she thought
him dying and screamed for assistance but before any
one came he sank senseless in her arms. She was
alone in the house in the time with her youngest
children (Mary Jane
litte girl
of the nearest neighbors
assistance was instantly procured. he was bled
profusely. put in a warm bath and all the
usual remedies for apoplexy
without any effect. he continued to breathe with
out exhibiting any signs of conciousness until
5 oclock, when he expired. You may imagine what
an overwhelming calamity it is to his family. besides
losing a most affectionate husband and father they
are left perfectly destitute. Clara
evening I was unable to go until the next morning.
the next day I attended the funeral. Bishop De Lancey
preached the funeral sermon. Yesterday I called again
as Mrs Lucas seemed to desire it. Miss Lord
Possibly
Betsey J. Lord came
Friday night having received the intelligence of Mr Lucas
death in N. York. they all suffer exceedingly. I can
of course stay but a little while at a time but they
are never alone. Mrs Miller
first night since then until her sister came Marcia
Page
3
Hulbert
Hamilton
them) was talking with Mrs Lucas about her husbands death
he had a complication of disease which I should think were
imperfectly understood and sometimes ill managed. I doubt
whether he would have recovered though Dr Hamilton seemed to think
he would. no one apprehended apoplexy as a termination.
They can see now that he had symptoms of apoplexy but before
his death they were all called "nervous". dimness of sight
failure of memory at times &c. The attack he had in Church
while you were here last winter is now admitted to be the
first fit. I have always thought it a paralysis since
I heard how his tongue was affected. A subscription has
been taken for Mrs Lucas. I have not heard the amount. The
Vestry gave $100 of the Church funds for mourning &c
These have been the all engrossing subjects this week. I believe
Mr Lucas death is sincerely deplored by every one particulary
his own congregation who were very generally warmly attached.
his kind heart and unostentatious
among all classes.
Henry
is to remain there a week and then come home through
Catteragus and Alleghany counties. Jennings
letter at the same time. Henry met a very cordial
reception at Buffalo from all the Whigs except the Tracys
he was escorted to the steam boat by 500 fire men
uniform with lighted torches. he spoke kindly of your
affectionate welcome and seemed to think you better than
when you were here. I have this moment received your letter
I will therefore finish and send this tonight although it is
now dark. I was hoping you would feel better this cold
weather. I had a letter from Harriet Bogart
said Worden
leave Saturday. Nicholas
very nice. Nicholas has seen York Vanallen
like to come and live with me if I do not employ Jenny
he considers himself engaged to me so the man at Canandaigua can
be informed. isnt it queer about Jenny. the De Witts are
still in our house. Harriet Weed
her everyday. How I do want you to see Willie's
face you will hardly know him when you come. the
Page
4
next time I write I will make some arrangement about your coming
out as the time of our departure draws nigh. Clara will go
with me I think for a visit. Tell Frances
grow finely and are very pretty only think we have 7 of them
the silk worms have not accomplished much one is dead
one lost, one has made a very small cocoon and gone
to sleep another has crawled under the server and spins
some but we dare not move it to see how much, the
last one has commenced his winding sheet today. Augustus
takes me in the wagon with his pony wherever I go he will make
a good driver in time I think. I shall expect Henry this week
before he leaves shall make some arrangement about going to Albany
Mary Sherwood is to be married Teusday we are all invited to the
wedding. All send abundance of love to you & Frances. your own Sister
Mrs Alvan Worden
Canandaigua
AUBURN NY
SEP 1
Type: postmark
Sunday Sep 1st 1839
My dearest Sister
I begin to feel uneasy about you
having no letter this week. You have before this heard
of the death of Mr Lucas
Birth: 1799 Death: 1839-08-25
. he is
a great loss to the churchas well as his own family. Although I had begun to
despair of his recovery his death was very unexpected
as we had been the last week hearing constantly that
he was better. Wednesday morning Bishop De Lancey
Birth: 1797-10-08 Death: 1865-04-05
tookbreakfast with him. he felt unusually well and said he
hoped to be able to preach in a few months. after the
departure of the Bishop he sent for a wagon to ride
as was his custom every day when he was sufficiently
well. the wagon could not be had until after dinner
so he told Mrs Lucas
Birth: 1794-01-12 Death: 1876-05-12
he would lie down a whileand went up stairs for that purpose. She followed
him in a few minutes without knowing why. she
found him sitting on the side of his bed endeavoring
to tear open the collar of his shirt. he requested
her to open the window immediately. uttered a few
inarticulate sentences "write, write" and "palsy" were
all she could understand. after opening the window she
flew to his side. he said "dont be alarmed" she thought
him dying and screamed for assistance but before any
one came he sank senseless in her arms. She was
alone in the house in the time with her youngest
children
Birth: 1834-12-16
Death: 1903-05-21
Birth: 1829-08-24
Death: 1911-01-12
Birth: 1826 Death: 1896
having gone to the druggists) and
alitte girl
Unknown
of 12 or 13 years. her
cries alarmed someof the nearest neighbors
Unknown
who ran in medicalassistance was instantly procured. he was bled
profusely. put in a warm bath and all the
usual remedies for apoplexy
A form of disease characterized by the sudden dimunition or loss of
sensation and voluntary motion, usually caused by pressure on the brain •
were resorted towithout any effect. he continued to breathe with
out exhibiting any signs of conciousness until
5 oclock, when he expired. You may imagine what
an overwhelming calamity it is to his family. besides
losing a most affectionate husband and father they
are left perfectly destitute. Clara
Birth: 1793-05-01 Death: 1862-09-05
called thatevening I was unable to go until the next morning.
