William Seward

Extracted Attributes

• Born

  1801-05-16

• Died

  1872-10-10

• Education

  Union College (graduated 1820)

• Full Name

  William Henry Seward

• Birthplace

  Florida, New York, U.S.

• Legal Innovation

  Pioneered the insanity defense in the trial of William Freeman

• Major Achievement

  Alaska Purchase (1867) for $7.2 million

• Political Affiliations

  Anti-Masonic Party, Whig Party, Republican Party

Timeline

• Born in Florida, Orange County, New York. (Source: Britannica)

  1801-05-16

• Elected to the New York State Senate as an Anti-Mason. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1830-01-01

• Inaugurated as the Governor of New York, serving two terms until 1843. (Source: Britannica)

  1839-01-01

• Began his first term as a United States Senator from New York. (Source: Britannica)

  1849-03-04

• Lost the Republican presidential nomination to Abraham Lincoln at the Chicago Convention. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1860-05-16

• Appointed U.S. Secretary of State by President Abraham Lincoln. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1861-03-05

• Seriously wounded in an assassination attempt by Lewis Powell as part of the plot that killed Lincoln. (Source: Web Search (PubMed Central))

  1865-04-14

• Signed the treaty with Russia for the purchase of the Alaska Territory. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1867-03-30

• Died at his home in Auburn, New York, at the age of 71. (Source: NPS.gov)

  1872-10-10

William H. Seward

William Henry Seward (; May 16, 1801 – October 10, 1872) was an American politician who served as United States Secretary of State from 1861 to 1869 and earlier served as governor of New York and as a United States senator. A determined opponent of the spread of slavery in the years leading up to the American Civil War, he was prominent in the Republican Party in its formative years and was praised for his work on behalf of the Union as Secretary of State during the Civil War. He also negotiated the treaty for the United States to purchase the Alaska Territory. Seward was born in 1801 in the village of Florida, in Orange County, New York, where his father was a farmer and owned slaves. He was educated as a lawyer and moved to the Central New York town of Auburn. Seward was elected to the New York State Senate in 1830 as an Anti-Mason. Four years later, he became the gubernatorial nominee of the Whig Party. Though he lost that race, Seward was elected governor in 1838 and won a second two-year term in 1840. During this period, he signed several laws that advanced the rights of and opportunities for black residents, as well as guaranteeing jury trials for fugitive slaves in the state. The legislation protected abolitionists, and he used his position to intervene in cases of freed black people who were enslaved in the South. After many years of practicing law in Auburn, he was elected by the state legislature to the U.S. Senate in 1849. Seward's strong stances and provocative words against slavery brought him hatred in the South. He was re-elected to the Senate in 1855 and soon joined the nascent Republican Party, becoming one of its leading figures. As the 1860 presidential election approached, he was regarded as the leading candidate for the Republican nomination. Several factors, including his opposition to slavery, his support for immigrants and Catholics, and his association with editor and political boss Thurlow Weed, worked against him, and Abraham Lincoln secured the presidential nomination. Although devastated by his loss, he campaigned for Lincoln, who appointed him Secretary of State after winning the election. Seward did his best to stop the southern states from seceding; once that failed, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to the Union cause. His firm stance against foreign intervention in the Civil War helped deter the United Kingdom and France from recognizing the independence of the Confederate States. He was one of the targets of the 1865 assassination plot that killed Lincoln and was seriously wounded by conspirator Lewis Powell. Seward remained in his post through the presidency of Andrew Johnson, during which he negotiated the Alaska Purchase in 1867 and supported Johnson during his impeachment. His contemporary Carl Schurz described Seward as "one of those spirits who sometimes will go ahead of public opinion instead of tamely following its footprints".

