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The Official History of the
Seeton Family of Nova Scotia
(updated March
2008)
 There were four main areas
in Scotland where the Seton family had established themselves:
East Lothian (the
principle home of the family),
Fifeshire (the senior cadets, the Parbroath
branch),
Aberdeenshire (the Meldrum line descended from
Alexander Seton, 1st Lord Gordon), and
Stirlingshire (the Touch line also descended from
Sir Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of Huntly), though from the Stirlingshire family there was a fifth region
established later in Linlithgowshire (the Abercorn line).
The senior
line of the Seton family was in East Lothian, at the Palace of
Seton, they were the Flemish senior cadets of
the old French Carolingian bloodline from the House of Boulogne, and cousins to
the Royal House and Family of Stuart/Stewart of Scotland. The lands of
Seton, east of Edinburgh, took their name from our family, and it was from
here Sir Alexander Seton (the 2nd son of Sir William Seton, 1st Lord
Seton), left and assumed his residence in Aberdeenshire when he married the
heiress of the Gordon family, Elizabeth Gordon, in the north of Scotland.
The marriage to the Gordon heiress established the long connection between the
Seton and Gordon families, and Sir Alexander Seton was created 1st Lord Gordon
by Royal arrangement, and he and Elizabeth Gordon had three son's and two
daughters. Lord Gordon's eldest son was also called Sir Alexander Seton
and who succeeded his father to become 2nd Lord Gordon and 1st Earl
of Huntly; Lord Gordon's second son, Sir William Seton married the Meldrum
family heiress, Elizabeth Meldrum, and established the Seton’s of Meldrum; and
Lord Gordon's his third son was Henry Seton, who along with his brother William
was killed on the 18th of May 1452,
at Battle of Brechin in Angus, Scotland.
It is from Sir William Seton’s line that the Seton Laird’s of Meldrum descend (a
Laird was/is a lesser Scottish Feudal Baron). The Seton's of Meldrum continued for 8 generations
until 1635, and it is from the Meldrum line that the
Seaton's in Ulster, Ireland, and that of the
later Nova Scotia
family of "Seeton", descend from.
It should also be noted that the Seton's of Touch are also
cousin's of the Seton's of Meldrum. Both are cousin's of
the Gordon family of Seton, and the Touch Seton's descend from
Alexander Seton 2nd Lord Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly's first
marriage to Egidia Hay and their son, Alexander Seton of Touch.
Since Lord Gordon had divorced his first wife (in a political
move) in order to marry Elizabeth Crichton, the daughter of the
powerful Chancellor of Scotland, Lord Gordon's eldest son was
then dis-inherited from succeeding to the Gordon honours which
later passed to his younger half-brother George Seton, 3rd Lord
Gordon and 2nd Earl of Huntly. The 2nd Seton Earl of
Huntly later changed his name and adopted the surname of Gordon,
becoming Lord George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly and so famed in
history; becoming himself Chancellor of Scotland (his ancestors
thrice-more held the Chancellorship of Scotland). Lord
George Seton/Gordon was thrice married and he married as his
second wife, Annabella Stewart, a daughter of King James I.
The Seton’s of Meldrum
family flourished and
were highly active throughout Aberdeenshire and Scottish history. Strongly
attached to their Seton-Gordon-cousin's, they acquired property
throughout the Aberdeen region over the course of several generations, with
lands such as Auquhorthies (Auchquorthies/Achorters), Barra, Belhelvie, Blair, Bourtie, Broomhill
and Cuttlecraigs, Disblair, Lumphard (Lumphart), Menie, Mounie, Pitmedden,
Schethin (Shethin) Udny, etc… The family acted as Chamberlains
to the Earls of Huntly on several occasions, acting as witnesses to
Gordon-Charters and legal actions, as well as Chamberlain's to the Seton Earl's of Dunfermline at Fyvie Castle in the 1620's and 1630's,
and of course to the head of the Seton family; the Lord's Seton (later Earls of
Winton). They held the posts of Chancellor's of Aberdeen several times,
and were Burgesses of Aberdeen and Chancellor's of the Cathedral of St. Machar's,
as well as having the park of the adjacent church named in their honour, "Seaton
Park". They were also involved and inter-married with the Aberdeenshire
families of Leslie and Fraser, and in a similar capacity, those of the Abercrombie,
Abernethy, Ogilvy, Burnett, Innes, Forbes, Johnstone, Paterson, Sutherland and
Urquhart families, as well as other notable family's in the region.
