After his death, indeed, a charter of his lands of Barnes was given to Alexander, at that time Lord Urquhart, his brother, because they were forfeit to the Crown through the original gift of them to Sir John never having had Royal sanction.  The King, some time before November 1582, gave him the property of Hailyards, forfeited by James Earl of Morton "for crimes of lese "majestie"; but, having been under age at the time of the gift, his Majesty had to revoke it on 14th November 1582.  Recalled home to Scotland by King James VI, he was made Master of the Kings Horse, Master of the Kings Household (1586), and Comptroller of his Exchequer and of the Treasury in Scotland and an Extraordinary Lord in the College of Justice as Lord Barnes (1588) in place of his brother Alexander Seton (at that time Lord Urquhart, later Lord Fyvie and 1st Earl of Dunfermline) who was promoted to President of the College. Had he lived, King James was to have highly advanced him in honours and fortune, but he died unexpectedly in 1594.

There is recorded much correspondence between he and his uncle the Earl of Eglinton as well as with Sir William Seton of Kylesmuir.  The fact of Sir John Seton having been concerned in the troubles between Charles I and the Scots Parliament is confirmed by Baillie, in his Letters; 1 - he states that, when events were rapidly tending towards war in 1638, Sir John was asked If he would serve the King, and replied he would do so, but not against his own country, "where he had 'his life' ".

Sir John Seton's first wife appears in a caption in November 1617 against the Laird of Cowdenknowes as ' Dame Isobell Ogilbie, Lady Kintale, with consent of her husband, Sir Johnne Seatoun, Knight.'  About the same date certain tenants of Sir John Seton's lands of Incharoth, in Moray, along with the Laird their master, lodge a complaint against certain specified persons for a violent attack — coming ' by way of hamesucken disagwysit in weymenis clothes undir cloud and silence of nicht.'

He acquired the lands of Hailes from Francis Stewart (Earl of Bothwell and husband of Isobel Seton, daughter to Robert Seton, 1st Earl of Winton), and well as those of Crichton Castle along with his brother Sir George Seton 'of Hailes'.  He and his wife, "Lady Seaton", are noted in the paper of Sir Arthur Forbes, during the seige of Castle Forbes in Longford, Ireland in 1641-42.  He later went over to Ireland with the forces that were sent to suppress the rebellion, and while there purchased a considerable estate from Sir Robert Gordon of Lochinvar, worth £500 sterling a year.

It was from this Irish Estate that he was referred to as, "Sir John Seaton, of Mionylagan", near Longford, and noted in the Irish Massacres of 1641-2 taking shelter at Castle Forbes and eventually escaping to Trim and whence to Dublin, and which gave rise from his progenity generations later to the Seeton's of Nova Scotia who attempted to retain the Estate in Ireland.  For the estate he acquired in Ireland, of Monylagan (Mionylangain or Moneylagan), Clongish Parish, in Co. Longford, in 1628, and he was occassionally referred to in various records of the time also as 'Sir John Seaton of Mionylangain', from this Irish Estate.  His presence was noted in the Funeral of Chancellor Seton in 1622, as representing the family of Seton of Barnes.  After his return from Ireland, Sir John was a noted companion of the Marquis of Montrose, and joined Montrose in 1646, for which he was fined a considerable sum, 40,000 merks (£26,666), and imprisoned by the Covenanters.

On the 5th April, 1647, he along with his sons George and Charles and his half-brother James Hamilton, were charged by the Privy Council for "lawburrows" by a burgess of Haddington, and required to post a bond of 3000 merks as caution, and noted for such in the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland.  Some of his correspondences are noted in the papers of the Memorials of the Montgomeries, Earls of Eglinton, where the birth of his son was recorded in a writing from Robert Seton (Setoun) to Anna, Countess of Eglinton mentioning the birth of his son Alexander as, "... and that Sir John Setoun's lady had given birth to a son on the 12th instant. Setoun, 19th June[c.1620]".

In his elder years he placed the Estate of Barnes into the hands of his son and surviving heir, George Seton, and he retired into a private station in life.

DESIRES OF SEVERAL DEPUTIES OF SHIRES (April 6th, 1652)
To the right honorable the Commissioners of the Parliamt of the Comonwealth of England for orderinge and managinge Affaires in Scotland.

