Seward, William Henry, 1801-1872

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William Henry Seward was born in Florida, Orange County, New York, on May 16, 1801. He was the son of Samuel S. Seward and Mary (Jennings) Seward. He graduated from Union College in 1820, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1822. In 1823, he moved to Auburn, New York, where he entered Judge Elijah Miller's law office. He married Frances Adeline Miller, Judge Miller's daughter, in 1824. Seward was interested in politics early in his career and became actively involved in the Anti-Masonic movement after 1828. With the backing of Thurlow Weed, the Whig newspaper editor, he was elected to the New York State Senate in 1830 where he served for four years. He was nominated by the Whigs for governor in 1834, but was defeated by William L. Marcy. From 1834 to 1838 he practiced law and served as an agent for the Holland Land Company, settling claims of settlers in Chautauqua County.

In 1838 Seward was again nominated by the Whigs and this time was successful in his bid to be elected governor of New York State. He was re-elected to a second two-year term in 1840. The Seward administration was noted for making a number of internal improvements, public support of Catholic schools, resolving anti-rent disputes, and providing fugitive slaves the right of trial by jury and other means of due process. As governor, Seward acquired a reputation for being a strong advocate for free soil and abolition positions. From 1842 to 1848 he again practiced law, first in the court of chancery and later in patent cases. He also defended cases involving fugitive slave laws.

Seward resumed his political career in 1849 when he was elected to the United States Senate. There he aligned himself with the most ardent anti-slavery senators. After 1855, the Whig party merged with the Republican Party, and Seward became a leading Republican. He was passed over as the party's presidential nominee in 1856 and, in 1860, although he was the front runner, Abraham Lincoln was given the nomination. Despite his disappointment, Seward conducted a lengthy speaking tour through the West in support of the Republican ticket.

Soon after Lincoln was inaugurated in 1861, Seward was appointed Secretary of State, a position he held until 1869, serving under both President Lincoln and President Andrew Johnson. As Secretary of State Seward was a central force in the administration. The major issues he dealt with during the Civil War years were the possibility of European intervention, the outfitting of Confederate cruisers in British ports, the Trent affair and the French invasion of Mexico. He also played a major role in assisting Lincoln in writing the Emancipation Proclamation. Territorial expansion was a great interest of Seward, and in 1867 he negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia.

Seward was seriously wounded in the Lincoln assassination conspiracy, and after 1865 his health was not good. After he retired from public life, he journeyed around the world from July 1869 to September 1871. He then returned to the practice of law in Auburn, New York, until his death on October 10, 1872.

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Birth 1801-05-16

Death 1872-10-10

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