Biography

Almost another daughter to the Seward family, and a close friend to Fanny. Harriet never married. Her obituary in the Buffalo Evening News reads:
"Miss Weed devoted the 75 years of lnlife entirely to the care of her father and
his public work.
She was his secretary, his confidante and
his close friend through all the later years
of his life. She had entire charge of his
correspondence for years, and had an opportunity
such as probably no other American woman bad to know the Inside political
history of this country during the tight
against slavery mid the exciting years when
this State was the battlefield of the Masons
and the anti-Masons, the Whigs and the
Democrats, and later when the Republican
party. whose cause Mr Weed espoused,
sprung into existence and gained control of
the State.
Miss Weed was educated in Albany and
began to help her father in the thirties. As
his secretary she became acquainted with
public affairs and with many of the most
prominent men in public life. During the
year preceding the war, Mr Weed's practical,
political wisdom made him one of the
foremost fighters against slavery. All these
years Miss Weed was at her father's side,
taking charge of his extensive correspondence,
filing and indexing his letters and
documents, and writing at his dictation his
most confidential communications. Mrs.
Weed died in 1856, and Miss Weed was
thenceforth her father's support in his domestic
affairs as well as in his study.
She had charge of the management of
the house, which was almost as public as a
hotel, and constantly entertained his
friends, including Presidents. Senators,
Governors, party leaders and other prominent
men.
Miss Weed accompanied her father
abroad when he was sent by President Lincoln
in company with General Winfield
Scott. Archbishop Hughes and Bishop McIlvaine to visit Great Britain and France and
enlighten public opinion there upon the nature of the rebellion and the issues involved.
Mr. Weed, after exercising considerable
diplomatic skill, succeeded in obtaining
an interview with the Emperor
Napoleon of France, when he dissuaded
him from joining England in raising the
blockade of the Southern ports of the
United States.
Mr. Weed cordially supported President
Lincoln, for a second term. He was practically out of public life before Gen Grant
was nominated. He continued until his
death, in 1882, to write comments on political
and social topics of the day.
Mr Weed had begun an autobiography
which be left unfinished. Miss Weed completed
the work and it was published by
Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
Since then Miss Weed has devoted her
life to doing good."