The humble desires of the Deputies of Shires underscryvinge, April c, First, for present remedyinge many and heavy p'iudices the whole bodie of this nation suffers thorough the long want of Adminstracon of Justice, yor honos will be pleased to authorise the Inferiour Judicatours to sitt, Cognosce and determine in such Causes as they haue formerly bin in use to doe.   Second, for repressinge the many Robberies, Thefts and Murthers Comitted uppon the borders, yor honors would empower some persons with Authoritie to app'hend and incarcerate all such as are guilty of the aforesaid Crimes untill such time as Criminall Judges shall be appointed.   Third, for securinge such Shires as border uppon the highlands from the incursions of high landers, yor honos would take such Course that the lawes of this nation may be with speed putt in Execution against all disturbers of the peace in those places, And that the said shires may receiue power to appointe armed guards or watches of theire owne Inhabitants to be mayntayned vppon a part of the Sess, They givinge securitye to yor honos And to the officers quartered amonge them That they shall Act nothinge p'iudiciall to ye Comonwealth of England or their forces.
(et al)  Geo. Seaton, etc...

DESIRE OF SEVERAL SHIRES1
To the right honoble the Commissioners of the Parliamt of the Comonwealth of England for ordering and managing Affaires in Scotland.
April 8, The humble desire of the Deptics of shyres . . . [illegible] 2' relating to the first Article . . . [illegible] given in upon the sixt of . . .
That seeing yor Honors are about to appoint Judges through the severall shyres of this Nation, you would be pleased to take into yor Consideracdn all such persons who have had conferd vpon them any Jurisdicdn or office, heritablie or ad vitam,that they may yett be authorised by yor HonoTM (after imbracing of the Tender) to enioy and exercise their said offices and places as formerly vntill such time as the Com'rs to be sent from the shires and Burghs of this Nation shall meet with the Parliamt of England or their Com'rs for perfecting the vnion, Seing they have all good right thereto by the law of this Nation as to their lands, wch rights are so valid as they have not att any time bin revokeable by the kingly power, Also those offices aford to some of them a considerable pt of their livelihood.
Vera cop'ia exd., Jo. Phelpes, Seer. Annandale.  (et-al) Geo. Seaton, etc.... Endorsed :—Desires of seuall shires exhibited 8 Aprill 1652

He was renewed as a Justice of the Peace in 1663, and noted in The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2013) in the Manuscripts of Charles II: Manuscript > 1663, 18 June, Edinburgh, Parliament > Parliamentary Register > At Edinburgh the nynth day of October 1663 > Legislation: [1663/6/144] -  Act for renewing justices of peace:

Within the shire of Hadingtoun: George, earle of Wintoun, Alexander, viscount of Kingstoun, Sir Thomas Hamiltoun of Prestoun, Sir Williame Baillie of Lamintoun, George Hepburne of Adinstoun, Sir Peter Wedderburne of Gosfoord, William Robertson, baillie in Saltprestoun, Mr John Hay of Aberladie, Alexander Levingstoun of Saltcoats, Sir James Durhame of Lufness, George Home of Foord, John Hepburne of Waughtoun, Sir Johne Sinclair of Hermistoun, Sir James Hay of Linplum, Sir Robert Sinclair [of] [...], Johne Seatoun of Garletoun, Sir Robert Douglas of Blaikerstoun, Adam Hepburne of Humbie, Francis Kinloch of [...], James Broun of Colistoun, James Newhall [of] [...], [...] Douglas of Spot, Patrick Hepburne of Huntone, Sir Williame Ruthven of Dunglas, Mr Cornelius Inglis of Eistbarns, James Lawder, burges of Dumbar, Thomas Purves, burges ther, Alexander Cokburne of Pople, Doctor George Hepburne of Munkrig, Mr John Dougall of Nunland, Mr Johne Butler of Kirkland, John McMorran, [of] [...], William Seatoun, provost of Hadingtoun, Mr James Cokburne, burges ther, James Forrest, burges [of] Edinburgh, George Seatoun of Barnes, John Jossie in Westpans, George Stewart of Adam, and nominats and appoints Sir Thomas Hamilton of Prestoun to be conveener.

