Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-14
PUTNAMs REUNION.
The Old School Once Taught by Will
liam III. Seward.

liam ii. Seward.
At Eatonton yesterday, the reunion OF
the pupils of PbnniX academy took place.
Besides having been the alma mater OF
Secretary l.. @. c. Lamar, ex-Unlted
States Senator Alfred lyerson, Joel Chan
dler Harris (Uncle Remus) and others,
it is noted as the school once taught by
the great New York statesman, William
h. Seward. In the woods TO the right,
Just opposite to the DR.. johnson residence
is where the old union school house used
10 stand. 1t was burned down years
ago, and the new academy which arose
from the ashes OF this one was called
Phoenix in allusion TO the tabled
Ph@niX Of mythology. In the old
academy William Fl. Seward taught
school in the year 1910. Mr.. Seward was
a youth, not quite 90 years of age. On
account Of a difference between himself
and his father, in reference TO the COM
pletiOn OF his education, he determined
TO leave the parental home and try his
fortune in the South. He left home with
out saving goodbye, and his father was
ignorant as 10 where he went. On reach
ing Georgia his eyes fell upon an adyer-
tisement in one Of the Mille2eyllle
newspapers, OF vacancy in this
school and the desire of the patrons 10
procure the services of teacher. He was
on the ground without delay, and was
soon installed in the school. The story
runs that when he came his fluids were
reduced to a single twO-d0llar bill, and
this he spent within week for a silk
craVat. Tradition makes him no great
hero at this time, but he achieved a me-
dunn success, and was proceeding with
his duties quite satisfactorily, when, be-
fore the end OF year, his father discOv-
cred his whereabouts and either came or
sent and induced him to put substitute
in the school and return to his Northern
home.
In the year 1S45 Mr.. Seward, who had
then achieved areputation second to none
but the immortal trio, Clay, Calhoun and
Webster, came to this neighDOrnood and
visited the scene OF his youthful lahore.
He wasa Wing then, and the Wing boys OF
the school were ready to throw up their
bats and hurrah for him, but there were
so many Democrats among them that they
abandoned the project, aud he passed the
school without salute.
Col. W. A. Wilson, the historian OF the
occasion, tells an interesting story OF Mr..
Seward thus:
My grandfather, Col. W. Adams, was
among mis- patrons, and | think my
mother was among his pupils; II SO, how.
ever, she was one OF the youngest, and
this brings me to my story. At the close
OF the war | was prisoner at Fort Della
ware. Lee had surrendered the remnant
OF the army OF Northern Virginia at Apo
mattOX, and Johnson in NOrthCarolina had
surrendered not only the army In his pres
ence, but all troops and stores east of
the Chattahoochee river, and the war
oner thought of home, and how
to get there soonest. Some by ap-
plying to influential friends in the North
had obtained release, and all were
casting about for some such help. My
case seemed hopeless; | knew no soul
north OF Mason and Dxon's line, and
must wait the slow motion of the general
discharge OF prisoners, and my name
among the WIS near the bottom of the list.
1t might be months before it reached me.
But bethOught me of Seward, the great
premier OF the victorious Cabinet. had
seen in the papers that he had daugh-
ter, Miss Fannie Seward, and | resolved
10 try the fortune OF a die by making an
appeal to her. / wrote her in my best
vein, recalling how, before my birth or
hers, my mother had been a pupil
OF her fathers in the far off Georgia
school, giving names that | knew her
father would remember, and asking her
to tnterpose for my early deliverance
This letter wassdispatched on Friday. On
the Monday following the answer came.
1t was not from Miss Fannie herself nor
from her fnther. 1t was signed "a. An
thOny Gutnam." The answer said that
the Secretary of State bad directed the
writer to inform me "thaJ an order for
my immediate release had been signed
by the President and sent to the Office
of the Secretary of War" 1t said moth
ing about my letter nor Miss Fannie
Seward, but it brought the boon lOnged
for. | took her silence to mean that COM
municatiun was not open, and
correspondence from rebels such as
was not solicited, so 1 took 1t
out in thanking the good Lord
Tor my deiVerance, and have never
thanked Miss Fannie yet except in the re-
cesses of grateful heart. My wife al
ways wanted me to write her ANYHOW.
TOR" said she, "she has made US all so
happy that want her to know it, and |
know letter from you will be gratifying
to her." 1 almost wish that l had writ
TON