Sometimes Fanny became caught up in the political controversy surrounding her father. People who disliked Seward would sometimes take their anger out by threatening the family and their pets. In this instance when Fanny was 17, she feared a bad situation was about to occur as she returned to her house with Kate (a servant).

“When we came home we saw a man near our gate & being rather frightened concluded to go in at the big gate--had considerable work getting it open and then ran--pretty fast.” Feb 6, 1861