the next day I attended the funeral. Bishop De Lancey
preached the funeral sermon. Yesterday I called again
as Mrs Lucas seemed to desire it. Miss Lord
Unknown
eEditorial Note
Birth: 1802-11-27 Death: 1877-03-30
or Nancy Marvin Lord
Birth: 1798-08-26 Death: 1872-08-16
Friday night having received the intelligence of Mr Lucas
death in N. York. they all suffer exceedingly. I can
of course stay but a little while at a time but they
are never alone. Mrs Miller
Birth: 1780-09-18 Death: 1850-03-09Certainty: Possible
staid with Mrs Lucas
thefirst night since then until her sister came Marcia
Hulbert
Birth: 1810
has been with her. Yesterday when I
was there FrankHamilton
Birth: 1813-09-10 Death: 1886-08-11
who was Mr
Lucas physician (after Humphreys
Birth: 1785-05-17 Death: 1848-03-09
leftthem) was talking with Mrs Lucas about her husbands death
he had a complication of disease which I should think were
imperfectly understood and sometimes ill managed. I doubt
whether he would have recovered though Dr Hamilton seemed to think
he would. no one apprehended apoplexy as a termination.
They can see now that he had symptoms of apoplexy but before
his death they were all called "nervous". dimness of sight
failure of memory at times &c. The attack he had in Church
while you were here last winter is now admitted to be the
first fit. I have always thought it a paralysis since
I heard how his tongue was affected. A subscription has
been taken for Mrs Lucas. I have not heard the amount. The
Vestry gave $100 of the Church funds for mourning &c
These have been the all engrossing subjects this week. I believe
Mr Lucas death is sincerely deplored by every one particulary
his own congregation who were very generally warmly attached.
his kind heart and unostentatious
Not boastful; modest • Not glaring; not showy •
manners made friendsamong all classes.
Henry
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
last Wednesday. he reached Westfield Sunday morningis to remain there a week and then come home through
Catteragus and Alleghany counties. Jennings
Birth: 1793-08-23 Death: 1841-02-24
wrote me a longletter at the same time. Henry met a very cordial
reception at Buffalo from all the Whigs except the Tracys
Birth: 1800
Death: 1876
Birth: 1793-06-17
Death: 1859-09-12
he was escorted to the steam boat by 500 fire men
Unknown
inuniform with lighted torches. he spoke kindly of your
affectionate welcome and seemed to think you better than
when you were here. I have this moment received your letter
I will therefore finish and send this tonight although it is
now dark. I was hoping you would feel better this cold
weather. I had a letter from Harriet Bogart
Birth: 1807 Death: 1888-08-20
Thursday she said Worden
Birth: 1797-03-06 Death: 1856-02-16
was at our house in Albany there. intending to leave Saturday. Nicholas
Birth: 1801-12-24 Death: 1893-02-15
sent us a box of plums which
werevery nice. Nicholas has seen York Vanallen
Birth: 1811 Death: 1882-07-06
who says he wouldlike to come and live with me if I do not employ Jenny
Unknown
!!he considers himself engaged to me so the man at Canandaigua can
be informed. isnt it queer about Jenny. the De Witts
Birth: 1805-12-20
Death: 1842-05-05 Certainty: Possible
Birth: 1800-02-06
Death: 1868-02-07 Certainty: Possible
still in our house. Harriet Weed
Birth: 1819-02-06 Death: 1893-11-01
does not come or write. I expecther everyday. How I do want you to see Willie's
Birth: 1839-06-18 Death: 1920-04-29
little
laughingface you will hardly know him when you come. the
next time I write I will make some arrangement about your coming
out as the time of our departure draws nigh. Clara will go
with me I think for a visit. Tell Frances
Birth: 1826-12-12 Death: 1909-08-24
Freddy's
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
catsgrow finely and are very pretty only think we have 7 of them
the silk worms have not accomplished much one is dead
one lost, one has made a very small cocoon and gone
to sleep another has crawled under the server and spins
some but we dare not move it to see how much, the
last one has commenced his winding sheet today. Augustus
Birth: 1826-10-01 Death: 1876-09-11
takes me in the wagon with his pony wherever I go he will make
a good driver in time I think. I shall expect Henry this week
before he leaves shall make some arrangement about going to Albany
Mary Sherwood is to be married Teusday we are all invited to the
wedding. All send abundance of love to you & Frances. your own Sister
Mrs Alvan Worden
Canandaigua
AUBURN NY
SEP 1