Eventually, as the
Reformation took hold in the north of Scotland during the 17th century, the family's
tradition of Catholicism was abandoned and they adopted the
national Presbyterian religion, although there also seems to have been an
interest in the Quaker faction from some branches of the family. With the demise of the
Gordon power in the north of Scotland, coupled with the ending of the
direct senior Seton of Meldrum family
line and the passing of that estate to the Urquhart family, along with the Jacobite
troubles of the Stuart Monarchy and the subsequent forfeiture and demise of the
Earls of Dunfermline in 1690 in the failed support of the Stuarts, the Seton's
of Aberdeen began to slowly fade from history. However, it is from this time period
that the line of the Seaton/Seeton's of Ireland, and later of Nova Scotia, was established.
The Seeton's of Nova Scotia descend from the Seton's of Meldrum, from John
Seton, of the Meldrum family line:
The Seeton's of Nova Scotia's lineage stems from
William Seton, 5th Baron of Meldrum, who's eldest son from his second marriage
to Janet Leith, was John Seton of Disblair (also called "Blair"),
who died in 1563 qand is buried at St. Meddens in Aberdeenshire. John Seton's eldest son was William Seton of Disblair,
Burgess of Aberdeen in 1595, who was a superior of Licklyhead Castle. William
was succeeded by his eldest son, also called William Seton and who was served
heir of Tulliduff from his mother (c.1612/1616). William was a Scottish
Catholic active in 1629 with the Marquis of Huntly with other nobles of Aberdeenshire, and the Duke of Buckingham in
England, in support of Catholicism and was noted in the Domestic Annals of
Scotland (Reign of King Charles I, part B). His eldest son George
succeeded him, but lost Disblair in bankruptcy to Forbes of Craigievar, his debt
owing to Alexander Seton, Lord Pitmedden noted in the Courts of Session Books in
1673. His daughters surviving him, were eventually served as heiresses
portioners in the dissolution of the estate. William's second son was named John Seton, who was
the first Seton-Chamberlain to the 1st and 2nd Earls of Dunfermline at Fyvie Castle.
John Seton, Chamberlain of Fyvie, leased the estate of Menie from his father-in-law Sir Robert Graham of Morphie and later acquired or leased the estate of Aquhorthies
from the Leslie family
to be nearer to Fyvie Castle and his duties there. Of John Seton we do not
have many details, though that he was Chamberlain to the 1st and 2nd Earls of Dunfermline at
Fyvie Castle between the 1620's and 1630's and was noted in the funeral of
Chancellor Alexander Seton 1st Earl of Dunfermline, and that his portrait hangs in Mounie Castle,
we do know. He was slain by John Wilson of Aberchirder and noted in the
Presbytery Book of Strathbogie, at Botary, 8th February, 1637.
He was originally referred to as John Seaton of Disblair.
John's younger brother, William Seaton (third son of William
Seton of Disblair), succeeded to the office of his brother as
Chamberlain of Fyvie. William was noted in
various events of the troubled times in Aberdeenshire, as a
result of his position at Fyvie Castle:
Lieutenant
Fotheringhame, with about forty musketeers of the master
of Forbes' regiment, went out of Aberdeen, having order to go
out and plunder such persons as had not paid their tenths, and
given up their men. He happened to be at Fyvie with his company,
drinking at an alehouse, where John Gordon, second son to
Ardloggie, William Seaton, Chamberlain of Fyvie, and some
others, happened to be also : and, upon some slight occasion,
serjeant Forsyth, in this company, was suddenly shot by the said
John Gordon, who wan freely away, without revenge, from the
midst of Fotheringbame's musketeers ; for the whilk this
lieutenant was pitifully disgraced thereafter.
Incidentally, another John Seton of the Meldrum family became
a Goldsmith/Merchant in
Edinburgh and who's son Thomas died and was buried on the Ilse of Man in 1743.
