Frances Adeline Seward

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Frances Adeline Miller Seward was born in 1805, the daughter of Judge Elijah Miller and Hannah Foote Miller. She married New York politician William Henry Seward on October 20, 1824 after meeting in 1821. In his lifetime, William had served as Governor of New York, a senator from New York and United States Secretary of State under Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson. The couple raised six children: Augustus Henry Seward (1826-1876), Frederick William Seward (1830-1915), Cornelia Seward (1835-1836), William Henry Seward, Jr. (1839-1920) Olive Risley Seward (1841-1908 adopted) and Frances Adeline "Fanny" Seward (1844-1866).

On April 14, 1865, William H. Seward and three of her children, Frederick, Augustus and Fanny, were injured in an assassination attempt on her husband in their house. The man responsible for this ordeal was Lewis Powell a.k.a. Lewis Paine, an associate of John Wilkes Booth who had shot and killed President Abraham Lincoln the same day. She was at her New York home at the time and came to Washington to find blood on the walls, floors and furniture. People were running about giving medical attention to victims. This had put Frances into a state of shock and worry about her family. She thought that Frederick was to die of is injuries, although he did survive. She died on June 21, 1865 of a heart attack. The events that happened on April 14 are said to have quickened her death. Later on in her life she also became depressed and was said to have lost the will to live.

Preceded by Dolly Newell Marcy

First Lady of New York 1839–1843

Succeeded by Catharine Lawyer Bouck