Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, February 2, 1840

  • Posted on: 11 January 2018
  • By: admin
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, February 2, 1840
x

transcriber

Transcriber:spp:cnk

student editor

Transcriber:spp:srr

Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive

Institution:University of Rochester

Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections

Date:1840-02-02

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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, February 2, 1840

action: sent

sender: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24  Death: 1865-06-21

location: Albany, NY

receiver: Lazette Worden
Birth: 1803-11-01  Death: 1875-10-03

location: Canandaigua, NY

transcription: cnk 

revision: crb 2017-03-27

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Page 1

Sunday night Feb. 2nd1840
My dearest Sister,
Your letter came last night after I had been
in bed an hour whereupon I was constrained to get up and
read it as well as I could by the light of the taper
A small wax candle; or a small light • Becoming small towards one end • To diminish or become gradually smaller towards one end • To make gradually smaller in diameter •
— I
was afraid the whole time that a letter would come to
tell me of the delay of your visit, but I am so glad you
are coming at all that I will not quarrel about that —
As for Sibley's
Birth: 1796-11-06 Death: 1852-09-08
telling us that Worden
Birth: 1797-03-06 Death: 1856-02-16
was not coming he
did not seem aware of the fact, for Henry
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
says he (Henry)
told him yesterday that Worden was coming next week
which Sibley did not contradict — We have a letter from
Jennings
Birth: 1793-08-23 Death: 1841-02-24
in which he says he shall be at Auburn the last
of this week —Henry says his business will probably detain
him there a week - he will then come here - now as
you both seem to have fixed upon the same time for
you visit at Auburn, your sojourn there and your
journey here — I think it will be exceedingly appropriate
for you to come together - let me know what you
think of it that I may write to him — One week of toil
has passed – three dinners are disposed of — Upon the
whole we get along, with the assistance of Mrs Johnson
Birth: 1790
&
Bill Taylor
Birth: 1797 Death: 1872-09-13
as comfortably as could be expected — Mrs Johnson
says she has been out of office since the death of Clinton
Birth: 1769-03-02 Death: 1828-02-11

never having been employed by a Governor since until now
Page 2

she is an adept in her profession and a well loved agreeable woman
(of colour) — Bill takes no small credit to himself that
the dinners are well spoken of by the public and I take
very few of the compliments to myself which are bestowed
upon my good management —– Tuesday Pa
Birth: 1772-04-11 Death: 1851-11-13
stayed at home
to dine saying he should do so but once —Friday he and
Frankenstein
Birth: 1817-12-19 Death: 1881-04-16
took a lunch at one oclock and walked off
not returning until 8 in the evening after the guests
had all departed —– Thursday we were invited to a party
at Mrs Patchin's
Birth: 1812-05-03 Death: 1898-05-18
—– I declined. Henry went for an hour
found a large company and small rooms - a land of
music - dancing - supper - et cetera —– For my own part
I wrapped myself up and went off in the afternoon
to Mrs. Horner's
Birth: 1813 Death: 1873-04-29
in a state af of disgust occasioned by living
in this old house without any roof which I think
rather worse than a house with "three walls" — Our
dining room was afloat and we expecting 30 men to dinner
the next day — The closet attached to my room was
filled with water – every thing in it obliged to be
moved out - Blatchford's
Birth: 1820-03-09 Death: 1893-07-07
room and the office both
deluged – woe unto all carpets and paper hangings
in such a house as this — I stayed half an hour at
Mrs. Horners and then went to see Harriet Weed
Birth: 1819-02-06 Death: 1893-11-01
, her mother
Birth: 1797 Death: 1858-07-03

being gone to Chenango – then I stayed to tea for the first
time since I have been here – Freddy
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
was with me —– Henry
dined that day with Mr Stephenson
Birth: 1788-11-25 Death: 1852-07-03
- called for me on his way
Page 3

home previous to going to Mrs Patchins — I came home and
found the waters not abated but Jack Frost put a stop
to this career that night - all was frozen stiff the next
morning and has continued so ever since — Bill and
York
Birth: 1811 Death: 1882-07-06
put down the carpet and had every thing in readiness
at the appointed time – the dinner was just as much
enjoyed as though it had not made any trouble —
Saturday I had neuralgia
A disease, the chief symptom of which is a very acute pain, exacerbating or intermitting, which follows the course of a nervous branch, extends to its ramifications, and seems therefore to be seated in the nerve •
enough to make me stay
at home so I sent for Mrs Horner to spend the day
with me – she came and brought the little girls
x Birth: 1833  Death:   Birth: 1834  Death: 1900-02-05 
with her
She stayed until eight oclock — I forgot to mention that
Friday "Mrs Emma Willard
Birth: 1787-02-23 Death: 1870-04-15
" (her card) called to see
me and insisted upon doing so though I had given
York direction to say I was not well —– She sent me her
card and said I would not be ceremonious with her —– I
was down in the kitchen dressing celary and had not even
combed my hair since morning – but I could not well refuse
to see her so I went up — She has changed very much for
the worse in her personal appearance - looks old and coarse
she had been in but a few moments when other visitors
were announced and as she had put it out of my power to deny
myself I of course admitted them – she sat but a few
moments after this entrance – apologized for John’s
Birth: 1810-09-28 Death: 1883-03-29
wife
Birth: 1809-08-31 Death: 1883-06-26

not calling – urged me to visit her and departed
Monday morning — Blatchford is quite ill to day – he had severe
chills all night and this morning much fever – if he is
not better tomorrow I shall insist upon his having medical
advice. I feel very anxious about him – Let me know if
you will come with Jennings – also about funds – shall I send a check
to Auburn or Canandaigua – in haste your own Sister
Page 4

Mrs Alvah Worden
Canandaigua
ALBANY
FEB
3
N.Y.
x

Stamp

Type: postmark

Hand Shiftx

Lazette Worden

Birth: 1803-11-01 Death: 1875-10-03
1840