Q: General Internet
What is your connection to the Seton's of Scotland?

Sir John Seton, Lord Barnes and 1st Baron of Barnes, was the famed diplomat and Knight of the Order of St. James in Spain (St. Jago) and of the Kings personal bodyguard, a Gentleman of the BedChamber and Master of the Kings Household under King Philip II of Spain, and was recalled home to Scotland by King James VI and I, who, "not wanting so noble a subject to be excluded from his court".

It was he who had begun the Spanish-styled castle of Barnes in East Lothian, which was never completed beyond the first level following his death, which remains still exist  and are now commonly-known as the Barney Voults, or Vaults.  He was named as heir male of his younger brother, following his own heirs male, which later made the Seton's of Barnes the heirs of the Lordships of Fyvie and Urquhart, and the Earldom of Dunfermline, following the death of James Seton, 4th Earl of Dunfermline.

Sir John Seton, 2nd Baron of Barnes acquired land in Ireland from Sir Robert Gordon of Lochinvar, the estate of Monylagan (Mionylangain or Moneylagan), Clongish Parish, in Co. Longford before 1646 and is occassionally referred to as Sir John Seaton of Mionylangain, Longford. The Moneylagan estate was active in Linen production, which made the estate worth more the 500 pounds sterling a year.

Some of his descendants settled and maintained the estate in Ireland before it passed out of the family in the mid-1600's through the actions of the Forbes' Viscount of Granard, who was expanding his estate there.

The Seton's of Barnes not only have descendants in both England, Scotland and Ireland, as well as into the America's, but are also cousin's of the Seton's of Parbroath in New York through intermarriage, and of the famed Governor of Gibraltar,  General Sir George Don. The Senior representative in the late 1700's and early 1800's was James Seton, Governor of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Seeton's in Ireland and Nova Scotia then, descend from the younger son of Sir John Seton, 4th of Barnes, John Seton (or Seaton, younger of Barnes) who married m. Anna Lothian (married by the Dean, Mr. William Annand on 30th May, 1684 in Edinburgh) and who settled in Ireland.  Their grandson, Thomas Seaton is the ancestor.

The Seton's of Barnes having long held an interest and lands, in Ireland, and who were likewise long-active Mason's.  It is of no surprise then that our family that had settled in Ireland and continued the Masonic traditions there, brought them to Nova Scotia.

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James Seton (Seaton-Seeton), 1st of Nova Scotia, was descended from Thomas Seaton and was born in the Scottish plantation of Ulster in 1776.  He married Martha Crawford (of the Moneylagan-Crawfords) in Donaghmore, Co. Donegal by the Rev'd Samuel Dill in 1808, and in 1822 left with his family from Belfast, Ireland and settled in Glenholm, Londonderry, Nova Scotia, Canada. 

The family in Nova Scotia became highly respected, active in real estate acquisitions and were prominent Mason's, Aldermen and public figures. They were also involved in various business ventures including: farming, grocery and Robert and Joseph Seeton's shipping business which held the contract for the overseas mail in the mid-to-late 19th century, as well as The Old Public House in downtown Halifax, which miraculously survived the Halifax Explosion during World War I.

James (2nd), acquired lands in various parts of Nova Scotia, finally settling in Meagher's Grant on what became known as the Seeton Farm.  The family farm there was passed to his son, also James (3rd), who had my grandfather Harold there in "The Grant".  Harold had, as his oldest son, Robert Seeton, my father, and I am Robert's oldest son.  I now live in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.  I am then, 6th generation in descent from James Seeton of Nova Scotia, where I was born in 1967.

Q: General Internet
Do you have any children?

I have three children, from my first marriage to Lorelee Mae Remus, of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.  We were married while living in Ottawa, Canada (marriage in Bethesda, Washington, D.C., Aug. 25 1990).  My only three children are: James Alexander Seton (b.1994), and my daughters Sarah Elizabeth Seton b.1993), and Natasha Mary Seton (b.1997).  Lorelee sadly passed away in Oct. 2000 and I subsequently married, 2nd in 2003 (later div, sp), and now have a common-law partner from 2008.

Q: General Internet
What can you tell us about yourself?  What do you do for a living?

As a descendant of the House of Seton, I have a passion for preserving our family's history, which of course has resulted in this website and for which I put countless years into, beginning when I was 18 years of age. 

My life's work is both a combination of this, and of my career in telecommunications, and have traveled throughout the world in both career and personal pursuits; with a passion for Asia, and China in particular. 

Both of my parents have influenced me greatly: My father was a soldier in the Canadian Military, a Field Engineer with the Corps of Engineers, who after his departure from the Service took up carpentry and mastering a combination of many trades and disciplines; My mother was a senior Training and Policy Officer at National Defense and the Government of Canada and Human Resources Officer and Project Manager at the University of Ottawa, as well as various other entities. 

I now am part of the CISCO Telepresence Solutions Group.

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