William Henry Seward
Born May 16, 1801
Florida, New York
Died October 10, 1872
Auburn, New York
Secretary of state in the
Lincoln and Johnson administrations
William Henry Seward was an important political figure throughout the Civil War era. In the 1840s and 1850s, he became known as one of America's leading advocates of abolitionism (the movement to end slavery). During the war, he joined the administration of President Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865; see entry) as secretary of state and became one of the president's most trusted advisors. Seward remained in his position as secretary of state through the first years of Reconstruction (the period from 1865 to 1877 during which the Southern states were rebuilt and rejoined the United States) as well. During this period, Seward supported President Andrew Johnson (1808–1875; see entry) and his generous policies toward the South and negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia.
Growing Up in Rural New York
William Henry Seward was born in 1801 in Florida, New York, a small village in the southern region of the state. His father was Samuel Seward, a wealthy landowner who wasvery strict with young William and his five brothers and sisters. His mother was Mary Jennings, who treated her children with kindness and affection.
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