William H. Seward letters
Collection — Folder: S1760
Identifier: S1760
Scope and Contents
This collection includes two letters written by William H. Seward while he served as United States Secretary of State. The first letter is dated November 22, 1865 and was sent to George P. March, U.S. Ambassador to Italy, as a letter of introduction for Governor Oliver P. Morton. The second letter is dated February 11, 1867 and was sent to Lieutenant Governor Conrad Baker, acting Governor of Indiana in the absence of Governor Morton, regarding Indiana's ratification of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution. The collection also contains a "Volunteer Descriptive List and Account of Pay and Clothing" for John W. Clark, a private who served in Company C, 100th Regiment Indiana Volunteers, and dated June 5, 1863.
Dates
- 1863-1867
Creator
- Seward, William Henry, 1801-1872 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical / Historical
William Henry Seward was born on May 16, 1801 in Florida, New York to Samuel and Mary Seward. He attended Farmers’ Hall Academy and Union College and studied law privately following his graduation from Union College in 1820. Seward served as a New York Senator (1830-1834), New York Governor (1839-1842), U.S. Senator (1849-1861), and U.S. Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson (1861-1869). Initially ridiculed as “Seward’s Folly,” his negotiation of the 1867 purchase of Alaska from Russia was one of his major achievements. Married to Frances Miller on October 20, 1824, he and his wife were active abolitionists throughout their lives. He passed away at the age of 71 on October 10, 1872.
Sources:
“Biographies of the Secretaries of State: William Henry Seward (1801-1872).” United States Dept. of State, Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs. Accessed November 1, 2018. https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/seward-william-henry.
Biography.com. “William Seward Biography." Last modified April 27, 2017. https://www.biography.com/people/william-seward-21010687.
Sources:
“Biographies of the Secretaries of State: William Henry Seward (1801-1872).” United States Dept. of State, Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs. Accessed November 1, 2018. https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/seward-william-henry.
Biography.com. “William Seward Biography." Last modified April 27, 2017. https://www.biography.com/people/william-seward-21010687.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2018/11/01 by Laura Eliason. EAD finding aid created 2018/11/01 by Laura Eliason.
Creator
- Seward, William Henry, 1801-1872 (Person)
- Title
- William H. Seward letters
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
