This collection (30 items) contains 27 letters that William Henry Seward wrote to James Bowen, a president of the New York and Erie Railroad. Seward's letters to Bowen, dated July 15, 1840-March 24, 1845, mostly concern New York state and national political issues. The earliest items, written during Seward's governorship, often regard political offices and potential appointments. Seward later commented on national political issues, including the "Native American question" and the 1844 presidential election, as well as on the actions of the Whig Party. This group of letters forms part of a larger, numbered series (not present).
The collection contains 3 additional items: a letter that Seward wrote to H. C. Martindale about an Indian agent, with an enclosed German-language newspaper clipping (April 7, 1849); an undated copy of a coded letter Seward sent to a correspondent in Copenhagen, Denmark; and a copy of an undated telegram Seward received from C. A. Seward.
William Henry Seward was born in Florida, New York, on May 16, 1801, the son of Samuel Sweezy Seward and Mary Jennings. After graduating from Union College in 1820, he moved to Auburn, New York, where he practiced law. Seward, a Whig, served in the New York State Senate from 1830-1834 and was governor of New York from 1839-1842. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1849 and became a prominent member of the Republican Party before losing its presidential nomination to Abraham Lincoln in 1860. Lincoln appointed Seward Secretary of State, and Seward held the office until his retirement in 1869. He and his wife, Frances Adeline Miller (1805-1865), were married in 1824 and had four surviving children: Augustus Henry (1826-1876), Frederick William (1830-1915), William Henry, Jr. (1839-1920), and Frances Adeline ("Fanny") (1844-1866). After his wife's death, Seward adopted Olive Risley (1844-1908). William Henry Seward survived an assassination attempt on April 14, 1865, and died on October 10, 1872.