Web Search Results

• William H. Seward | US Secretary of State, Civil War Diplomat

  William H. Seward (born May 16, 1801, Florida, New York, U.S.—died October 10, 1872, Auburn, New York) was a U.S. politician, an antislavery activist in the Whig and Republican parties before the American Civil War and secretary of state from 1861 to 1869. He is also remembered for the purchase of Alaska in 1867—referred to at that time as “Seward’s Folly.” [...] Quick Facts In full: : William Henry Seward Born: : May 16, 1801, Florida, New York, U.S. Died: : October 10, 1872, Auburn, New York (aged 71) Title / Office: : United States Senate (1849-1861), United States : governor (1839-1843), New York Political Affiliation: : Republican Party : Whig Party Role In: : Alaska Purchase : American Civil War : Anti-Masonic Movement : Trent Affair See all related content

• The Attempted Assassination of William H. Seward - PubMed Central

  William Henry Seward (1801–1872) was born in Florida, New York, a small town 60 miles north of New York City (NYC) (Fig. 1). Seward graduated from Union College in Schenectady, NY in 1820 and subsequently spent time in Goshen and NYC studying law. After passing the bar examination in 1822, he joined a law practice in Auburn, a town in north-central New York State. Two years later, Seward married Frances Miller, the daughter of a local judge, and developed an early interest in politics. First elected as a State Senator in 1830 as a member of the Anti-Mason Party, he later served as Governor of the State of New York from 1839 to 1842 as a member of the Whig Party. In his 2 terms as Governor, he opposed the institution of slavery, backing a variety of legislation supporting their freedom. [...] ## CONCLUSIONS William H. Seward was the Secretary of State in 1865 in the cabinet of President Abraham Lincoln. On the night of Lincoln’s assassination, as part of a conspiracy, Seward was also attacked in an effort to destabilize the federal government. Seward survived a brutal knife attack to his head and neck, which compounded the severity of an existing mandibular fracture from an unrelated injury 9 days earlier. Seward had his facial lacerations primarily repaired and had a complicated oral splinting device placed for several weeks until his mandibular fractures healed. [...] 1.William Seward: autobiographical anecdotes. The New York Times. February 4, 1877:4. [Google Scholar] 2.Stahr W. Seward: Lincon’s Indispensable Man. Simon and Schuster; 2012. [Google Scholar] 3.Obituary: William Henry Seward. The New York Times. October 11, 1872:4. [Google Scholar] 4.The Chicago Convention. The Baltimore Sun. May 19, 1860:1. [Google Scholar] 5.Presidential and state elections. The Liberator. November 9, 1860:178. [Google Scholar] 6.The New Administration: Abraham Lincoln President of the United States. The New York Times. March 5, 1861:1. [Google Scholar] 7.The first gun fired by Fort Moultrie against Fort Sumter. The New York Times. April 13, 1861:1. [Google Scholar] 8.The Inauguration. The New York Times. March 5, 1861:1. [Google Scholar]

• William Henry Seward

  William Henry Seward was one of the foremost politicians of nineteenth century America. Seward was a New York State Senator, Governor of New York, a United States Senator, and served as Secretary of State in the Lincoln and Johnson administrations. He is credited with spearheading the purchase of the Alaskan Territory from Russia in 1867. Between his terms of service as Governor and US Senator he was a high profile attorney who pioneered the insanity defense. Seward spent his entire career guided by a few constant core beliefs; that all Americans were born equal and entitled to the same individual liberties, and that new technology and infrastructure were the key to ensuring America’s place as a world power. As a politician he tried to operate with the perfect synthesis of pragmatism and [...] Seward served with distinction and great political aptitude under Lincoln, and in the end the rivals became close colleagues. Seward was violently attacked on the night that Lincoln was shot as part of a larger conspiracy by a rogue group of Confederate sympathizers. He survived and ultimately recovered. He continued at his post under President Andrew Johnson, under whose administration Seward negotiated the purchase of Alaska, soon given the moniker “Seward’s Folly,” which is perhaps the achievement most remembered by posterity. Upon his retirement, Seward traveled the world on a grand tour which spanned 15 months and several continents. He returned home an old but satisfied elder statesman. Surrounded by his family he passed away in October of 1872 in his office. [...] Seward, now married into a wealthy and influential family, began his career. He was elected to the New York State Senate in 1831, serving until 1834. He failed at his first attempt to get elected governor, but eventually attained the office at the age of 37. After two two-year terms as governor Seward concentrated on his legal practice, increasing his notoriety even more. He negotiated a massive arbitration program on behalf of the Holland Land Company that settled a mortgage crisis affecting the western half of New York State. Seward also became known for his pro bono work on behalf of those no other attorney would defend. After his use of the insanity defense in the trial of William Freeman, Seward was known as a great advocate for the defenseless with a sharp legal mind.

