AUBURN #- With family origins securely rooted in the Midwest and spending much of his life in northern California, Robert Seward didn't give much thought to any connections between his family and the family of William H. Seward, the Auburnian who served as secretary of state under Abraham Lincoln and perhaps most famously was responsible for the purchase of Alaska.
Jennifer Meyers / The Citizen
Robert Seward, of California, left and Peter Wisbey, executive director of the Seward House, display medals that were commissioned to honor George Robinson after he helped save William Seward's life from an assassination attempt in 1865. Robert Seward secured the remaining Robinson Medals and has donated them to the museum in Auburn.
Robert Seward, of California, left and Peter Wisbey, executive director of the Seward House, display medals that were commissioned to honor George Robinson after he helped save William Seward's life from an assassination attempt in 1865. Robert Seward secured the remaining Robinson Medals and has donated them to the museum in Auburn.
“People of my generation knew who Seward was,” Robert said. “So all my life I got asked if I was related.”
Robert said that he never really held much interest in genealogy, but after dedicating his life to teaching and research, his interest was roused after his wife passed away suddenly in 1992 and he began to read a book she had given him on William Seward by John Taylor.
“He wrote a great biography,” said Robert, who is indeed a distant relative of William. “He shows how Seward in many ways really was Lincoln's right hand man. Too often Seward is thought of through history more for Seward's Folly, but he really made some wonderful contributions to this country.”
After reading the book, Robert contacted the Seward House and began what has grown into a long relationship of research and mutual friendship. This past week, the 79-year-old has been visiting the house for what might be his last time, and he brought along some special gifts - a collection of medals named after a soldier who helped save William Seward from an assassin.
“This place is an unbelievable piece of history,” Robert said. “Of all the places I've been in Europe or America, this place has been so well preserved it is really a treasure.”
The assassination of Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in 1865 is perhaps one of the most infamous events in American history, but often overlooked is the fact that attempts were planned on the lives of others such as Ulysses S. Grant and an attempt was made on the life of Seward at his home in Washington D.C. on the same night by Lewis Thornton Powell, also known as Paine.
This is an aspect of the Seward history that Robert has researched extensively.
According to his research, Paine came into the house and after trying to get past Seward's son, Frederick, Paine tried to fire off a shot. When his gun jammed he began to bludgeon Frederick with the revolver, fighting his way into Seward's room where Seward's daughter and other son, Gus, tried to fight him off while Frederick hung on, to keep the would-be assassin away from his father.
Also in the room was a soldier named George Robinson. He had been assigned to the care of Seward, who had recently been debilitated after a carriage accident had left him with a broken arm and jaw.
Paine leaped on to Seward, cutting his face open. Robinson reacted quickly, fighting Paine off Seward and out of the room. The assassin escaped, throwing the gun and his knife into the street.
For his act of bravery, Robinson was presented with a gold medal depicting the struggle in Seward's room.
The medal has come to be known as the Robinson Medal.
Through his research, Robert has found that there was the original gold medal, which is supposed to be in the possession of the Smithsonian, but no one has been able to turn it up. There were also two silver medals in private ownership and 88 “mahogany” medals, named for their wooden look, of which Robert has one. Finally, there were 125 bronze medals in the possession of the Philadelphia mint.
Seward and Tim Grant, director of public relations for the mint, have built up a friendship over the years and Grant informed Robert that the mint had planned to destroy the remaining medals.
“He said he would talk to the director,” Robert said, “and that I should write a letter. I couldn't afford them at the price they were selling them. It is a very popular medal, because it depicts a very dramatic scene. But I wrote them as an educator and I have been able to get the remaining medals.”
Robert has generously donated half of his collection to the Seward House, establishing these medals as an award in honor of those that have done research or made significant contributions to the research of Seward or the Civil War era.
“Bob has been a long-time friend of the museum, a great advocate for the Seward name and legacy,” Seward House Executive Director Peter Wisbey said. “His research on the Robinson medals is unparalleled. His donation is a wonderful recognition of his long-time support of the museum and will be a legacy that will be cherished.”
Thus far several biographers, including John Taylor and James L. Swanson, have received these awards.
“I have been working on my research now for about nine years,” Seward said. “I'm glad to be able to give these to the Seward House and their board and administration to be able to respect and honor people that make contributions to this research and Seward's history.”
Robert said that he never really held much interest in genealogy, but after dedicating his life to teaching and research, his interest was roused after his wife passed away suddenly in 1992 and he began to read a book she had given him on William Seward by John Taylor.
“He wrote a great biography,” said Robert, who is indeed a distant relative of William. “He shows how Seward in many ways really was Lincoln's right hand man. Too often Seward is thought of through history more for Seward's Folly, but he really made some wonderful contributions to this country.”
After reading the book, Robert contacted the Seward House and began what has grown into a long relationship of research and mutual friendship. This past week, the 79-year-old has been visiting the house for what might be his last time, and he brought along some special gifts - a collection of medals named after a soldier who helped save William Seward from an assassin.
“This place is an unbelievable piece of history,” Robert said. “Of all the places I've been in Europe or America, this place has been so well preserved it is really a treasure.”
The assassination of Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in 1865 is perhaps one of the most infamous events in American history, but often overlooked is the fact that attempts were planned on the lives of others such as Ulysses S. Grant and an attempt was made on the life of Seward at his home in Washington D.C. on the same night by Lewis Thornton Powell, also known as Paine.
This is an aspect of the Seward history that Robert has researched extensively.
According to his research, Paine came into the house and after trying to get past Seward's son, Frederick, Paine tried to fire off a shot. When his gun jammed he began to bludgeon Frederick with the revolver, fighting his way into Seward's room where Seward's daughter and other son, Gus, tried to fight him off while Frederick hung on, to keep the would-be assassin away from his father.
Also in the room was a soldier named George Robinson. He had been assigned to the care of Seward, who had recently been debilitated after a carriage accident had left him with a broken arm and jaw.
Paine leaped on to Seward, cutting his face open. Robinson reacted quickly, fighting Paine off Seward and out of the room. The assassin escaped, throwing the gun and his knife into the street.
For his act of bravery, Robinson was presented with a gold medal depicting the struggle in Seward's room.
The medal has come to be known as the Robinson Medal.
Through his research, Robert has found that there was the original gold medal, which is supposed to be in the possession of the Smithsonian, but no one has been able to turn it up. There were also two silver medals in private ownership and 88 “mahogany” medals, named for their wooden look, of which Robert has one. Finally, there were 125 bronze medals in the possession of the Philadelphia mint.
Seward and Tim Grant, director of public relations for the mint, have built up a friendship over the years and Grant informed Robert that the mint had planned to destroy the remaining medals.
“He said he would talk to the director,” Robert said, “and that I should write a letter. I couldn't afford them at the price they were selling them. It is a very popular medal, because it depicts a very dramatic scene. But I wrote them as an educator and I have been able to get the remaining medals.”
Robert has generously donated half of his collection to the Seward House, establishing these medals as an award in honor of those that have done research or made significant contributions to the research of Seward or the Civil War era.
“Bob has been a long-time friend of the museum, a great advocate for the Seward name and legacy,” Seward House Executive Director Peter Wisbey said. “His research on the Robinson medals is unparalleled. His donation is a wonderful recognition of his long-time support of the museum and will be a legacy that will be cherished.”
Thus far several biographers, including John Taylor and James L. Swanson, have received these awards.
“I have been working on my research now for about nine years,” Seward said. “I'm glad to be able to give these to the Seward House and their board and administration to be able to respect and honor people that make contributions to this research and Seward's history.”
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