Side Note: There were significant
ties with their cousin's, the descent of Alexander Seton,
4th Seton Baron of Meldrum who was served heir to his grandfather in the
Lordship of Meldrum, who was killed in 1527 in Aberdeen. Alexander himself was
twice married, and had from his first wife, Agnes Gordon, daughter of Patrick
Gordon of Haddo (ancestor of the Earls of Aberdeen) two sons, William Seton 5th
of Meldrum and Alexander Seton 1st of Mounie. By his second wife, Janet
Leith, daughter and co-heiress of George Leith of Barns, he had a son John Seton
of Blair. John Seton of Blair
recieved a charter, in 1526, of half of the lands of Auchleven, Drumrossy, and
others, inheriting also from his mother her part of the Leith inheritance, the
lands of Blair. Later, there was a close kinship between the Seton's of Blair
and John Seton of Mounie, as well as with Alexander Seton, Lord Fyvie
(who later became Earl of Dunfermline and Chancellor of Scotland).
John Seton of Blair's descent has not been fully
completed, though we do know of some of the family's history. He was
active in the affairs of the Earl of Huntly, and was one of Huntly's juror's
appointed for the noted trial of William Mackintosh at the Aberdeen Tolbooth,
August 2, 1550. John's descent, William Seton of Disblair, married a daughter of
Tulliduff, was a burgess of Aberdeen in 1595, and a superior of Licklyhead, and
who died in 1612. William had at least two sons, William and Alexander.
William, was served heir to his father in 1612, and also again in 1616 and
served heir portioner to his grandfather Andrew Tulliduff on April 26th, 1625;
and Alexander was admitted a burgess of Aberdeen on the 20th of September, 1616.
Later, in 1651, physician George Seton of Blair protested against the appointment of
an assistant and successor to the minister of Bourtie, and was also in
opposition to the Presbyterian faith and was regarded by their Church Courts as
a propagator of Romanism. His daughters, Margaret and Elizabeth, were
served heirs portioners in the lands of Blair in 1661, and are so stated in the
Poll Book in 1696. Margaret married John Duget, and their son John
Duget, domiciled in Disblehr (Disblair in Fintray), "seven miles from Aberdeen",
went to Danzig in Germany, so noted there in 1655.
William
Seaton, Chamberlain of Fyvie, had a son John Seton (Seaton), who in turn had a son Alexander Seaton.
Alexander Seaton (also spelt "Seton") was born
circa 1652
in Cuttlecraggs (Cuttlecraigs),
near Lethenty in Daviot Parish, Aberdeenshire
(approx. ¼ mile from Lumphard/Lumphart and not far from the Seton estates of Meldrum, Mounie and Barra),
and was a scholar
who attended the College or University of Marischal in Aberdeen. While at the University
he became convinced of the Quaker ideals, and around 1675 converted to that
religion
and became an active Quaker minister. He was involved in
the promoting of the Quaker faith into
Ulster, Ireland,
traveling there frequently and is recorded as being jailed along with Anthony Sharp for continuing Quaker
activities in Dublin despite a Government order to the contrary. In Aberdeenshire, Alexander married Margaret Joass of
the Colleonard family in Banffshire
(also spelt "Joasse", brother of John Joass, younger of Colleonard
who d.c.1718), and they had five children:
1st Thomas; 2nd John; 3rd James; 4th Andrew; and a daughter Ruth.
