Samuel S. Seward was also active in politics and government. In 1804, Seward served in the New York State Assembly. In 1815, he became a judge of the Orange County, New York Court and subsequently served as First Judge, a position he held for seventeen years.[2]
Records indicate Seward amassed a substantial fortune by the 1840s, some of which was devoted to philanthropic endeavors. In 1846, Seward established the S. S. Seward Institute.[3] He created a $20,000 endowment for the institute and provided for the purchase of land and the erection of the school building.[2]
Personal life
Seward married Mary Jennings of Goshen, New York in 1795, and they had five children together, including: