Descended from the Seton's of Meldrum family branch
of the House of Seton, in the north of Scotland, they came to
Canada from Ulster, Ireland in 1822. They have now
throughout North America, from as
far north as Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories in Canada,
and as far south as Texas in the United States, from Nova Scotia
on the Atlantic Coast, to Vancouver Island in
British Columbia on the Pacific Coast.
John Seton, of the Meldrum
family (son of John Seton of Aquhorthies who was Chamberlain to
the Earl of Dunfermline at Fyvie Castle in the 1620's and 30's), had a son Alexander, a scholar who attended the University
in Aberdeen. Alexander Seton/Seaton was born
circa 1652 in Cuttlecraigs, near Lethenty in Daviot Parish, Aberdeenshire
(approx. ¼ mile from Lumphart[d]). He
had five children that are known, John, James, Thomas, Andrew, and a daughter
Ruth. Alexander became convinced of the Quaker ideals around 1675, while
attending University, and became a prominent Quaker minister. Active in
the promoting of that faith into
Ireland, he is recorded as being jailed along with Anthony Sharp for continuing Quaker
activities in
Dublin. Alexander's father, John Seton, was previously involved in Ulster, and in 1699, Alexander Seaton
took up permanent residence in Ireland, and leaving from the Port
of Glasgow and became a Denizen of Ireland settling in Hillsborough,
County Down, Ulster,
Ireland. All of Alexander’s children
settled in Ireland for a time, though they frequently travelled back
Scotland. He is listed on various records of the time as "Seton",
particularly in settlement records. With the Hamilton and Montgomerie families active in
County Down, Ulster, Ireland, it is of no surprise that, with those families' Seton ties, that Alexander
was able to settle there easily. Alexander Seaton died in 1723.
The Nova
Scotian Seton's descend from Thomas Seton, who’s descendant,
James Seton (also spelt Seeton and Seaton)
was raised in Donaghmore, County Donegal,
Ireland.
James had a brother Thomas and a sister Mary, and he married Martha Crawford of
nearby County Tyrone,
in 1808. James was a Presbyterian and Martha was a Methodist by religion. They
were married in Donaghmore by the Reverend Samuel Dill, Presbyterian, and had
four children in Ireland: Mary Ann,
Andrew, James and Elizabeth. 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 he left on a ship with his family from Belfast, Ireland
and landed in St. John,
New Brunswick, Canada,
in July, 1822. There he remained with his family for one month before acquiring
land in what was then called
Londonderry, Nova Scotia (now called Glenholm). James and Martha had three
other children in Nova Scotia:
John William Seeton, Joseph Seeton, and Robert B. Seeton.
The senior representative stems
from Andrew Seeton who married Matilda Porter of
New Brunswick.
The Nova Scotia Lineage
The
Seton's of Meldrum, Mounie and Pittmedden.
The Citadel Fortress in Halifax,
Nova Scotia