Alexander Seaton and
his wife Margaret Joass formally immigrated with their family to Hillsborough, Co. Down,
Ulster in 1699, leaving from Glasgow, Scotland. Records regarding
Alexander can be found occasionally in the records regarding the Quakers in
Hillsborough, Co. Down, Ireland prior to 1723, when he died. (see link for
Seton/Leslie/Abercrombie tie information:
http://www.scotcassurvey.f9.co.uk/Fetternear/BASIC.htm
) Also: http://www.ayrshireroots.com/Genealogy/Historical/historic%20Stewart%202.htm
"About the middle of the summer of 1683,"
says the Quaker chronicler, "the Government gave orders to the several sorts of
Dissenters in Dublin, that they should forbear meeting publicly together in
their worship-houses as formerly; the Archbishop of Dublin (Francis Marsh) also
sent for Anthony Sharp, and told him it was the mind and desire of the
Government that Friends should also forbear meeting in their public
meeting-houses; but Friends returned answer, that they believed it was their
indispensable duty to meet together to worship the great God of heaven and
earth, from whom we receive all our mercies, and not to forbear assembling
ourselves together for fear of punishment from men, for that we met purely to
worship the Lord, and not upon any other account. So, according to the desire of
the Government, other professors generally left their meeting-houses, but
Friends met together to worship the Lord as formerly, as they were persuaded it
was their duty to do. So upon a first day in the sixth month this year came the
Marshal and several of the Mayor's officers to the meeting at Wormwood Gate,
where John Burnyeat being speaking, the Marshal commanded him to go with him,
which after some discourse he did. He commanded the meeting to disperse, but
Friends kept quiet in their places. John was carried before the Mayor, with whom
he had some discourse to this effect: he asked him, 'Why they did act contrary
to the Government, having been commanded not to meet?' John answered, 'We do
nothing in contempt of the Government.' But, said he, 'Why do you not obey
them?' John replied, 'Because it is matter of conscience to us, and that which
we believe to be our indispensable duty, to meet together to worship God.' To
which he answered, 'You may be misled.' John told him, 'If we are misled, we are
willing to be informed, if any can do it.' Then it was urged, 'other Dissenters
had submitted, and why would not we?' John said, 'What they do will be no plea
for us before the Judgement-seat of the great God. So after some other discourse
the Marshal committed John to the Marshalsea Prison, to which also were taken
afterwards
Alexander Seaton, Anthony Sharp, and others. Now," adds
the Quaker historian, "several sober persons observing other professors to
shrink in this time of persecution, whilst Friends kept their meetings as usual,
came to our meetings and became faithful Friends." In 1686 the Quakers
relinquished the house at Wormwood Gate, which was found to be too small and not
sufficiently commodious. In the last century Elizabeth Salmon held from the
Corporation, at an annual rent of five pounds, a part of the old town ditch near
"Gorman's Gate;" and although no vestiges of the portal now exist, the name of"
Wormwood Gate" is still applied to 11 houses erected on portion of its site.
Reference the website posting at:
http://indigo.ie/~kfinlay/Gilbert/gilbert9.htm
Alexander's father, John Seton, may have
been previously involved in Ulster and with the Hamilton and Montgomerie
families having also settled there, it is of no surprise that with their long traditional Seton ties and inter-marriage, and the highland scots
immigration to that country being highly active at that time, that Alexander was
able to settle in Ireland easily. In 1699, he
took up permanent residence in Ireland and moved his family, leaving from the Port
of Glasgow and became a Denizen of Ireland in Hillsborough, County Down,
Ulster. All of Alexander’s children
settled primarily in Ireland, though it is understood that they frequently traveled back to Scotland.
Alexander is listed on various records of the time as "Seton", particularly in
settlement records and the Seaton family in
Ireland is later listed as being either from a place called, “Dranity” or Tullahoago.
These are both town-land names in County
Tyrone and refer to Tullahoge, County
Tyrone. Dranity
was a small farm-land name that no longer exists.
(Reference the book: “The Quakers of Western
Pennsylvania”, by Jane Snowden Crosby).
Both John Seton (Sr.) and his son Alexander were mentioned in the book regarding Quaker's of Western
Pennsylvania by Jane Snowden Crosby, and
particularly as a result of Alexander's three son's who had immigrated to that
part of America, and who were active Quakers. However Thomas Seaton did not emigrate and remained in
Ulster, Ireland.
Alexander Seaton and Margaret Joass' children are noted as follows:
John Seaton,
named after his grandfather, was the 2nd son son of
Alexander, and he married Jane Edwards in Scotland. He was active in the
"Rising" of 1715 along with his brothers, and fled to Ireland as a result.
He there learned the Tailor trade in Newry, County
Down and after his fathers death, went with his
family to
America where he was joined by two of his
brothers and his sister.
James Seaton, Alexander’s
3rd son. He too was active in the "Rising" of 1715 along with his
brothers, and fled to Ireland as a result. In Ireland he was engaged in the Linen Manufacturing
in the early 18th century, then booming in the city
of Drogheda,
County Louth,
Ireland and likewise became quite wealthy. He married Martha (surname unknown) and followed his brother to
America (where he may have married a 2nd time). James and Martha had
twelve children, all boys: Alexander, John, James, George, Thomas, William,
David, Robert, Joel, Nathaniel, Hezekiah and Jared (called Jeremiah).
