Fanny’s Family

Who was Fanny if not a central part of her family unit? Fanny’s family meant the world to her, and she to them. Her main role as a Seward was as a source of comfort to those around her, especially her father. Fanny was closer to some members of her family than others, but all her relationships were positive. In her diary, Fanny highlights her position in and opinions of her family. She was seen as a sweet, innocent, youngest child who was often a point of pride and joy. Fanny and her father particularly had an endearing relationship. He showed his support and love for her throughout her diary and the letters between them.

As a kind, well-positioned woman of her time, Fanny did not speak poorly of most people, even in her diary. She sometimes disagreed with people but never wrote negatively about her family members. She clearly respected her parents, adored her brothers and sister-in-laws, and reflected many of their values in her own beliefs.

Immediate Relatives

Fanny was born into a close-knit family that depended on all its members. Her home in Auburn, NY was built by her maternal grandfather, Judge Elijah Miller, in 1816. Grandpa Miller invited his mother and sister to live with him after his wife, Hannah, passed away. Fanny’s grandma died of the same disease that eventually took her life, as well. This older generation raised Fanny’s mother and Aunt Lazette when they were children.

Meanwhile, Fanny’s father was born into a large farming family in Florida, NY. His little sister, Cornelia, attended the same school as Fanny’s mother, Frances. Fanny’s parents met each other through this mutual connection. Seward moved to Auburn to work for Grandpa Miller in 1822 and married Frances a couple years later. He moved into Grandpa Miller’s house, as this was a wedding stipulation. Frances and Seward (or Henry) then had five children: Augustus, Frederick, Cornelia, Will Jr., and Fanny. At one point, five adults and two children all lived in the ten-room house.

Frances (Fanny’s mother): Frances and Fanny shared the same name, Frances Adeline Seward. They were both often sick. Fanny was very aware of her mother’s often frail condition and discussed it often in her diary. Fanny's beliefs and personality were extremely similar to her mother's. At one point, she calls her mother “my affinity.” Fanny developed her strong sense of morality and black and white perspective on life from Frances. She also took on her idealism and passion for doing what was right. Just as Frances was a proponent of abolition, temperance, and women’s rights, so was Fanny. Fanny spent much of her childhood in Auburn under the watch and influence of Frances. This was because Seward was often away for political reasons. Because of her poor health, Frances directed a lot of Fanny’s education in the comfort of their home. Fanny was introduced to the same neighbors and friends that Frances would have kept, such as Martha Coffin Wright, Emily Howland, Charles Sumner, and Harriet Tubman. She wrote as her mother did, and mentions her mother’s wisdom and ability many a time.

Augustus (Fanny’s eldest brother): Gus was Fanny’s oldest brother—18 years older than her! Because of their large age gap, Fanny was not as close with Gus as she was with her younger siblings. However, she clearly had a lot of respect for him and saw him as someone she could rely on. When she was young, she received an autograph book to capture names in. Guess who was the first to sign 11-year-old Fanny’s new book?

Frederick (Fanny’s second oldest brother): Fred and Fanny also shared a big age gap— 14 years. He was also gone for a lot of Fanny’s life, since he left for college and Washington D.C. shortly after she was born. Fanny and Fred were a bit closer, though, since she spent more time in Washington when she was older. She loved her big brother, and spent a lot of time with his wife, Anna, as well. Fanny fondly mentioned how Fred and Anna always managed to give gifts that were “just the thing one wanted.”

Cornelia (Fanny’s big sister): Cornelia was born 8 years before Fanny, but the two never were able to meet each other. Sadly, Cornelia passed away from smallpox a few months after being born. Her death may have affected how fond the Sewards were over their eventual surviving daughter.

Will Jr. (Fanny’s closest brother): 5 years older than her, Will Jr. was Fanny’s closest sibling. The two grew up together in Auburn, and Fanny was very affected by Will’s circumstances. She enjoyed skating on the lake with him and became depressed and worried when he joined the Union army. She became close with his wife, Jenny, and doted over his children. Fanny was very proud of her brother and wrote letters to him throughout her life. Will was the last person Fanny wrote to before she passed away.