As a result of an agreement with his eldest son and heir, and responding to legal challenges to his estate from his half-sister, he bestowed the lands of Barnes onto his son.  He also pursued the Irish Estate of his father and was noted in legal proceedings and Court of Session records in Edinburgh, against Sir Arthur Forbes, (later 1st Viscount Granard), in 1683, where his half-sister Lady Bearford also sought to acquire rights to the estate, and which suit cost him most of his lands and estate's in Amisfield and Ireland as result. He also had long standing disputes with Sir John Seton of Garleton over rights to water on their adjoining estates of Barnes and Garleton, noted in Court of Session records (in 1676, 1677 and 1678). His son Sir John Seton 4th of Barnes pre-deceased him, and his eldest grandson, George Seton, later succeeded to the Estate of Barnes upon his retirement from his municipal pubic life.

In his Last Will and Testament, dated the 18th of February, 1659, he noted that he had provided his eldest son and heir from his first marriage, George Seton, to the Estate of Barnes upon terms of his marriage contract, that his 2nd wife was Dame Margaret Hay, and left a provision of £100 Sterling in liferent for her and burdened his Estate with 10,000 merks for his youngest son Henry Seton in fee; which following his death, his eldest son and heir George, 5th of Barnes, sought a Reduction from, and which law suit is noted between himself and his step-mother Dame Margaret Hay in the Decisions of the Court of Session records.  He was buried at his request, "with decency, but without pomp or great show" and interred in the place of his father's burial at Seton Collegiate Church.

There was later as a result, a long-running suit between himself and the Earl of Errol, looking for relief, dated 18th of December, 1702, and which was finally ruled against him by the Lords of Council and the Court of Session. Also of note was a series of legal disputes recorded in the Court of Session records, with both his step-mother regarding his succession, and other neighbours such as that of William King on the 10th of January 1694, for reparations to the house of St. Laurence in Haddington.

On the death abroad without issue of James Seton, the attainted 4th Earl of Dunfermline on 26th December 1694, the representation of that family and honours devolved upon the Setons of Barnes. George was served heir to his father on 16th July 1698, and to his grandfather in 1704. Upon succeeding his grandfather, he claimed the Lordship of Urquhart and the Honours of Dunfermline, which claim included the Abbott's House in Elgin.  His right to claim the Earldom of Dunfermline was formally accepted by Lady Henrietta Gordon, Countess James Seton, 4th Earl of Dunfermline, as heir to her husband who died in France without issue.   In 1705 Lord Teviot, who had obtained a grant of the forfeited estate, conveyed his rights therein to George Seton for £400, which sum was paid by the latter 's brother in law Sir James Suttie of Balgonie (Balgowan). This appears to have included the baronies of Fyvie and Urquhart, and also Dalgetie in Fife. The transaction was hotly contested in the Courts by the Countess of Dunfermline, and finally the tack of the estates was granted to one Captain Pall, who held it for many years. The trustees of George Seton drew the rents for payment of debts, and allowed the latter a small sum. The estate was finally sold in 1733, Fyvie going to the Earl of Aberdeen, and Urquhart to the Duke of Gordon.

Charter of Resignation by George 5th Earl of Winton, in favour of George Seaton of Barns, dated 31st March, 1715. In this charter the granter is designed Georgius Comes de Winton, Dominus Seaton et Tranent, unicus legitimus filius et hæres deservit, et retornat, quondam nobili et potenti Comiti Georgio Comiti de Winton, nostro patri, secundum Retornatum Nostrum o Cancellario extractum de data quarto die mensis Julij anno 1710. The Charter of Resignation by George 5th Earl of Winton, in favour of George Seaton of Barns, was dated 31st March 1715 allowing for the sale of the estate of Barnes.

George Seton, however, assumed and was frequently styled by, the title of "Earl of Dunfermline" in private life. In 1715, on the outbreak of the Jacobite rising, he joined his kinsman George Seton, 5th Earl of Winton. It was he who at Kelso on 24th October 1715, publicly "Proclaimed" the Pretender, James VIII, and was styled by his title of 'Dunfermline'. He later surrendered and was taken prisoner at Preston and sent to London, as one of the prisoner's of quality, and in due course his estate was confiscated. He escaped insurrection after pleading guilty and supplicated the King's Mercy, however, and was granted a pardon, under the Union Seal, on 20th February 1716, and set at liberty, settled peaceably at his house of St. Laurence House in Haddington (noted in 1732).