James' son, George Seaton, married Nancy Amberson in
the old country, had a large family of 12 children by her and came to America
about 1778 (from The Seaton Family, Oren Andrew Seaton, Editor; Crane &
Company, Topeka, Kansas, 1906).
Andrew Seaton,
the 4th and youngest son
of Alexander, was active in the "Rising" of 1715 along with his brothers.
As a result, his property was confiscated and he fled with his brothers to
Ireland, where he kept a Public House in Newtownstewart, or Tullaghogue, County
Tyrone
and became quite wealthy, "so much so that he said when he left Ireland he
could have given each of his children their weight in gold as their portion". He married 1st Jane Blake and had
six
children by her, and they left to join his brothers in America in
1737 intending on settling in Boston, on a heavily laden "snow-vessel" similar
to a "brig" called the "Catherine". He commissioned the ship from
Workington, Cumbria, England, and it set sail from Portrush, Antrim, Ireland,
filled with valuable merchandise and was one of the richest vessels to cross the ocean at that time,
enroute to Boston, Massachussetts.
However, he was shipwrecked during the voyage at the east end of Sable
Island off the coast of Nova Scotia,
on July 17th, 1737.
There were
98 people who died as a result of the wreck,
the 100 plus survivors made it ashore to Sable
Island where they used the main sail of the vessel to construct a tent. The
ship's long boat had washed ashore but was somewhat damaged, and over the next
two days it was repaired and on the third day the master, mate and others sailed
it to Canso. Despite the survivors enduring nine days of hardship without food,
"except a gill of dough and a thimbleful of butter to each individual per day",
they were finally rescued by residents of Canso, who mounted a successful rescue
operation. While Andrew had the misfortune of having his lower jaw broken
during the wreck, and he and his
children survived, his youngest daughter, Anna, was for a time lost and thought
drowned, but was later found washed ashore about two miles from the wreck,
half-buried in the sand, but alive. Andrew's wife Jane, however, sadly died on the journey from
the island to the mainland. They journeyed from Sable Island, to Canso,
Nova Scotia, and from thence to Cape Ann and onwards finally to Boxford,
Massachussetts. Andrew nevertheless settled in America and later married 2nd, to
Miss Peggy Wood, and she adopted two children from her step-daughter, Ismenia
Seaton.
Although
Andrew lost much of his possessions as a result of the wreck, he did manage to
recover enough to later rebuild his fortunes in America before he died circa
1754.
After his death, his eldest
daughter, Sarah Seaton, traveled to
England and enlisted lawyer Nathan Haislup to settle her father's estate,
and who was later appointed Guardian of Andrew Seaton Sr.'s children.
Miss Peggy Wood married 2nd, Joseph Sewler.
References for the three brother's can be found in the book entitled:
THE SEATONS OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA, by Jane
Snowden Crosby (of Bradford Pennsylvania, July 1, 1945); Oren Andrew Seaton's
book entitled THE SEATON FAMILY, WITH GENEALOGY AND BIOGRAPHIES, by Oren Andrew
Seaton (Topeka, Kansas: Crane and Company, 1906); Hayward's HANCOCK, NEW
HAMPSHIRE; Seccomb's HISTORY OF AMHERST, NEW HAMPSHIRE; and THE HISTORY OF
WASHINGTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE; The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Halifax, Nova
Scotia.
Ruth
Seaton, the daughter
and youngest child of
Alexander Seaton,
left with her brothers to live in America.
She later married James Miller of Armagh,
Ireland on February 10, 1734, as his second wife,
(Noted as: "James
Miller, of Dublin, Ireland, 1st married Catherine Lightfoot, daughter of Thomas
Lightfoot and Margaret, widow of John Blunston, late of Darby. They married in
Ireland and lived for some time at Timahoe Meeting, County Kildare. After
emigrating from Ireland, they arrived
in Philadelphia on September 10, 1729. Catherine Lightfoot Miller died a few
days later, on October 17, 1729. James Miller then settled in New Garden, and
married Ruth Seaton of London Grove, on February 10, 1734. They later moved to Leacock, Twp., Lancaster Co., and
he died in 1749").
