William Henry Seward

William Henry Seward. . , Family and Early Political Life , William Henry Seward was born in Florida, New York, on May 16, 1801. His father, a wealthy landowner, was a slaveholder prior to New York abolishing slavery in 1827. Seward would later become instrumental in abolishing slavery throughout the United States., Seward studied law at Union College in Schenectady and in 1822 he passed the New York bar examination. While practicing law with retired judge Elijah Miller in Auburn, he met Miller's daughter, Frances. They married in 1824 and moved into the large Miller House, where they raised five children and lived for the rest of their lives. The house is now the Seward House Museum., Soon after moving to Auburn, Seward jumped into politics. He won election to the New York state senate and was Governor of New York, before being twice elected to the U.S. Senate., While serving as U.S. Senator, Seward and his wife Frances, in violation of federal law, established an Underground Railroad safe house in their home, providing shelter for slaves traveling north to freedom. Seward forged a friendship with Harriet Tubman, a former slave and leading operative in the Underground Railroad known to many as “the Moses of her people.” He also made arrangements for Tubman to live in Auburn., In the National Spotlight , In 1860, Seward was the new Republican Party's presumed nominee for president, but, at the tumultuous party convention in Chicago, he lost to Abraham Lincoln on the third ballot. Seward went on to campaign vigorously for Lincoln, who was elected 16th President of the United States. Lincoln appointed him Secretary of State and Seward soon became Lincoln's closest cabinet adviser. Seward played an important role in the Lincoln cabinet. Seward hoped to preserve the Union and prevent the Civil War, but, following the secession of southern states, both he and Lincoln came to understand that abolition of slavery would be essential to restoring the Union., Throughout the Civil War, Seward prevented any European country from recognizing the Confederate States as an independent country, possibly preventing a world war. He contributed to the wording and the timing of the Emancipation Proclamation, and later lobbied Congress for passage of the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery., On the evening of April 14, 1865, President Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson, and Secretary of State Seward were each targeted for assassination. John Wilkes Booth succeeded in murdering Lincoln who died the following morning, but his co-conspirators failed. Seward suffered a vicious knife attack and was severely injured leaving his face permanently disfigured. Johnson's would-be assassin backed out of the plot. Johnson assumed the Office of President and Seward continued as Secretary of State., Captions , (Left) Portrait of William H. Seward, Secretary of State 1861-69. Image courtesy of Library of Congress cph. Ja23003 , Center (top to bottom) , . Seward in 1859 , . (left) Frances Adeline Miller Seward in 1844. by Henry Inman; (right) William H. Seward in 1844 by Henry Inman , . Official portrait of New York Governor William H. Seward by Chester Harding , . Seward House in Auburn, New York , . U.S. Pres. Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet, including William Seward (seated second to left), in the council chamber at the White House. Painted by F.B. Carpenter; engraved by A.H. Ritchie, 1866. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. , (Right, left to right) , . A depiction of Seward's attempted assassination from Harper's Magazine. , . Assassination of President Lincoln at Ford's Theatre 1865, H.H. Lloyd and Co. Currer and Ives, New York, This project was funded in part by the Alaska Historical Commission and a Juneau History Grant from the Juneau Douglas City Museum, City and Borough of Juneau and developed by Alaska State Parks.