Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to Frances Miller Seward, May 19, 1840
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Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to Frances Miller Seward, May 19, 1840
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:axa
student editorTranscriber:spp:mhb
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1840-05-19
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Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to Frances Miller Seward, May 19, 1840
action: sent
sender: Benjamin Seward
Birth: 1793-08-23
Death: 1841-02-24
location: Westfield, NY
receiver: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: Albany, NY
transcription: axa
revision: tap 2017-11-17
<>
Page
1
Harmony Hall
19 May 1840
My dear Sister Frances
It seems a long time since we ex-
changed a letter and whose “turn” it is to write
I am almost ashamed to acknowledge I do not
know. What wayward creautures poor mortals
are! How we falter & flag in the discharge of duty:
and occasionally rouse up as from slumber: pur-
posing to be more attentive for the future!
Prospects are that I shall have an hour
of leisure – this hour it will give me pleasure
to consecrate to: my dear Sister Frances. I
often wonder whether an hour spent in ^personal^ conver-
sation with a dear friend; or an hour occupied
in a letter and in thinking upon such friends, and
affords me the greater happiness. At this moment
I feel as if it would be a great gratification to
see and converse with you, face to face: but it
is equally true that it affords me much pleas-
ure spend the hour with you in this way.
You will expect me, perhaps to give you some
account of our domestic affairs. Well – we are doing
as the yankee people say, “nicely.” Our Jane
tidy housekeeper – and having her submissive little
sister
happy. They both seem disposed to do all they
can to promote my comfort & make them-
selves agreeable useful. And for this it is
a pleasure to me to reward them with every
little attention & privilege within my power.
Jane however is chief: her age & experience
[left Margin]
tenderest upon my heart, all the while I have been writing: still I have not that
I know of any thing special to remark. Time is soothing my feelings and
accommodating me
to my circumstances.
But my thoughts and
my affections are
as busy as ever: & am
happy to be able to say
that I enjoy
the same
sweet sense
of the goodness
the supporting grace
of my indulgent
Heavenly Father
that, I believe I
have mentioned to
you before. My
hope ^is^ & it is my
comfort also, that the
trial sent now is do-
ing its intended work
upon my heart and
life: my joys have
been greatly increased
& my confidence
strengthened. Oh how
much I would love to
converse with you & tell
you things my pen cannot
indict.
Page
2
fits her to take the lead in the family – and
her kindness makes it a pleasure to all, to
comply with her wishes & obey her commands.
Clarence
never trod over the line but once: for this he
became penitent in an hour – begged his cous-
ins forgiveness & besaught her to intercede
with me to save him from my displeasure.
Thus was the way prepared to reconcile all
parties & introduce greater circumspection.
Johnny
Wm Finn
the office, are quiet spirited & submissive
inmates and so it is we live in the enjoy-
ment of a harmony, which, as far as it is
uncommon, calls for corresponding gratitude
& thankfulness to our heavenly Father.
Yesterday Mr
of hours with us, at tea time – & it seemed a
delightful little visit to all. But I was ready
to exclaim forty times – what a mis-match
this is: Mrs Dixon is a lady. Our girls
are delighted with the condescending goodness
of this dear woman – and indeed they are
altogether pleased with the society of the place.
Our little Smith
with the family of Rumseys– doing little &
paying little – whereat the Col.
very uneasy. Smith is half his time
silly & the other half complaining & stupid.
Poor little fellow – his brightness & his
amiability
of his wife
heart – & I feel provoked with him – but
all has been kindness between us thus far.
How we are to come out, I see not as yet.
Mr. Huse
old pattern, as far as I see—but it is said
[left Margin]
The lord bless you – Thou responsible mother of three darling boys; embryo immor-
tals God help you to train them up to sustain their Fathers house – for usefulness
Page
3
I know not upon what authority that he is to
be married – but for myself I should sooner
think of his joining the shaking quakers: that
seems at least practicable – the other, hardly.
Still I do not forget Popes
“There swims no goose so gray but soon or late
She finds some honest gander for her mate.”
The ladies of your acquaintance are well in
the village – offer enquiries kindly after you and
wonder if you will not visit Westfield this
summer – but dear me! Caturaugus woods
still lie there yet, & cut off, I fear all hope
of such a pleasure. But they were, I believe
a greater terror to Mrs Worden
By the way – how does the dear lady do
– have you had her society all winter? is she
still with you – and Frances
is she well and has she learned Gov.