Thomas
Seaton (Seton/Seeton),
1st and eldest son of Alexander Seaton and Margaret Joasse was
christened in Banffshire, Scotland, on the 10th September, 1677 (listed in the
parish register). Like all of his family he settled in County
Down and being the eldest son, inherited what remained of his fathers estate in
1723. Unlike his
brothers, he remained in Ireland and it is from him that the Seeton/Seton family of Nova Scotia descends
as well as many Seaton's of counties Antrim, Down and Tyrone in Ireland. We know little of Thomas’
activities in Ireland, at this time we do not know to whom he was married or of how
many children he had, though it appears that he had several boys, and we do know of
at least four grandsons: Thomas (the 2nd), Robert, William
and Jeremiah, and what is certain is that there are a number of Seaton
families that were established from him in the Dromore region of
County Down and also in Donaghmore and
Dungannon, County Tyrone, Ireland.
Robert Seaton married Jane McCabe of Co. Down,
Ireland and had three boys but sadly died enroute to America in 1806; Jeremiah Seaton married Nancy Neal
and had a large family; William Seaton, who never married,
originally went to America and made a small fortune before returning to Ireland
and purchased a farm near Stranorlar,
Country Donegal, Ireland, near his brother Jeremiah who had also settled in Co.
Donegal. Jeremiah's children
settled into various parts of America throughout the 1800's. His son
Samuel, for instance, settled on Presque Isle for sometime.
Thomas Seaton
(the 2nd), was born circa 1727 and maintained various family business interests and Flax farming around Tullahoge (Tellahoago, also called Dranity), a hamlet in the parish of Desertcreat, in the Upper Dungannon Barony,
near Cookstown Co. Tyrone. Of Thomas (the 2nd) was also know very little,
though we know from Nova Scotian family notes of his son James that he had three
children: Mary, Thomas (the 3rd) and James. While there are precious few
records remaining for this period in Ireland, his sons are listed on the
Freeholder's List for 1796 in the Barony of Dungannon along with their cousin
Ezekiel who is likewise listed on the same Freeholder's list. Ezekiel
SEATON emigrated to America in 1799 and lived a number of years in Philadelphia,
where he conducted a hotel. He had a daughter Elizabeth who married John
Graham of Co. Down, Ireland and who immigrated to America and met and married
Ezekiel's daughter there.
Thomas Seaton (2nd) died in 1811, aged 84 years and was
buried in the Presbyterian Graveyard in the Town or Townland of Glebe (Derryloran also called
Donaghenry), in the Civil Parish of Donaghenry, Donaghenry Old, County Tyrone,
Ulster, Ireland. Of his three
children: 1st a daughter Mary who died early in life at 19 years of age; 2nd his eldest son and heir also called Thomas
(3rd) who died shortly after his father; and 3rd a son James Seeton who married Martha Crawford
of County Tyrone and who later emigrated to Nova Scotia and from whom descends the Seeton's
of Nova Scotia.
(Note: Thomas (the 3rd) may also have had
other children who remained in Ireland who also utilized the spelling of Seeton
as their family-name - noticed for George Seeton/Seaton who married Mary Coulter
(called "Grimble or Trimble" in error) and
who immigrated to America in the mid-to-late 1800's and his brother John Seeton
who ended up in Australia circa the same time frame).
The Family are buried as per the Headstone inscription
from Dungannon as follows:
Here lieth the body of Mary Seaton who departed this life May 9th 1781 aged
19 years. Also Thomas Seaton who departed this life 14th May 1811 aged 84
also his son Thomas who departed this life 19th June 1818 aged 44 years.
Also Jane Seaton also departed this life 18th Novr. 1828 aged 103 years.
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 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.
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. 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, just north of the city of Truro. James and Martha had three
other children in Nova Scotia:
John-William Seeton, Joseph Seeton, and Robert Barry Seeton.
The family is listed on
the 1838 Census for Londonderry, Nova Scotia, held in the National Archives in
Ottawa, Canada.
Of the family in Nova Scotia, some remained
there and
others left for America. However, before the death of James Seeton Sr.,
the principle family had relocated from the farm at Londonderry to that of Meagher's Grant
near Musquodoboit 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, 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, also finally settling
in Meagher's Grant.
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. 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.
Some of the Nova Scotia family
in the Cemetery at Meagher's Grant are 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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