Moses and William R. Seward papers

Moses Bostwick Seward was born August 3, 1801. He married Sarah Rossiter on January 12, 1831 in Richmond, Massachusetts. They moved to New Lebanon, Columbia County, New York, but moved to Rochester in 1834, making their home at 48 Alexander Street. This was shortly after the birth of their first child, William Rossiter. In Rochester, two siblings followed; Sarah Louisa in 1837 and Henry Bestwick in 1845. Henry passed away at less than a year old in 1846. In Rochester, Moses entered the booming flour milling industry, building the Shawmut Mills, the second largest mill on Brown's Race with 7 run of stone and capable of producing 400 barrels of flour per day. He was also active in local politics, being associated with the Whig party. He ran for several offices in the 4th Ward, and led the Free Soil Club in 1848. Unfortunately, Moses was the first victim of the cholera epidemic of 1852, passing away on August 1 of that year. His widow, Sarah, lived on until December 16, 1894.

William Rossiter Seward was born on February 8, 1834 in New Lebanon, New York. He soon moved to Rochester with his parents. Following his father's untimely passing in 1852, William became a clerk at the Farmers and Mechanics Bank in order to help support the family. While employed there, he married Josephine Coburn of Dracut, Massachusetts in 1862. They had two children: William Coburn in 1863 and Mary in 1870. William R. became cashier of the Bank of Monroe upon its formation in 1867, a position that associated him with Hiram Sibley. He stayed with the Bank of Monroe until 1890, following Sibley's death. He went on to become a director at both the Fidelity Trust Company and the Mechanics Savings Bank. According to his obituary, William R. Seward was noted for his philanthropy, serving as president of the Organization of Charities and as president of the Board of Directors of the State Industrial School. Josephine passed away in 1911, while William R. lived on in his home at 218 Alexander Street until he died suddenly just after his 92nd birthday on February 9, 1926.