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A Historical Outline of the Setons
of Meldrum.
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 and the Cariston 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 had three son's and two
daughters.
Lord Gordon's s son from his first marriage, Sir William Seton, married the Meldrum
family heiress by Royal arrangement, Elizabeth Meldrum, and was given the estate
of Meldrum and established the Seton’s of Meldrum family
line; Lord Gordon's eldest son from his second marriage (to
the daughter of the powerful Chancellor Crichton) was also called Sir Alexander Seton
and who succeeded his father by Royal arrangement to become 2nd Lord Gordon and 1st Earl
of Huntly and began the line of the Seton-Gordon's, Earl's and Marquis of Huntly
and the Duke's of Gordon; 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 direct Seton's of Meldrum
line continued for 8 generations
until 1635, and it is from the Meldrum line that various of the
Seaton's in Ulster, Ireland and in America
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 Aquhorthies (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; Chamberlain's to the Earl's of Marischal at
Dunottar; 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 Gordon, 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 cadet-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 some of the Seaton's of Ireland were established.
Various Seaton's in Ireland descend from the Seton's of Meldrum, from John
Seton, of the Meldrum family line:
There are various Seaton's in Ireland who'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 Blair (also called "of Disblair"),
who died in 1563 and is buried at St. Meddens in Aberdeenshire. John
Seton's eldest son was William Seton of Blair, Burgess of Aberdeen in 1595, who was a superior of Licklyhead
Castle.
William Seton of Blair's
eldest son, also called Wiliam, was 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 noted in the Domestic Annals of Scotland, and was served
heir of Tulliduff from his mother (c.1612/1616). 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
of Menie (also of Aquhorthies), 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 of Easter Disblair (or of
Disblair) was the third son of William
Seton of Blair, succeeded to the office of his brother as
Chamberlain of Fyvie and 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), Fiar of
Disblair, who in turn had a son Alexander Seaton,
as follows:
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 King's College of the University in Aberdeen,
studying as an Episcopalian Minister.
He achieved his M.A. in 1670, and was later presented Inc at
Insch, 6 Aug., 1682, but not appointed; he was Inc at Leochel 14
april, 1683 until 1707 (presented by Bishop James Ramsay of
Dunblane, 16 Nov, 1682; collated 5 Apr. 1683). He Cited on
the list of Minister's who had not complied with the Church
Government in 1707. FES: Christie MSS,
[Aberdeenshire Poll- Book, i., 431 ;
G. R. Horninys, 27th March 1689].
While at the University
he became convinced of the Quaker ideals, and around 1675
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
1st, Margaret Joass of
the Colleonard family in Banffshire
(also spelt "Joasse", brother of John Joass, younger of Colleonard
who d.c.1718); and 2nd married Janet
Simpson, only daughter and heiress of William Simpson, gardener in Erskine.
He had six children: son's
1st Thomas; 2nd John; 3rd James; 4th Andrew; and daughter's
Isabel and Ruth.
Alexander Seaton 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, and his grandfather William Seaton
were previously involved in activities in Ulster, and with the Gordon, 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
later 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's children are noted as follows:
Thomas Seaton (Seton),
1st and eldest son of Alexander Seaton from his first wife Margaret Joasse.
He 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. It is from him that many early Seaton's of counties Antrim, Down and Tyrone in Ireland,
descend.
We know little of Thomas Seaton's
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), son of Thomas, 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.
John Seaton,
2nd son of Alexander Seaton and eldest eldest son from his second wife, Janet
Simpson (Seimson) and named after his grandfather. He married Jane Edwards in Scotland
and was active in the
"Rising" of 1715 along with his brothers, and fled to Ireland as a result.
There he learned and practised 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.
Isabel
Seaton, the oldest child and daughter married Alexander Lumsden of Boghead
of Kintore, the Taxman of Boghead and had issue.
Ruth
Seaton, the second 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").
Listed in Dungannon,
Tyrone, Ireland, is a cousing of this family;
Ezekiel Seaton, who is likewise listed on the Freeholder's List of 1796. 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.
Copied from `Inverurie and the Earldom of Garioch
- a Topographical and Historical Account of Garioch from the
Earliest Times to the Revolution Settlement', by Rev. John
Davidson, Minister of Inverurie, 1878.
