It is said that the old Seward kitchen was one of the most popular stations of the Underground Railroad, and that many a poor slave who fled by this route to Canada carried to his grave the remembrance of its warmth and cheer.

William Henry Seward by John Phillips
c. 1856
Oil painting on canvas, painted by Scottish-born painter John Philip, commissioned by George Washington Patterson, Lt. Governor and Congressman of NY and friend of Seward. John Philip (1817-1867) was a Victorian era Scottish painter best known for his portrayals of Spanish life.
