Anna Ferris

     Anna was born on Sunday, 8 December 1771 in Westchester County, New York. Anna married Dr. Valentine Seaman, son of Willet Seaman and Mary Searing, on 7 May 1794 in Westbury, Hempstead Town, Queens County, Long Island, New York, at the Quaker Meeting House. In a Quaker ceremony.¹ Anna's husband, Valentine, died on 27 June 1817 at the family home at 90 Beekman Street [now 21] in the leaving her a widow.² In 1834/5, she was living at 89 Madison Street in the city.³ Anna made her will on 9 February 1850 at Newburg, Orange County, New York.

In the name of God, Amen: I, Anna Seaman, of the town of Newburg, Orange County, the state of New York, (widow of the late Dr. Valentine Seaman of the City of New York) being of sound mind & disposing memory for which I am sincerely thankful to a merciful & almighty God, do make, publish, & declare this my last will & testament in a manner following that is to say - I direct that all just debts & funeral expenses be paid, among which debts is a bond & mortgage for two thousand eight hundred dollars [$2,800.00] dated on or about the first day of May 1847 & held by Stephen Bedford, & Cyrus H. Bowne, executors of the last will & testament of Peter Van Nute.
Second, I give & bequeath to my daughter-in-law, Anna Amelia Seaman, wife of my son, Valentine Seaman, all the livestock, farming utensils, household & kitchen furniture, beds, bedding, wearing apparel, silver plate & all other articles of personal property that I may die possessed of belonging to the premises of which I now reside. And I do further give & bequeath to my said daughter-in-law, the sum of ten thousand dollars [$10,000.00], to be paid to her by my executors here in after named out of that first money they shall receive from the proceeds of my estate to be sold by them as here & after mentioned all of which bequeathed are for her sole use & benefit.
Third, I hereby authorize & direct my Executors to sell & dispose of all my real estate at public or private at such time or times & upon such terms & in such manner as to them shall seem meet & to give good deeds of conveyance therefore & further to collect all debts due & owing to me at the time of my decease - to sell & transfer all shares of stock held by me in any company or companies & generally sell & dispose of all my property not here before specially bequeathed as soon after my death as the same can be done for the interest of the estate & divide the proceeds thereof after paying the ten thousand dollars herein before bequeathed & my just debts, & funeral expenses, between my five sons James V., John F., Valentine, Percival, Willett Jun., & my two daughters Anna, wife of Charleton Ferris & Elizabeth S., wife of Augustus W. Leggett, share & share alike which said shares are hereby bequeathed to my said children as aforesaid & to their heir & assigns forever.
Lastly, I hereby nominate & appoint Lindly M. Ferris of Montgomery, Orange County New York & William F. Waring of Westchester County, New York Executors of this my last will & testament hereby revoking all former wills made by me. In witness whereof I have hereby set my hand & seal this ninth day of February one thousand eight hundred fifty.
Signed, Sealed, published & Signed,
declared by said Anna Seaman Anna Seaman
as for her last will & testament
in presence of us who at her
request & in her presence & in
that of each have subscribed
our names as witnesses
Stephen Bedford, town of New Burgh, Orange County,
      Andrew Embler, town of Newburgh, Orange County. [Written 9 February 1850 & probated]

1 September 1850, Anna was listed on the U.S. Federal Census in Newburg. Enumerated in this household were Valentine Seman [49 New York], Anna [35 New York], Vernon [10 New York], John [6 New York], Lindley [3 New York], Anna [78 New York], Percival [37 New York], Hannah Seaman [55 New York], Rosa [20 New York], Julia [16 New York] & servants: Ellen Sheeler [52 Ireland], Ellen McDonald [22 Ireland], Catherine Murray [39 Ireland], Mary Sivert [14 New York] and Andrew Pennel ]22 Ireland - farm laborer].⁴ Anna departed this life on Sunday, 5 November 1854 in Newburg at her son, Valentine's home at age 82 years, 10 months and 28 days. She was sitting up in bed when her son, Percy came into her room. She said, "Percy, give me a little brandy, I feel weak." He got it immediately, but she waved her hand and said, "I don't need it," and died in a moment.

