It is
likewise recorded for the Seeton's in Nova Scotia that
James Seeton, 1st of Nova Scotia, had a brother Thomas
and a sister Mary. We know that James was the youngest
of his family, and the above inscription confirms that,
by the death-date of his father, brother and sister.
James was born circa 1776, was married to Martha
Crawford of County Tyrone (of the Crawford's of
Moneylagan) in 1808 in Donaghmore, County
Donegal by the Rev'd Samuel Dill. He and his family
immigrated to Nova Scotia, Canada, leaving from the port
of Belfast in either May 1821 or the 22nd of June 1822
and arriving in St. John's New Brunswick in either June
1821 or the 22nd of July, 1822 respectively. There are
two stories regarding their crossing, which are both
currently under research. Nevertheless. they remained
in St. John's for only one month before settling at
Londonderry, Nova Scotia (now called Glenholm, just
north of Truro) and he died there in his 82nd year, in
1858.
|
The old
Government House, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 19th
century. |
> built on Joseph
Seeton's lands in Halifax. | |
Our family then, descends
from Thomas Seton (Seaton), who’s descendant, James Seeton (also spelt Seaton and Seton)
was raised in County Tyrone and married in Donaghmore, County Donegal,
Ireland.
James married Martha Crawford of
nearby County Tyrone,
in 1808. James was a Presbyterian, and an active freemason like most of
the family, and Martha was a Methodist.
They
were married in the Donaghmore Presbyterian Church in Co. Donegal by the Reverend Samuel Dill, Presbyterian, and had
seven children, the first four children were born in Ireland: Mary Ann
(1810),
Andrew (1812), James (1814) and Elizabeth (1818). In 1820 and 1821, James attempted to gain a grant
of land in the colony of Nova Scotia and was unsuccessful. However, in June of
1822, after liquidating his assets, he left on a ship with his family from Belfast, Ireland
and landed in St. John,
New Brunswick, Canada,
in July, 1822.
There he remained with his family for one month before acquiring
land in what was then called
Londonderry, Nova Scotia (now called Glenholm), just north of the city of Truro. James and Martha had three
other children in Nova Scotia:
John William Seeton, Joseph Seeton, and Robert B. Seeton.
The family is listed on
the 1838 Census for Londonderry, Nova Scotia, held in the National Archives in
Ottawa, Canada.
Author's Note:
The senior line
of the family of Nova Scotia, then, follows that of Andrew Seeton and Matilda
Porter and which line I will follow along with shortly. The family farm at Meagher's Grant,
known as the Seeton Farm was passed to James Seeton (3rd), who had my grandfather Harold there in "The
Grant", before passing it to the Bayers family by marriage. Harold (d.
Nov, 1963) had, as his oldest son, Robert Seeton, my father, and I (website
author Kenneth Robert Seton) am Robert's oldest son and now live in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Of the family in Nova Scotia, some remained
there and
others left for America. However, before the death of James Seeton Sr.,
the family had relocated from the farm at Londonderry to that of Meagher's Grant
near Mosquodoboit Harbour, Nova Scotia.
Besides farming, the family in Nova Scotia were also involved in various business
ventures, including Robert and Joseph Seeton's merchant and
shipping business which held the contract for the overseas mail in the
mid-to-late 19th century and having a martial-alliance with the
Inman family of the famed shipping line, the land in Halifax which became the
site of the Government House, and the Old Public House in downtown Halifax, which
miraculously survived the Halifax Explosion during World War I.
Robert and Joseph were both younger
sons of James Seeton, and their older brothers', Andrew and James,
acquired lands in various parts of Nova Scotia, finally settling
in Meagher's Grant.
The family burial in the Cemetery at Meagher's Grant is as
follows:
SEETON, Aldon R. b.
d. 1863 age 10
SEETON, Rupert b. d. 1875 age 4 mos
sons of James & Sophia SEETON broken stone
SEETON, Fenwick Willliam b. d. June 14,
1867 age 4 mos
son of Andrew & Matilda SEETON
SEETON, Frances b. 1864 d. 1940
SEETON, James b. d. Nov. 9, 1901 age 87
SEETON, James E. b. 1870 d. 1936
SEETON, Emma M. b. 1872 d. 1939
SEETON, John W. b. 1844 d. 1907
VAUGHAN, Margaret b. 1859 d. 1903
SEETON, Joseph H. b. 1846 d. 1922
SEETON, Annie L. b. 1855 d. 1951
SEETON, Lottie Maggie b. d. Dec. 30, 1880
age 1 mo
daughter of Howard & Ruby SEETON
SEETON, Mary b. Oct. 2, 1834 d. May 29,
1918
wife of James SEETON
SEETON, Maud b. d. May 4, 1900 age 23
daughter of James & Mary SEETON
SEETON, William S. b. March 26, 1879 d.
Jan. 11, 1943
buried at Crescent City, California, USA
SEETON, Frederick E. b. Jan. 6, 1886 d. Aug. 18, 1963
buried at Gays River, NS
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