However, poverty no doubt pressing on him, in 1716 he sold the estate of Barnes to Colonel Francis Charteris of Arnisfield, in Haddingtonshire. In a Bond dated 29th June 1727 he styled himself "Late of Barnes, alias Lord Dunfermline". In 1732 he was living at his house in Haddington, but the date of his death is not known. George Seton married Anne, daughter of Sir George Suttie Bt. of Balgone (or Balgowan), Haddingtonshire and had issue, 7 children: 2 sons and 5 daughters, and died at an advanced age, and was buried in Seton Collegiate Church.

Erected by Doctor Forbis Galbraith SEATON of Melbourne, Australia, in memory of his beloved parents and sister namely: Thomas SEATON his father, who departed this life 18th June 1816, aged 44 years. Also his mother Elizabeth SEATON who departed this life 27th Jany 1825, aged 44 years. Also his sister Mrs Catherine CREAGHTON, who departed this life 15th March 1878.

The family headstone reads: Here lyeth the body of Mary SEATON, who departed this life May the 9 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 1816, aged 44 years. Also Jane SEATON who departed this life 18th Novr 1828 aged 103 years.

With the remains of his inheritance Henry settled first in Gloucester County, on the Pyanketank in Virginia, during which period he married Elizabeth Todd, the daughter of a gentleman of standing in the same county. He was noted in the papers of Mr. George Fitzhugh, of Rappahannock in papers on the " Valleys of Virginia," who quoted Bishop Meade's list of the early justices and vestrymen, at that time offices of mark and among whom in Petworth parish is named 'Henry Seaton' and says: " None but men of substance and consideration were made vestrymen...". He subsequently moved to an estate on the Mattapony, County of King William in Virginia, which for several generations continued to be the home of his descendants.  He died leaving an only child, his son and heir, George Seaton.

He was a strong supporter of the administration of Thomas Jefferson of the United States, and was noted as being very familiar with the President and well-established in the society in Washington and held great influence in Congress. Throughout much of his life he maintained an interest and constant co-operation in the Colonization Society, becoming Vice-President there, and was an executive member of the American Colonization Society.  He entered into politics, and became Mayor of the City of Washington D.C. (1840-1850), and it was during his mayoralty that the corner-stone of the Washington Monument was laid, with elaborate ceremonies and much enthusiasm.  In his later years, he devoted himself to the funding of the creation of the Smithsonian Institution, and became it's  Treasurer and subsequently one of the building committee members, which latter he held until his death.  He was also one of the founders of the Unitarian Church in Washington, and entertained the French General LaFayette there, along with other functions as well.  During his 10 years as mayor, was instrumental in the development of the city's public education system and in numerous civic improvements, including telegraph and gas lines as well as the construction of the first waterworks.

As reports came to America of the growing famine in Ireland in 1846, he began the first movement for famine-relief, to which he labored continually, and which culminated in the provisions ship, 'General Harrison' being commissioned and dispatched, laden with $10,000 worth of provisions sent to Cork and Galway, and the Frigate Macedonian, and was the very first to start this movement in the United States.  In 1850, he retired from the mayoralty after an unexampled length of service and peremptorily declining with advancing age, he retired from publishing and editorship and undertook travels in Europe, and later of complications of skin cancer in Washington. D.C. on the 10th of June, 1866.

He married on the 03 March, 1760 at Caversham, Oxford, England, Margaret Seton of the family of Parbroath, and later emigrated to Brookhaven, Long Island, New York. They were resident in New York in 1773, before settling in Brooklyn in 1776, however as a Loyalist his home and estate were ravaged and after the American War of Independence he and his family relocated southwards, settling in the then-British possession of Fernandina, or Amelia Island which was claimed by Spain.  In his later years he ventured on business in St. James Parish, Jamaica, and where he later died in 1794, having had 5 sons and 6 daughters.

He settling at Fernandina around 1811, a town at the Georgia-Florida border that was still under Spanish rule and an area wrought with tension between the Americans and the Spanish until the transfer of Florida from Spain in 1821 but where most of his family had resided following the conclusion of the American Revolution.

He was there known in Spanish papers as 'Don Carlos Seton', and engaged in the lumbering business establishing a plantation called 'George Plantation' and a saw mill near Fernandina. However, following his attachment to the American expansion into the Floridian-territory, he was tried for treason against Spain for his allegiance and his lands and property there sold, and was afterwards noted in the U.S. Court records for his repeated claims to regain rights to his Grants of land.