Sir William Seton of
Seton, of Winton, and Tranent, and of Winchburgh, West
Lothian, 1st Lord Seton, had by his wife,
Katherine, daughter of Sir William Sinclair of Herdmanstoun,
two sons. The elder, Sir John Seton of Seton, was ancestor of
the Earls of Winton, attainted 1716, of the Earls of
Dunfermline, Lords of Fyvie and Urquhart, attainted 1690, and
of the Viscounts of Kingston, attainted 1715. The second son
was the ancestor of the Seton’s of Strathbogie and of Garioch
(p. 112).
Sir Alexander Seton
married, circa 1408, Elizabeth de Gordon, heiress of Gordon,
and became Lord Gordon, and their sons were Alexander, 1st
Earl of Huntly; William, 1st Seton Baron of the Lordship of
Meldrum; and Henry, killed along with his brother William in
the battle of Brechin (1452).
The Seton's of Meldrum
I. – William Seton
married Elizabeth de Meldrum, heiress of Meldrum, whose mother
was a daughter of the Earl of Sutherland. He fell in the
battle of Brechin, in 1452 (p. 112).
II. – Alexander Seton
2nd of Meldrum, their son, married Muriel, daughter
of Sutherland, ancestor of the Lord Duffus. He was served
heir to his mother in 1456.
III. – William Seton 3rd
of Meldrum was put in possession of the estate in his father’s
lifetime, but predeceased him. He and his wife, Elizabeth,
daughter of Alexander Leslie of Wardes, had a charter of
Balcairn, in 1490. She married John Collison, Provost of
Aberdeen, after the decease of her husband, William Seton (p.
138).
IV. – Alexander Seton
4th of Meldrum (p. 137), son of William, was, in
1512, served heir to his grandfather in the Lordship of
Meldrum. He was killed at Aberdeen in 1527. He married – 1st
Agnes, daughter of Patrick Gordon of Haddo, ancestor of the
Earls of Aberdeen, and had by her two sons, William of Meldrum
and Alexander of Mounie. By his second wife, Janet, daughter
and co-heiress of George Leith of Barnes he had John Seton of
Blair, who got a charter, in 1526, of the lands of Auchleven
(whence he began the house later known as Licklyhead),
Drumrossy, and others, inheriting also Blair from his mother.
V. – William Seton 5th
of Meldrum, served heir to his father Alexander in 1533,
married (first) Janet, daughter of James Gordon of Lesmoir,
and by her had three sons – Alexander of Meldrum, John of
Lumphard, afterwards of Mounie, and William of Slatie (Slattie).
By his second wife, Margaret, daughter of Innes of Leuchars,
he had two sons – George Seton of Barra and James Seton of
Pitmedden. William Seton of Meldrum died in 1571.
VI. – Alexander Seton
6th of Meldrum, served heir to his father William,
3rd May 1581, married twice. His first wife,
Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander Irvine of Drum, bare him one
son, Alexander, who married, in 1584, Christian, daughter of
Michael Fraser of Stoneywood, and a daughter, Elizabeth –
afterwards heiress of Meldrum, and ancestor of the Urquharts
of Meldrum. He died before his father, having been killed in
1590 (p.151). The second marriage of Alexander, 6th
of Meldrum, was with Jean, daughter of Alexander, 6th
Lord Abernethy of Saltoun. Two sons were born of it – John ;
and William, the last Seton of Meldrum – and two daughters,
Margaret, wife of Chalmers of Balbithan, and Isabel, wife of
Erksine of Pittodrie.
VII. – John Seton 7th
of Meldrum succeeded his father, and married Lady Grizel
Stewart, but died without issue, about 1619, and was succeeded
by,
VIII. – William Seton
8th of Meldrum, his brother, who married Ann,
daughter of James Crichton of Frendraught. Having no
children, he settled the estate, in 1635, upon Patrick
Urquhart of Lethinty, the son of his niece, Elizabeth Seton,
by her marriage with John Urquhart of Craigfintry, Tutor of
Cromarty, contracted in 1610.
Patrick Urquhart,
first Urquhart of Meldrum, succeeded about 1636. His mother,
in her widowhood married Sir Alexander Fraser of Philorth,
afterwards tenth Lord Saltoun, and had a son, Alexander, who
died Master of Saltoun, in 1682, and was the father of
William, eleventh Lord Saltoun.
