A. F. Seward

Frances Adeline Seward, born in 1844, was the youngest child and only daughter of William H. Seward, who served as Secretary of State. Despite her prominent family background and her father's high-profile political career, she experienced a relatively private life, largely remaining at home with her mother in Auburn, New York. She received a progressive education and harbored literary ambitions, aiming to become a writer. During the Civil War, she resided with her father in Washington D.C., becoming his close companion.

Seward is particularly remembered for her extensive diary, which she kept throughout the Civil War. This personal record offered detailed insights into the social and political atmosphere of Washington during the Lincoln administration. Her life was tragically cut short when she died of tuberculosis at the age of 21 in 1866. Her writings are preserved in the University of Rochester's Rare Books and Special Collections.

Born in Auburn, New York, Frances Adeline Seward was the daughter of William H. Seward, a significant political figure who would serve as Secretary of State. Her mother, Frances Adeline Miller Seward, was the daughter of a judge and an abolitionist. Frances received an education that encouraged intellectual pursuits, and she aspired to a career in writing. Her mother's frequent illnesses kept the family largely at their Auburn home. When her father took on the role of Secretary of State in 1861, a sixteen-year-old Frances moved to Washington D.C. with him, becoming his primary domestic companion. She was recognized for her sensitivity and early maturity, expressing her literary desires through both fiction and poetry.

Frances Seward is most noted for her voluminous diary, a chronicle of her experiences during the American Civil War. This personal document provided an intimate perspective on the social and political environment of Washington D.C. while her father was a key figure in President Lincoln's administration. Her presence in the capital allowed her to observe and record the events of the era firsthand. The diary serves as a valuable historical artifact, offering a unique viewpoint from within the highest levels of government during a tumultuous period in American history.

On April 14, 1865, Frances Seward was present in her father's bedroom in Washington D.C. during an attempted assassination by Lewis Powell, an associate of John Wilkes Booth. Powell's attack was part of a larger conspiracy targeting the nation's leadership. Frances witnessed the assault on her brother, Frederick, and then confronted Powell as he entered her father's room. She was thrown aside as Powell attacked Secretary Seward, stabbing him repeatedly. Frances and Sergeant George Robinson immediately worked to provide aid to her father and the other injured individuals. While all five men injured that night survived, the traumatic event and its subsequent impact on her mother's health, who died months later, likely added to the difficult circumstances of the time.