Sewards
the [ pi ]
Reason: holeano? Dear me! how much I
would love to pop in and steal a
kiss apiece from you, all round!
Give my very kindest regards to Mrs W.
Uncle Cary
in Massachusetts, by the last accounts – of this
I am glad. Freddy will be the better for it
and you will be the better - & Henry if he
could be with you. You are preparing and
perhaps, gone to Orange County & the City &
the Island, ere this – and by & by may be ex-
pected, I would hope, to spend a few weeks
or months in that village, which by this
time, you are prepared to call the loveliest
of the plain – sweet Auburn: and I am
hoping that I may have the happiness of
seeing a little of you during the while.
But I do not know —
I seldom hear much from Florida —
they are you k[ n ]
Reason: ow
, slow about writing.
[left Margin]
love and happiness hereafter! I long for the day – when the united in love
shall separate no more — May you and all yours be there. B J Seward. Page
4
Will it be asking too much of you dear Sis
to give me a little account of things there:
and inform me, when it is contemplated
you will be in the city & when at Auburn.
Augustus & Aunt C
Our Augustus
vacation (August) at home—& he will be
gratified to be permitted to call on you in
the city, – he is at 47 Cliff St. – Woodruff.
I forget to mention that we are all upside
down – altering our house a little – with car-
penters & masons — Poor Jane has the worst
of it – with the dust of broken walls — Wm Finn
manages it for me – while I have hands
full and heart full to listen to complaints
of hard times in the land office.
But my paper is consumed – and I have
omitted the topick most in my mind and
Mrs Frances Seward
Care Wm H. Seward
Albany
WESTFIELD NY
MAY 20
Type: postmark
h
Jennings May 1840
Harmony Hall
19 May 1840
My dear Sister Frances
It seems a long time since we ex-
changed a letter and whose “turn” it is to write
I am almost ashamed to acknowledge I do not
know. What wayward creautures poor mortals
are! How we falter & flag in the discharge of duty:
and occasionally rouse up as from slumber: pur-
posing to be more attentive for the future!
Prospects are that I shall have an hour
of leisure – this hour it will give me pleasure
to consecrate to: my dear Sister Frances. I
often wonder whether an hour spent in ^personal^ conver-
sation with a dear friend; or an hour occupied
in a letter and in thinking upon such friends, and
affords me the greater happiness. At this moment
I feel as if it would be a great gratification to
see and converse with you, face to face: but it
is equally true that it affords me much pleas-
ure spend the hour with you in this way.
You will expect me, perhaps to give you some
account of our domestic affairs. Well – we are doing
as the yankee people say, “nicely.” Our Jane
Unknown
is atidy housekeeper – and having her submissive little
sister
Unknown
here for company, they are both contented
&happy. They both seem disposed to do all they
can to promote my comfort & make them-
selves agreeable useful. And for this it is
a pleasure to me to reward them with every
little attention & privilege within my power.
Jane however is chief: her age & experience
[left Margin]
tenderest upon my heart, all the while I have been writing: still I have not that
I know of any thing special to remark. Time is soothing my feelings and
accommodating me
to my circumstances.
But my thoughts and
my affections are
as busy as ever: & am
happy to be able to say
that I enjoy
the same
sweet sense
of the goodness
the supporting grace
of my indulgent
Heavenly Father
that, I believe I
have mentioned to
you before. My
hope ^is^ & it is my
comfort also, that the
trial sent now is do-
ing its intended work
upon my heart and
life: my joys have
been greatly increased
& my confidence
strengthened. Oh how
much I would love to
converse with you & tell
you things my pen cannot
indict.
fits her to take the lead in the family – and
her kindness makes it a pleasure to all, to
comply with her wishes & obey her commands.
Clarence
Birth: 1828-10-07 Death: 1897-07-24
, so far as I know or mistrust,
hasnever trod over the line but once: for this he
became penitent in an hour – begged his cous-
ins forgiveness & besaught her to intercede
with me to save him from my displeasure.
Thus was the way prepared to reconcile all
parties & introduce greater circumspection.
Johnny
Unknown
& MaryUnknown
are willing &
attentive as ever.Wm Finn
Unknown
& AbbottUnknown
– a young clerk inthe office, are quiet spirited & submissive
inmates and so it is we live in the enjoy-
ment of a harmony, which, as far as it is
uncommon, calls for corresponding gratitude
& thankfulness to our heavenly Father.