Arms: - Seton (Meldrum,
co. Aberdeen; heiress m. Urquhart, of Craigfintry).
Quarterly, 1st and 4th, or, three
crescents within a double tressure flory counterflory gu.
; 2nd and 3rd, argent, a demi
otter sable issuing out of a bar wavy crowned gules,
for Meldrum.
Seton of Mounie.
First Line. Pp. 141-231. (Representative of the Seton of
Meldrum Line)
I.
– John Seton of Lumphard, son of William Seton, fifth
of Meldrum, and Nephew of Alexander Seton, Vicar of Bethelnie,
Chancellor of the Diocese of Aberdeen, got the separate farms
of the lands of Mounie, which had been held partly by his
father and partly by his uncle, under Episcopal Charter of
1556, united under a Great Seal Charter in 1575. He married a
daughter of John Panton of Pitmedden, and dying about 1596,
left a son (*who succeeded him, as well as another son,
John, who was Chamberlain to Lord Fyvie, the 1st Earl of
Dunfermline at Fyvie Castle.
II.
– William Seton of Mounie; who was served heir in 1597;
and, in 1598, was admitted an honorary burgess of Aberdeen, at
the request of Alexander Seton, Lord Fyvie. He married Helen,
daughter and heiress of Udny of that Ilk; and in 1623, under
the designation of William Seton of Udny, he sold Mounie to
John Urquhart of Craigfintry and Elizabeth Seton, his wife,
heiress of Meldrum. Their son, Patrick Urquhart, disponed
Mounie in 1636-7 to Mr. Robert Farquhar, - whose heirs lost
the lands by bankruptcy in 1702; when they became temporarily
the property of Alexander Hay of Arnbath, and were
re-purchased, in 1714, by George Seton, ancestor of the
present Setons of Mounie. William Seton had two sons –
William Seton of Menie and Alexander Seton of Kinloch, which
last died in 1672.
III.
– William Seton, called of Menie (Meanie), in Buchan,
son of William of Mounie and Helen Udny, married Margaret
Graham, daughter of Sir Robert Graham of Morphie, and had a
son,
IV.
– William Seton of Menie, whose son,
V.
– James Seton, last of Menie, died without issue in
1707, when the line was represented by
VI.
– (Captain) Robert Seton, son of Alexander
Seton, of Kinloch, the second son of William Seton of Mounie
and Helen Udny.
VII.
– Robert Seton, his son, was the last of the (Menie-Meldrum)
line, and commonly called “of Mexico” in Belhelvie (parish).
Setons of Mounie. Second Line. P. 231.
I.
– George Seton, Advocate, who was the second son of Sir
Alexander Seton (a Lord of Session, by the Title of Lord
Pitmedden), having inherited a considerable provision from his
mother, purchased Mounie. By his second wife, Ann, daughter
of John Leslie of Tocher, grandson of James Leslie of Warthill,
he had a son and several daughters, of whom Isabela married
Dr. Skene Ogilvy, minister of Old Machar. He died about 1763.
II.
– William Seton, the son, succeeded his father, but
died unmarried, and was succeeded by his sister, Margaret
Seton, wife of James Anderson, LL.D., of Cobenshaw, who, in
terms of succession, assumed the name of Seton. Their son
became:
III.
– Alexander Seton of Mounie (born 1769, died 1850). He
married, in 1810, his cousin, Janet Skene, daughter of the
above named Dr. Skene Ogilvie, and had three sons – Alexander,
David and George. George, a Major in the Army, married
Anne-Lucy, daughter of Baldwin Wake, Esq., grandson of Sir
William Wake of Courteen Hall, Northamptonshire, seventh
Baronet, and has issue – Alexander, David.
IV.
– Alexander Seton, Colonel in the Army, was the
commander of the troops on board the troop-ship ‘Birkenhead,’
which was wrecked, 26th February, 1852, near the
Cape of Good Hope, when Colonel Seton and almost all on board
perished. He was succeeded by his brother,
V.
– David Seton, of Mounie, formerly an Officer in the 93rd
Highlanders and 49th Regiment.
Arms: - Seton (Mounie, co. Aberdeen). As
Pitmedden, with a crescent az. in the centre of the
quarters.
The Setons of Blair. P.418.
