Lovely Museum, Fascinating People
Olive and Mr. Seward
Olive and Mr. Seward
Secretary of State William H. Seward and Olive Risley, the daughter of a Treasury Official, began to grow close during the year 1868. Seward had known the Risley family for years, working with Olive’s father Hanson in the 1830s. When Hanson moved to Washington during the Civil War years, the family became reacquainted and Olive struck up a friendship with Seward's daughter Fanny.
The death of Olive’s mother Harriet in 1868 and Seward’s losses of his wife Frances in 1865 and Fanny in 1866 drew the 24 year old Olive and the 68 year old Seward closer. Their relationship caused much gossip and speculation in Washington and beyond. To quiet these rumours, Seward legally adopted Olive as his daughter in 1870, despite her father still being alive. Olive acted as Seward's private secretary, caretaker and companion during their trip around the world.
After Seward's death Olive finished their book "William H. Seward's Travels Around the World" which became a bestseller. Olive remained an accomplished author penning "Around the World Stories" in 1889, a children's book about her travels.
Below are some of the real people, places and things described in the play.
1872 Marble bust of William H. Seward by Giovanni Maria Benzoni. Henry and Olive both had busts sculpted by Benzoni during their travels.
1872 Marble bust of Olive Risley-Seward by Giovanni Maria Benzoni.
Portrait of William Seward and Olive Risley-Seward by Swiss artist Frank Buchser. Buchser stayed with the Seward family in Auburn and reportedly flirted with Olive and Janet Watson-Seward, the wife of William Seward Jr.
The bewigged Secretary of the Navy was an inveterate gossip who speculated about Henry and Olive's relationship in his diary. Ahoy Neptune!
Olive and Seward sit on the porch of the Seward House with Seward's grandchildren.
Olive (L) and her sister Hattie (R) pose for a photo.