Death Notice: SEAMAN - Nov. 5 residence of her son Valentine Seaman, Newburgh NY Anna widow of late Dr. Valentine Seaman of NY in 83rd year. [New York Evening Post - 8 November 1854]⁵

She was buried at Westchester in the Ferris Burying Ground.⁶ Eliza writes of her mother - "... my Mother. She was considered very beautiful as a girl and never lost her beauty as a woman - exquisite complexion, soft dark hair, bright dark hair. She was born at Grove Farm, Quaker parents. When it grew to be time for the daughter to have a little better opportunity than a country school would give, the parents proposed to have her go to New York. As Grandfather John was leaving, the bright little grandmother said, "Now, John, have a care in selecting a boarding-place for our Anne, don't let her have a home where there are young men, for thee knows my dear, she is too pretty, and the young men could not fail to be enticed." Be sure John to remember." No place except among friends or Quakers could be thought of and making all due enquiry, grandfather John made arrangements for the beautiful Anne to stay at Willet Seaman's. Now at this same Willet Seaman's there were six boys if not more, four daughters; but notwithstanding the agreement was made. Ah! Grandfather John! When the next day the wise little grandmother met her husband at the gate, and found out the state of the case, "Ah John she said, " but did I not warn thee, there are many sons there." "Yes. My-Anna, but if thee could see them thee would have no fear for Anne, a homelier set of boys thee never saw. Trust me, she never could take one. I saw them at dinner. Oh My-Anne, they were ordinary in the extreme." So the little beauty went to be taught accomplishments to make pincushions with flowers on them and most elaborate needle-boo grew into a "sweet" think under the dainty hands, such hands as my mother had, they had never been allowed to use a broom or lift a weight so delicate our grandmothers guarded well the complexions and forms of their daughters - no firelight must shine upon their face "take a screen my dear - Elijah don't let thy sister lift that side of the table it will spoil the shape of her hand - don't go out in the air without covering thy face dear, much weather hurts thy face." In March if there was snow on the ground our grandmother gathered demijohns of the medicated snow. So much (?) they said; enough would be done to last for the toilet until the next March - dear old grandma's. "Well mother" I said one evening as I sat at her feet on a little bench, "Why did thee fall in love with such a homely man, for thee think so much of beauty?" She patted me on the face and said, "Why my dear thy father was not such a very homely man, he had a nice shape to his face, short black silky hair, very pretty eyes, his mouth was not a bad mouth, neither was his nose a bad nose, oh no my dear, your father was not a bad looking man." Blessed mother, if thy could have heard the tone of her voice and seen the look in her face, as the bright light of the fire softened all, in that "little while before ten," the, "oh no my dear thy father was not a bad looking man," another time I said, "Mother I wish I was handsome as my sister Marianna and Anne are, they are called so beautiful, nobody calls me even pretty and I would like to be pretty." Then she looked at me awhile, always our little talks were before the lamps were lighted and before my brothers came home to tea as we sat by the fire, She took my chin in her hand and said, "why Eliza thee has a pretty good nose - if it had been a little larger, it would not have been a bad nose." Then she would pull it down a little. "Thy eyes are good enough, if they were not set a little to far back, thy hair is nice enough, so too thy forehead is pretty fair, and if thee will try to keep thy mouth from drooping in the corners and always try to have a smile on thy face, thee would look very well." Oh, dear, then she added, "thee looks very much like thy father my dear." Well, that satisfied me, for all thro my life until this moment my father was my idol so I said, "That will make me happy, I wish I could know how he looked." "Very much like thy brother Willet." Now my brother Willet was not a bit good looking but I loved him dearly, and the elder brothers snubbed him, sot hat made me love him more dearly, so I had to accept the "not bad looking face," but I used to go to the glass and try to pinch my cheeks so as to get dimples to come, and when we went to parties and I went very young I would pinch my checks - oh dear again.
     Well, the pretty Anna still lived at Friend Willet Seaman's, and worked at the lovely satin needle book and it grew so pretty, it was a dove color satin on the outside and lined with pink satin for Quakers loved color and where they dare-would put it in. There was a place for scissors, and bodkin. Oh, lots of little tiny pockets for all useful things and space for saving silk in skeens - and the young Valentine delighted to watch Anna's pretty fingers bring out the rose buds and forget me nots and trim it all with silver cord. It took the greater part of the winter evening after the lessons were learned - and always there were the admiring eyes, and heart too, to watch the progress, then it was finished, "Let me," said the young lover ( yes I guess he was just that), "let me take it in my room a few days. I like to look at it." I wonder if the pretty Anna blushed, my mother did blush so prettily, and if they pretty girl blushed, I wonder if it put the young Valentine's bones out of joint - I guess so. In a few days came back the case all filled with the best sort of cutlery, scissors - two or three, one for cutting button holes - I remember one with gilded bows. Oh dear, I guess somebody, two somebody's, sort of fall in love and nobody knows how but themselves (what's the matter!!)"