John Seton of , son of Alexander Seton,
fourth of Meldrum, and his second wife, Janet Leith, daughter
and co-heiress of George Leith of Barnes, inherited Blair (Aberdeenshire) from his mother. His descendants cannot be traced
continuously.
William Seton of Blair was a
burgess of Aberdeen in 1595; and superior of Licklyhead.
William Seton of Blair was served
heir to his father William in 1612 and 1616. He had a
brother, Alexander, admitted a burgess of Aberdeen, 20th
September, 1619.
George Seton of Blair, in 1651,
protested against the appointment of an assistant and
successor to the minister of Bourtie. His daughters, Margaret
and Elizabeth, were served heirs portioners in the lands of
Blair in 1661; and are so stated in the Poll Book, 1696.
George seems to have been a physician, and was regarded by
the Church Courts as a propagator of Romanism.
The Setons of Schethin and of Disblair
Individuals of the two Aberdeenshire
families of the name of Seton – viz., Setons of Schethin and
of Disblair (connected with the Seton’s of Meldrum) – appear
in the Spalding Club publications. The Abreviates of Retours
of Service contain the following notices: -
April 26th, 1623 – William Seton
of Disblair, heir portioner of Andrew Tulliduff of that Ilk,
his grandfather on the mother’s side. Feb. 27th,
1658 – William Seton, sometime of Easter Disblair, heir male
and of taillzie of John Seton of Easter Disblair, his brother,
in the lands of Easter Disblair and the Mill of Cavill, within
the Regality of St. Andrews.
Oct. 4th, 1625 – To
George Seton of Schethin deceased, his son, William Seton of
Schethin, served heir in various lands, 4th
October. June 26th, 1668 – Mr. William Seton,
Rector of Logie Buchan, server heir to his brother, Mr. John
Seton, Minister of the Church of Foveran, in the lands of
Schethin, in the parish of Tarves, 26th June. Nov.
1st, 1672 – James Seton, son of Mr. William Seton,
Minister at Logie Buchan, served heir to his said father, in
the lands of Schethin, in the parish of Tarves.
Seton of Bourtie, Now of Pitmedden. P.230.
Mr. George Seton of Barra, Chancellor of
Aberdeen, and his brother and heir, were the sons of William
Seton, fifth of Meldrum, by his second wife, Margaret,
daughter of Innes of Leuchars. William Seton of Meldrum, the
Chancellors nephew, was, in 1627, served heir male to him in
Barra, - which must have meant part of Barra, as James Seton
was, in 1598, styled portioner of Barra.
I.
– James Seton, portioner of Barra, in 1598, acquired
from the Barclays of Towie the lands of Auld Bourtie, with the
Mill, Hillbrae, Selbie, and Lochtulloch; which two last
properties were afterwards sold to Sir George Johnston of
Caskieben. He married Margaret, grand-daughter of Mr. William
Rolland, Master of the Mint at Aberdeen to King James V. In
1619, in a Crown charter of Auchmore, &c., he was styled of
Pitmedden.
II.
– Alexander Seton of Pitmedden, his son (served heir to
him in 1628), married Beatrix, daughter of Sir Walter Ogilvy
of Dunglass, sister of George, first Lord Banff. He had a
charter in 1630 of the estate of Barra disponed to him by
William Seton, last of Meldrum. He was succeeded by his son,
III.
– John Seton of Pitmedden, the Royalist soldier; who,
in 1633 shortly after succeeding, married Elizabeth, daughter
of Sir Samuel Johnston of Elphinston, by whom he had two
sons. He fell in battle at the Bridge of Dee, in June, 1639,
with the Royal Standard in his hands, and was buried with
military honours by the Covenanters’ General, the Earl of
Montrose. His two sons, James and Alexander, left fatherless
very young, were taken charge of by the Earl of Winton, their
mother marrying the Earl of Hartfell. The boys were educated
at Marischal College, and both attained some eminence.
“Bonnie John” of Pitmedden’s elder son,
IV.
– James Seton of Pitmedden entered the Navy, after
having spent some time in foreign travel. He fought in the
victory obtained over the Dutch by the Duke of York, off
Harwich in 1665. He died of wounds received in another naval
engagement, in 1667. He had sold Bourtie, in 1657, to Mr.
James Reid, Advocate, Aberdeen. He was married, but died
without issue in London. His brother,
V.