Yesterday Mr
Birth: 1787-07-23 Death: 1875-04-19
& Mrs Dixon
Birth: 1804 Death: 1858-03-10
spent a coupleof hours with us, at tea time – & it seemed a
delightful little visit to all. But I was ready
to exclaim forty times – what a mis-match
this is: Mrs Dixon is a lady. Our girls
are delighted with the condescending goodness
of this dear woman – and indeed they are
altogether pleased with the society of the place.
Our little Smith
Birth: 1807-05-13 Death: 1864-07-29
& family are
boardingwith the family of Rumseys– doing little &
paying little – whereat the Col.
Birth: 1785-06-01 Death: 1873-07-31
is
becomingvery uneasy. Smith is half his time
silly & the other half complaining & stupid.
Poor little fellow – his brightness & his
amiability
Worthy of love; deserving of affection; lovely; loveable • Pretending or showing love •
cannot save him. When I think of his wife
Birth: 1815-06 Death: 1906-12-31
, I pity her from the bottom
of myheart – & I feel provoked with him – but
all has been kindness between us thus far.
How we are to come out, I see not as yet.
Mr. Huse
Birth: 1781 Death: 1863-03-04
keeps along just after the
old pattern, as far as I see—but it is said
[left Margin]
The lord bless you – Thou responsible mother of three darling boys
Birth: 1839-06-18
Death: 1920-04-29
Birth: 1830-07-08
Death: 1915-04-25
Birth: 1826-10-01
Death: 1876-09-11
tals God help you to train them up to sustain their Fathers house – for usefulness
I know not upon what authority that he is to
be married – but for myself I should sooner
think of his joining the shaking quakers: that
seems at least practicable – the other, hardly.
Still I do not forget Popes
Birth: 1688-05-10 Death: 1744-05-30
maxim“There swims no goose so gray but soon or late
She finds some honest gander for her mate.”
The ladies of your acquaintance are well in
the village – offer enquiries kindly after you and
wonder if you will not visit Westfield this
summer – but dear me! Caturaugus woods
still lie there yet, & cut off, I fear all hope
of such a pleasure. But they were, I believe
a greater terror to Mrs Worden
Birth: 1803-11-01 Death: 1875-10-03
than to you.By the way – how does the dear lady do
– have you had her society all winter? is she
still with you – and Frances
Birth: 1826-12-12 Death: 1909-08-24
my nieceis she well and has she learned Gov.
Sewards
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
quick step for me yet,
uponthe [ pi ]
Supplied
would love to pop in and steal a
kiss apiece from you, all round!
Give my very kindest regards to Mrs W.
Uncle Cary
Birth: 1787-08-11 Death: 1869-06-20
says you were
visitingin Massachusetts, by the last accounts – of this
I am glad. Freddy will be the better for it
and you will be the better - & Henry if he
could be with you. You are preparing and
perhaps, gone to Orange County & the City &
the Island, ere this – and by & by may be ex-
pected, I would hope, to spend a few weeks
or months in that village, which by this
time, you are prepared to call the loveliest
of the plain – sweet Auburn: and I am
hoping that I may have the happiness of
seeing a little of you during the while.
But I do not know —
I seldom hear much from Florida —
they
Birth: 1769-11-27
Death: 1844-12-11
Birth: 1768-12-05
Death: 1849-08-24
Supplied
[left Margin]
love and happiness hereafter! I long for the day – when the united in love
shall separate no more — May you and all yours be there. B J Seward.
Will it be asking too much of you dear Sis
to give me a little account of things there:
and inform me, when it is contemplated
you will be in the city & when at Auburn.
Augustus & Aunt C
Birth: 1793-05-01 Death: 1862-09-05
will be glad I am
sure.Our Augustus
Birth: 1820-05-18 Death: 1889-05-08
expects to spend the nextvacation (August) at home—& he will be
gratified to be permitted to call on you in
the city, – he is at 47 Cliff St. – Woodruff.
I forget to mention that we are all upside
down – altering our house a little – with car-
penters & masons — Poor Jane has the worst
of it – with the dust of broken walls — Wm Finn
manages it for me – while I have hands
full and heart full to listen to complaints
of hard times in the land office.
But my paper is consumed – and I have
omitted the topick most in my mind and
Mrs Frances Seward
Care Wm H. Seward
Albany
WESTFIELD NY
MAY 20
Stamp
h
Hand Shift
Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21