In 1812, he married Matilda Sibbald and the couple had several children, but only two survived into adulthood; his son and heir George Sibbald Seton, and daughter Margaret Seton. His son George Seton would later fight in the Confederate Army and settle in Maryland, while his daughter Margaret would remain in Florida and marry Lewis Fleming, member of another prominent Florida family. As the hostilities broke out in the War of 1812, he commanded the Fernandina Militia and fought in a skirmish against raiders from Georgia in 1813. He was wounded by rifle-fire, and carrying the ball in his chest, eventually died from the ongoing complications in 1836. He became the first American mayor of Fernandina in 1820, was a juror in the first Grand Jury ever held in Jacksonville, Florida on the 1st of December 1823, and was an active Mason, and keeper of Masonic Honours.

King James, however, did his best for his fellow countrymen. He tried ineffectually to get Seton elected a Fellow of King’s, where the College appears to have been unloyally stubborn. He succeeded in March 1619-20 in getting 'George Seaton, Scotus', admitted a Fellow of St John’s mandate regio. The fellowship was a specially created one and for some years the College had a good working grievance, culminating in Seaton continuing to hold his fellowship after he was beneficed and married and then trying to pass it on to a friend. He is no doubt the George Seaton who compounded for First Fruits as Vicar of Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, 8 November 1626, ceding this on his institution as Rector of Bushey, Herts, 19 December 1631, being presented to the latter by King Charles I. ; Seaton resigned Bushey in 1642.

The following letter, addressed by the Earl of Morton to George Seaton of Busch, D.D., in the county of Hertford, afterwards Sir George Seaton of Haills, to whom the Earl and his son Robert Lord Dalkeith, had granted a band in the English form for £2000 sterling, dated 9th April 1634, shows his lordship's embarrassed position five years later: Tbaist Freind, I am sorie that I can not satisfie the deaayr of your letter unless I should resolve presently to give up my house and dispers my familie. I sall perfonne what I have promised, to pay what I owe you out of the first payment the king sall mak to me. Thus I rest your freind, Morton.
St Martin's Lain this Wadinsday 89 August 1639.
For my verie guid freind Doctor Seaton.

His constant leaving of the post to attend to matters in Scotland forced his removal, and he was cited for non-conformity and other conduct, to which he contested and is noted in the Middlesex Session Rolls in 1642.However, he was one of Parliamentary Legislators who created and signed the Act and addition to the committee of war [of East Lothian], noted in the Parliamentary Register of 23 May, 1649, in Edinburgh.

By his own industry from his estate he acquired the Estate and Barony of Crichton with his uncle the 3rd Earl of Winton, selling Crichton Castle c1649 to the Hepburns of Humbie. Forced to have "quitted" Hailes Castle during Cromwells sacking of Dunbar, he was later reimbursed by the Government to the sum of 4,700 "in English money for troops quartered on his tenants and for damage caused by them", in 1650.  He and various Baron's in Haddington also signed the Assent of Haddintonshire, dated February 12th, 1652, in favour of a Union of Scotland with with England, and the first of it's kind and the fore-runner to the Union in the next century that created 'Great Britain", signing the Declaration of Union in 1652 along with his cousin, George Seaton of Haddington (3rd of Barnes).

He was admitted a Burgess and Guild of Leith 12.05.1652, along with his younger son Robert, and his Testament was dated the 3rd of July, 1661, and a portion of his papers were held by his grandson Capt. Robert Seton and found in the trunk at the Register House in Edinburgh. His Testament-dative, 'of Sir George Seattoun of Haills, 3rd July 1661, Knight', among whose debtors were the Earl of Winton, Viscount Kingston, and King Charles II. From the ANTIQUITIES OF ABERDEEN: — Vol. lxx.

In the volume compiled, "Allegations for marriage licences issued by the vicar-general of ..., Volume 1 - By Church of England. Province of Canterbury. Registry of the Vicar-General of the Archbishop of Canterbury", is recorded for Sept. 19, 1683: Robert Seton, of S' Martin's in the Fields, Midd., Bachr, ab' 25, & Dame Barbara Cobb, of the same, Wid., ab' 35; alleged by Alexr Monro, of the same, Taylor; at S' Martin's afsd, S' Mary, Savoy, S' Margaret's, or the New Chapel at Westmr.