Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, July 1, 1840
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Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, July 1, 1840
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:nwh
student editorTranscriber:spp:srr
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1840-07-01
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Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, July 1, 1840
action: sent
sender: Benjamin Seward
Birth: 1793-08-23
Death: 1841-02-24
location: Westfield, NY
receiver: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: Auburn, NY
transcription: nwh
revision: tap 2017-09-06
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Page
1
Land Office
Westfield 1 July 1840
Dear Henry
Your two letters are
received – from which as well as from
other sources, I am pained to hear
of your illness: I hope it may, as you
seem to expect, be but a temporary suffering
although its continuance through so
many weeks gives me uneasiness.
No – I had not felt “surprise” at
your silence in relation to matters at
Auburn – I knew your extreme engage-
ments – and was only embarrassed with
the fear that you might think I ought
to give them more of my time – when
in fact, I know so little of what you
would have me do, that I feared to
do mischief. Your interest i[ n ]
Reason: these
I have supposed not only important
but also delicate. But I rejoice to
find that I am now to be better
instructed of what I shall do. —
I will be with you in a couple of weeks
Page
2
or if you can with equal convenience
defer it a week longer I will be glad
as I am fitting up a little addition
to my house & barn & pricing a little.
about the 20th or 22d you may expect
me, unless you express a wish to make
it earlier – but I will set off in any
four hours that will better suit your
convenience.
Our June term of court is just
over – affording favorable opportunity
to learn – and I am enabled to say
more clearly than ever, all is safe
here. I am happy in the hope
of submitting my plans to you –
when you will see more of what
my confidence has been based upon.
I wished, very much to go to
Fort Meigs last month – for my
own sake I wished it – & for yours
I did not know but I ought to have
gone : for – but supposed if you
had thought so, you would have men-
tioned it as it was, I was too busy –
It was a glorious occasion.
Love to Frances
Your grateful Brother
B
Page
3
Wm H. Seward Esq
Auburn
N.Y.
WESTFIELD
JUL
3
N.Y.
Type: postmark
h
B.J. Seward
July 1. 1840
Land Office
Westfield 1 July 1840
Dear Henry
Your two letters are
received – from which as well as from
other sources, I am pained to hear
of your illness: I hope it may, as you
seem to expect, be but a temporary suffering
although its continuance through so
many weeks gives me uneasiness.
No – I had not felt “surprise” at
your silence in relation to matters at
Auburn – I knew your extreme engage-
ments – and was only embarrassed with
the fear that you might think I ought
to give them more of my time – when
in fact, I know so little of what you
would have me do, that I feared to
do mischief. Your interest i[ n ]
Supplied
I have supposed not only important
but also delicate. But I rejoice to
find that I am now to be better
instructed of what I shall do. —
I will be with you in a couple of weeks
or if you can with equal convenience
defer it a week longer I will be glad
as I am fitting up a little addition
to my house & barn & pricing a little.
about the 20th or 22d you may expect
me, unless you express a wish to make
it earlier – but I will set off in any
four hours that will better suit your
convenience.
Our June term of court is just
over – affording favorable opportunity
to learn – and I am enabled to say
more clearly than ever, all is safe
here. I am happy in the hope
of submitting my plans to you –
when you will see more of what
my confidence has been based upon.
I wished, very much to go to
Fort Meigs last month – for my
own sake I wished it – & for yours
I did not know but I ought to have
gone : for – but supposed if you
had thought so, you would have men-
tioned it as it was, I was too busy –
It was a glorious occasion.
Love to Frances
Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21
Your grateful Brother
B
Wm H. Seward Esq
Auburn
N.Y.
WESTFIELD
JUL
3
N.Y.
Stamp
Hand Shift
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10William Seward
July 1. 1840