– Sir Alexander Seton, a Judge oft eh Court of Session,
by the title of Lord Pitmedden, under Charles II., was his
successor in Pitmedden. He was Knighted in 1664, and
appointed a Judge in 1677. He served in several Parliaments
for Aberdeenshire; and in 1684 Charles II. Bestowed upon him
the rank of Baronet. After the Revolution, King William
offered him his old position of Judge, but he declined,
thinking acceptance incompatible with the oaths previously
taken. He married Margaret, daughter of William Lauder, one
of the Clerks of Session, and had, besides several other
children, two sons – Sir William, his heir, and Mr. George
Seton, Advocate, first of the second Setons of Mounie. Sir
Alexander died at a very advanced age, in 1719. Of three
daughters, Elizabeth married Sir Alexander Wedderburn of
Blackness, Bart.; Margaret married Sir John Lauder of
Fountainhall, Bart.; and Anne married William Dick of Grange.
The Baronets, Dick Lauder of Grange, descend from a son of
Margaret and a daughter Anne.
VI.
– Sir William Seton, second Baronet of Pitmedden, who
in his father’s lifetime represented Aberdeenshire in the
Scottish Parliament from 1702 to 1706, (when Queen Anne
appointed him one of the Commissioners about the union between
Scotland and England,) married Katherine, daughter of Sir
Thomas Burnet of Leys, and had five sons and four daughters.
He died in 1744, and was succeeded by three of his five sons,
and by a son of his fifth son. Two of his daughters married;
Margaret becoming the wife of Sir John Paterson, Bart.; and
Katherine, the wife of Rev. – Forbes.
VII.
– Sir Alexander Seton of Pitmedden succeeded his father
as third Baronet. He was an Officer in the Guards, and died,
s.p., at Pitmedden House, in July, 1750, aged 47.
VIII.
- Sir William Seton of Pitmedden, fourth Baronet,
succeeded his brother, but died s.p.
IX.
– Sir Archibald Seton of Pitmedden, fifth Baronet,
succeeded his brother. He was in the Royal Navy. He died,
s.p.
X.
– Sir William Seton of Pitmedden, sixth Baronet, son of
Charles Seton, the fifth son of the second Baronet, succeeded
his uncle, Sir Archibald. Sir William married Margaret,
daughter of James Ligertwood of Tillery, and had issue – 1,
Charles, died young; 2, James, Major in the 92nd
Highlanders, killed in the Peninsular War, 1814. He married
Frances, daughter of Captain George Coote, nephew of Sir Eyre
Coote, and had issue, William Coote, who succeeded his
grandfather. Sir William died in 1819, and was succeeded by
his grandson,
XI.
– Sir Wiliam Coote Seton of Pitmedden, seventh Baronet,
who was admitted a member of the Faculty of Advocates,
Edinburgh, in 1831. He married, in 1834, Eliza Henrietta,
daughter of Henry Lumsden of Cushnie, county Aberdeen, and
relict of Captain John Wilson, H.E.I.C.S., and had issue: - 1,
James Lumsden, Captain 102nd Foot (retired); 2,
William Samuel, major, Bombay Staff Corps, married Eva Kate
St. Leger, only daughter of Colonel Hastings Wood, C.B., and
has issue; 3, Henry, in Holy Orders, died, unmarried, in 1867;
4, Matthew, Barrister-at-Law, married Theresa Prudence Rose,
only daughter of Mr. Pierre Bonnet; 5, Charles; daughters – 1,
Eliza, wife of David Bryce Brown, Esq., M.D.; 2, Magdalen
Frances, wife of Arthur Talbot Bevan, Esq.; 3, Frances.
Arms; - Seton (Pitmedden, co. Aberdeen,
bart., 1684). Quarterly, 1st and 4th,
or, three crescents, and in the centre a man’s heart
distilling blood, the whole within a double tressure flory and
counterflory gu., for Seton; 2nd and 3rd,
ar. a demi otter sa. crowned or issuing
out of a bar wavy of the second, for Meldrum. Crest – A demi
man in military habit, holding the banner of Scotland,
proper. Supporters – Dexter, a deerhound argent
collared – gu. charged with a crescent or; sinister, an
otter sa. Mottos – Above the crest: Sustento
sanguine signa; below the arms: Merces haec certa
laborum. |