• William H. Seward | Research Starters - EBSCO

  Research Starters Home EBSCO Knowledge Advantage TM # William H. Seward William H. Seward was an influential American politician and lawyer, best known for his role as Secretary of State under President Abraham Lincoln. Born into a family of English ancestry in 1801, he pursued a law career after his education at Union College. Seward's political career began in New York as he became involved with the National Republican Party and later the Whig Party, where he gained recognition for his opposition to slavery and advocacy for economic improvements. He served as Governor of New York before moving to the U.S. Senate, where he became a prominent figure in the antislavery movement, famously arguing for a "higher law" than the Constitution that opposed the spread of slavery. [...] Taylor, John M. William Henry Seward: Lincoln’s Right Hand. New York: HarperCollins, 1991. Balanced, straightforward biography, focusing on Seward’s relationship with Lincoln. Describes Seward’s handling of the Trent affair and John Wilkes Booth’s assault on Seward the night Booth assassinated Lincoln. Van Deusen, Glyndon G. William Henry Seward. New York: Oxford University Press, 1967. The best one-volume biography. Van Deusen is sympathetic to but rarely uncritical of Seward, whom he views as a man both unprincipled and practical. [...] Published in: 2023 By: Ostrower, Gary B. Go to EBSCOhost and sign in to access more content about this topic. ## William H. Seward American politician and diplomat Born: May 16, 1801 Birthplace: Florida, New York Died: October 10, 1872 Place of death: Auburn, New York After John Quincy Adams, Seward had the broadest vision of any secretary of state in U.S. history. As an antislavery leader who helped to found the Republican Party during the 1850’s, he unsuccessfully challenged Abraham Lincoln for the presidential nomination in 1860 but went on to achieve his greatest triumphs as secretary of state and is remembered principally for his role in the U.S. acquisition of Alaska. ## Early Life

• William H Seward (U.S. National Park Service)

  William H. Seward became a well-established Republican politician, formerly identifying with the Whig Party, and was known for his stance against the spread of slavery. Many viewed him as the top Republican presidential candidate in 1860. Seward had a long political career including service in the New York State Senate, US Senate, and as governor of New York. Seward was so confident in the strength of his political experience that he believed it was nearly a foregone conclusion that he would secure the Republican nomination for President for the 1860 election. He was so confident in fact that he feared political overexposure was the only thing that could cost him the nomination. [...] Once it was clear that Seward would not be the nominee, he dutifully put his support behind Lincoln, campaigning on his behalf. Because of his vast experience Seward was appointed Secretary of State in 1861. As the most powerful member of Lincoln's cabinet, Seward was part of many influential decisions, including the timing of the Emancipation Proclamation. [...] An official website of the United States government Here's how you know Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( ) or means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Skip to global NPS navigation Skip to the main content Skip to the footer section National Park Service Search ## Exiting nps.gov #### Contact Us Person # William H Seward Quick Facts Significance: Secretary of State Place of Birth: Florida, NY Date of Birth: May 16, 1801 Place of Death: Auburn, NY Date of Death: October 10, 1872 Place of Burial: Auburn, NY Cemetery Name: Fort Hill Cemetery

• Award

  Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries

• Image

  

• Gender

  male

• Educated At

  Harrow School

• Instance Of

  Q5

• Occupation

  writer

• Citizenship

  Kingdom of Great Britain

• Date Of Birth

  1/1/1747

• Date Of Death

  1/1/1799