William Henry Seward (Fanny’s father): Fanny and her father had a very special bond. She was his favorite child, and their love for each other can be felt through their written words. Seward was a loving father in many aspects to all his children, and tried to teach them as much as possible. He taught them what was right and wrong, how to be kind to animals, how to live as a proper member of society, and how to think for themselves. Especially protective of Fanny, he set aside money when she was born so that she would never have to marry for money. He encouraged her to follow her dream of writing and argued for her interests against other important men in conversation. When Fanny had no one to go with her to a party, Seward went with her. When Fanny made a social mistake, Seward was there to smooth things over. He encouraged her to read as much as possible and gifted her books and presents throughout her life. After losing the race to be president, Seward brought Fanny with him on the campaign route. They travelled the country stumping for Lincoln. He wanted to expand her view of the world, and planned to take her to Europe on a trip after the end of the Civil War. He enjoyed corresponding with her more than anyone else, and relied on her comforting letters through the rough years of the early 1860s. After nearly dying in a carriage accident, the first thing Seward asked when he saw Fanny was whether or not she was ok.

Fanny adored her father as much as he did her. She set him on a pedestal and all other men in her life paled in comparison. When Seward would leave for long periods of time, Fanny would cry and make him loving presents. She recorded as many conversations from him that she could remember, and she listened to his words of wisdom. She trusted her father and knew he had her best interests in mind at all times. Even as she grew more ill, she refused to tell her father about how sick she was. Fanny never wanted to worry her father or put more stress on him. Fanny’s world opened around her because of her relationship with her father.

Extended Family

Fanny’s family was large, and she wrote about visiting cousins and uncles and aunts throughout her diary. She was very close with her sister-in-laws, Anna and Jenny, and her Aunty Lazette. She also talked about her Aunt Clara, Uncle George, and cousins Fannie Seward, Samuel Seward, and Clarence Seward. Fanny thought well of Clarence's wife, Carrie, and their daughter Allie. Of course, she spoke nicely about everyone. Fanny celebrated her family's weddings, children, generosity, and bravery. It was very important for families to support each other, and big households were very common. There weren’t many systems of support to fall back on besides the family unit. The heavy loss of life around the Civil War would have brought relatives even closer. The Sewards and Millers cared about their extended family, but this was not uncommon.

Another member of Fanny’s “family” was a young girl named Margaret Stewart. She would have been very close in age to Fanny and probably studied and played with her around the house. Margaret was the niece, or perhaps secret daughter, of Harriet Tubman. Aunt Lazette and Frances cared for her during the Civil War when Harriet travelled south to be a spy and nurse. This extreme trust in the Seward family shows the closeness between Lazette, Frances, and Harriet. Although Fanny never mentioned Margaret in her writings, she was almost certainly a part of her everyday life in the early-mid 1860s. During these years, Fanny started to write less about her time in Auburn and more about Washington, which adds to this theory. Fanny would not have written about Margaret, Harriet, or the Underground Railroad because of the danger. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 made the Seward's UGGR stop illegal. If discovered, they would have been fined and Seward may have been removed from office. There was even more at stake for Margaret, Harriet, and other freedom-seekers. Dangers included re-enslavement or death. Fanny would not have put her friends and family at risk by writing about secret information. Death and war surrounded Fanny's life, and she knew what was worth protecting.

After Fanny passed away in 1866, her father was very upset. He called the event his “great unspeakable sorrow.” No longer could he take his beloved daughter around the world as he had once promised. After retiring from politics in 1869, Seward took another young girl named Olive Risley on his final major travelling trip. Olive was the daughter of a family friend, and she was similar in age to Fanny and wanted to be a writer. Seward and Olive roamed the world, and he officially adopted her while they were in China. Olive wrote about their adventures since Seward was quite old. She helped him finish his travel memoirs and autobiography in the early 1870s. Olive filled part of the hole in Fanny’s father’s heart where she had once been.